Crufts * Spoiler Alert*

[JudyN]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

Is anyone else watching Crufts?

It's my guilty pleasure - I can think of all sorts of reasons to boycott it (the breeding to produce dogs that can't function normally, some of the handling methods, subjecting dogs to hours of bathing & grooming, focus on looks rather than temperament), but for the next few days I will try to suspend that and focus on the good, and the smashing, fit, happy dogs, and the expert advice that promotes positive training. (Things might get thrown at the telly when the Pekes and other brachy breeds appear.)

I can't wait for hounds and terriers night - if you do watch, which is your favourite group?

 

[Mad Murphy]

We don't get it here anymore . I was never interested in the showing but I always loved all the displays, agility, flyball, heelwork to music etc but I can catch up on some of it via youtube.

 

[JoanneF]

I haven't been able to catch it yet but I have a couple of acquaintances who are in obedience. I like the utility group, and really pretty much anything that looks like a dog ought to look (i.e. nothing too extreme).

 

[JudyN]

I adored the dog that won the Gundog group last night. I won't say what breed it was, in case anyone's planning to catch up later.

 

[Teddy560]

My friend was there showing her samoyed we and Ted have just sat down with a glass of wine to watch the agility. Love watching the agility but doubt my gangly "cocker" would be that great at it haha

 

[Buddy1]

I haven’t seen any of Crufts yet so have also just poured myself a large glass of wine and am about to catch up with what I’ve missed.

I have to admit, I watch it mainly to see the dogs being shown. I enjoy the agility, but will be refilling my wine glass when Flyball is on – just too manic for me.

I like watching all the groups, but am obviously biased towards the gundogs as I own one. Also love the hound group for the pure grace of some of those breeds (the Pharaoh hound being a favourite).

 

[Teddy560]

What breed of dog do you have? I like watching the showing too

 

[Whippylove]

I've been watching it live on my phone really enjoying it @JudyN same here I cant wait for the hound group tomorrow night!
Loved the newfies today.

 

[Buddy1]

@Teddy560, we have a flat coat.

 

[Teddy560]

Ted doesn't look too impressed with Crufts

 

[JudyN]

Did anyone else get annoyed when the vet said that a treadmill was an excellent form of exercise for a dog? No, take it for a decent walk!

I sent in an action shot of Jasper which means I'm going to have to watch every minute of it tomorrow. Awkward that it clashes with the rugby and the start of the F1 GRand Prix season...

 

[Mayblossom]

I got very annoyed Judy! And to say the dog was enjoying it was just ridiculous it was too scared to stop in case he fell off !

 

[JudyN]

I'm going to ask Josie if she can add 'spoiler alert' to the thread title so we can discuss the winners

 

[excuseme]

F1 Grand Prix. Yippee

SORRY. That was a bit off track

 

[excuseme]

To say that the Working dogs and Gundogs are fit for purpose, they must be joking. They are mostly fat and with no muscle tone, I'm sure not many of them could do a days work and I'm sure not many of them have.
I do enjoy watching the agility though.

 

[JudyN]

I know... show labradors They claim that all that bulk is just relaxed muscle... I've used that excuse before now too

Did anyone see the flyball team of pointy dogs (probably all lurchers)? Wow!! It used to be pretty much all collies with the occasional sighthound but I'm wondering if we're now going to see more sighthounds and fewer collies.

 

[Buddy1]

Maybe I am just being biased again, but watching the gundogs last night on catch up I could imagine several of them doing the job they were bred for. I do know several flat coats that are shown successfully, compete at gundog trials and are used to pick-up in the season. I would say these dogs are defiantly ‘fit for purpose’.

Obviously, there were some I could not imagine out in the field (the Labrador springs to mind). But I guess that this is the result when a breed separates into ‘show’ and ‘working’ lines.

 

[Mad Murphy]

Just watching the novice agility.. dogs are having such fun....

 

[Mad Murphy]

Great flyball but after was working dogs.. I spotted the Bouvier des Flanders poor dog looked awful nothing like real Bouviers

 

[JudyN]

Maybe I am just being biased again, but watching the gundogs last night on catch up I could imagine several of them doing the job they were bred for. I do know several flat coats that are shown successfully, compete at gundog trials and are used to pick-up in the season. I would say these dogs are defiantly ‘fit for purpose’.

Yes, some (most?) do look really good and genuinely fit for purpose. Others... I asked OH if he could think of any wild animal that waddled naturally - he replied 'A duck' The fact that you would want to split a breed into 'show' and 'working' says it all really. Yes, 'working' dogs can be less suitable for the average household, but if 'working' dogs are the ideal shape for their purpose, surely they could breed dogs that are equally fit in terms of conformation but more laid back and easy going?

It's a shame that despite promoting raw feeding, they said that you shouldn't diy it but should buy a commercial complete raw. Could they not have said that it is possible, but it's easy to get it wrong so you need to research carefully, and maybe suggested a resource?