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  • What can be done to Improve Dog Shows?   Back   Up   See All Forum Topics   ShowDays Home
    How do you think we can improve our sport, and increase responsible participation?
    DateNameAbout the Writer
    Oct 27, 2008Linda / Keno Malamutes
    AKC could split dog showing in half. Let top handlers compete with other top handlers and let the owner handlers compete against each other. I think more folks would come back to showing dogs again. AKC says they are loosing money, here is a idea to get some back.
    Sep 15, 2009Jinger Guinn / Mystic Toy PoodlesEliminate politics
    AKC could improve much of their dog shows by simply eliminating judges that obviously put up handlers. If they can\'t examine and put up the most correct judge they don\'t need to be judging. In poodles they could start by not requiring so much hair and judge less on the grooming which is not that important but judge more on the actual conformation of each dog and movement. This in itself would cause more poodle people to show especially if sporting clip was allowed. Why can\'t judges just do what they are paid for and judge the dogs not what\'s on the other end of the leash.
    Apr 4, 2010Raisin Ann
    Yes I agree with what I read on here about handlers and owner handled dogs. It\'s sad when you spend your money just to see you\'ll never win unless you spend money on a handler too. I came in an got out of showing in 11 months. It\'s stupid to spend money in these days of tight times, only to watch it fly out the window to handled dogs. AKC shows are a big joke the dogs are not tested for joint problems or behavior. only for looks. I\'ll stick with IABCA shows at least there less bias
    Sep 10, 2010lynn kuchinka / Bry-Lyn dachshunds
    I think if judges had to give a written critic of the dogs it would not be so easy to just put up the handler.Maybe they could divide the handler from owner handlers. then have the two go against each other for a larger amount of points but letting each get points.I think more people would come back to show its to expensive now and then add handler fees and you are done .
    Sep 22, 2010Anon
    Doing more to discipline judges that judge unethically, such as looking at the wrong end of the lead, putting up dogs they had bred, or were sired by their dogs (happens more often then I care to think about). Also have seen and on this site read about some extremely rude arrogant behavior on the part of some judges. This is a HUGE turnoff to a new person to the sport, to be yelled at or spoken down to. I understand it\'s a long time to be on your feet all day judging, but there should be some sort of sensitivity training to go along with the judges license as well. They need to know how to treat people and their dogs with respect, otherwise people will only take so much abuse and then leave the sport.
    Oct 25, 2010Opal Ridge
    I agree that there should be a split - one show for handlers and one for owner/breeder/handlers. There is no doubt that handlers must make money, but when the judge considers that in making the decision which dog to put up - it is necessary to realize that the playing field is unequal. In order to \'re-balance\' this, separate shows must happen. with a 30-40% drop in entries, AKC is alleging the economy is taking a toll, citing less than 20% handler entries is not enough to cause such a drop. Unfortunatley, the AKC is relying on the catalogs to come up with their statistics, which do not account for ring side pick ups or professional handlers who don\'t list in the catalog all of the dogs they\'re handling. Additionally, if the economy was the only reason for the decline, UKC would see a decline as well...they have not. UKC numbers are actually up - which is suprising since they have fewer shows and are less \'comfortable\'! :)
    Apr 7, 2012Dawn Thompson / Ardenvale Boxers
    I also agree. Have a separate division for owner handled dogs. A championship could still be earned but with as blatantly political as shows have gotten it is time for a way for people who wish to show their own dogs to be able to do so. I would also like to see an owner handled groups and owner handled BIS. I think it would also be a wonderful thing for altered classes and titles to be earned...something like a Companion Champion. It would allow new people to come into the sport, and participate and find out if it is something they really want to do, without the outlay of expense first. Let them see if they like it before they get that show potential pup and sign that huge contract. It would also be a way of seeing more of the progeny of current stud dogs. Altered classes are allowed and hugely popular in horses, and I believe they could be very popular in dogs as well.
    Jun 2, 2012Fran Marron / MarLord KennelsWITH ALL THESE NEW CLASSES THEY ARE CREATING.
    WHY NOT HAVE BEST BRED BY EXHIBITOR IN SHOW AT ALL SHOWS BEST AMATEUR OWNER HANDLER IN SHOW AT ALL SHOW BEST PUPPY IN SHOW AT ALL SHOWS BEST WHATEVER OTHER CLASS THE AKC COMES UP WITH IN SHOW AT ALL SHOWS OR CUT THE NUMBER OF ALL BREED SHOWS IN HALF AND HAVE OPEN SHOWS WHERE DOGS DONT COMPETE FOR POINTS.......LIKE THEY DO IN ENGLAND
    Jul 4, 2016AKC Judges Rating CardsExhibitor
    AKC needs to have every exhibitor at every show complete a AKC Rating Card for every judges. Eventually you will have a system where Kennel Club Show Secretaries can hire 5 Star Judges for their shows to draw more entries. The judges with the lower ratings will be forced to improve their skills, be more knowledgable of the breeds they are judging to elevate their ratings. A judge could rate high in some breeds and lower in others indicating to the judges that they need more mentoring in those breeds. The rating cards would give feed back to the judges from breeders and exhibitors. The Rating Cards could be completed on line directly to AKC. by giving a unique code to each entry for each show. Exhibitors could then check every Judge for their breed\'s rating before deciding to show to that judge.
    Nov 20, 2017oscar wilson / academy
    Dog shows were created to evaluate breeding stock and award dogs that is closest to the breed standard. In theory, the judge should have expert knowledge of the breeds he is to evaluate. The issue today is not necessarily the quality of judging but it is the lACK of Judges. Do you see the same judges on judging slate for shows you attend? Do you think it is fair for judges to watch group judging on Saturday, then judge the breeds the following day? When the AKC allowed clubs to cluster at one location or for a club to hold a “back to back” show, the AKC did NOT institute any protocol on the acceptability for a judge to officiate for more than one day. Just like limits on how many dogs a judge may judge in a day (175), there needed to be limits on judges being held over from on day to the next. Do you feel it is ethical for a judge to watch judging on a Saturday, then judge at that same show on Sunday? This is only part of the problem. Most importantly, remember that nobody goes to a dog show to lose. Everybody wants to win. There can only be one winner. So at the end of the day congratulate the winner, do not hate them. They were not the ones who chose the winner. The person in the middle of the ring did.
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