The Beauceron from Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show 08 - Page 9

Someone who is experienced with the breed, and knows the handler took the time to provide her personal observations of the dog as well as the handlers explanation of the show in question,  but some of you who observed the dog for a couple of seconds still think you know better.  Doesn't get more ridiculously arrogant than that.  

 Over the years I have heard a thousand excuses from owners and handlers about dogs that didn't react properly.  Sometimes it is the judge fault..but sometimes it is not.And it's funny..they always act as it is the first time it happened..

Anyway..we could talk and talk..we were not there..only judging by what we saw in those videos..

GRRRR!! I tried every way I can think to watch that video but my darn slow DSL just shows a second of it then loads for 5 seconds. I went about my business and let the whole thing  download thinking when I came back it would just play like other videos on U Tube , but no way....

 Maybe you can wtch it on the Westminster site...

GARD, Sueincc, 4pack and I'm missing a couple of similar thinking.    

I watched half of the video.  The judge looked nervous with Arco too, his hands were shaking during the mouth exam, much more so then some of the other dogs.  The GSD was heavily distracted with food and even he looked back at the judge a couple times.  The Shelties head has blocked from turning after it started to react, more subtle since it's a smaller dog.

Off topic but......  Why are all the dogs so fat?  My goodness!  They are the herding group?  With that weight on them they couldn't go for 5 minutes!

I liked Arco, I may have to research Beauceron's more before they are ruined in the states, or wait and import when I'm ready.  I've seen a couple I really liked the looks of. 

Short stuff is back under a new psuedoname.  Still trying to hypnotise your dogs, or is it your customers? over 30 years experience, huh, at what exactly, training the poor dog/victims or conning the cutomers?

I watched the whole best in breed video and did not see one thing that I would say, "Oh that dog has terrible temperment."

Just for shits and giggles I watched the Malinios one. Did see some similar tail tucking which did not surprise me at all for that breed in that environment.

I did learn something, I had never seen a mearle colored Beauc. Did not know they even came in or were allowed in that color. So that video was not a complete waste of 6 minutes of my life. The Mal one however, was a waste of 10 minutes of life.

Animules,

I was thinking the same thing, all of those dogs are overweight. Some bordering on downright fat! Guess that's what happens though when you sleep on the couch and prance around looking pretty instead of outside chasing a ball or decoy

>> my question to that the lady who owns and handles Arco - what was she doing whilst the judge had his hands on her dog??

When handling I watch the judge closely when his/her hands are any where near my dog - let alone touching.<<

I don't recall completely what she said, but I seem to remember she said that the ring steward or someone was giving her directions on where she should stand due to cameras and whatnot and she was trying to listen to him and do what he said. I've never shown at Westminster (and doubt I ever would LOL) but I have shown at the World Show and will say that showing when there are spotlights and cameras will make even a seasoned handler feel like a novice. She said if she ever gets there again, she will be less deferent to the whole thing and go with her gut. Like I said, I've shown in the ring with her many times. She is always professional yet doesn't allow the stewards or judges to rush her or her dogs, I learned alot following behind her for many years and can only say I know she kicked herself a zillion times for letting the whole Westminster thing get to her. I was looking through my emails to see if I still had the one from her from when she got home, but must have deleted it. 

Oh, and the merle colored Beauceron is called a harlequin. Pretty rare since breeding them is a bit tricky and there isn't much call for them.

Annette

Here is a video of the dog winning Best of Breed before the group.  There is nothing wrong with the temperment of this dog.  He is not a spaniel or a golden and should not be expected to act like one.

http://video.westminsterkennelclub.org/player/?id=216317

I skimmed through the emails so I don't know if this was mentioned.  Any show is stressful, but Westminster goes beyond that.  If it's still the same as it was five years ago when I was there, it's crazy.  It's a benched show, which means the dogs are on display for John Q. Public all day.   The benching area, unless they're with a pro handler (which is a separate quieter area) is filled with a constant stream of people peering into crates.  At least one spectator tried to open a neighboring bully breed crate to "pet the doggie" when I was there.  You have to stand guard all day long. 

And then to get to the ring through these crowds is nuts!  I heard stories of handlers having to make a ring of people as a buffer in order to get the standard poodle to the ring so its "lovely" grooming job wouldn't get crushed in the masses.  

Not to mention the potty area is in the basement with shavings with a gazillion other dogs and there isn't a blade of grass to be found for blocks. 

All I'm sayin' is it's a lot of stress over several days for dog and handler. 

After watching the video, I was left with the thought that if the dog really wanted to eat the judge, he had plenty of opportunities.  I thought the GSD had almost the same reaction to the judge, but the handler kept moving the bait so darned much, he HAD to keep an eye on it.  Nice management of the dog's head if he thought something was up.