working lurchers/whippets and flapping dogs

[birddog 1,354]

Well said Birddog,the people booking the judges should be able to sort the good from the bad uns,and book them accordingly,if its owt like KC , judges reputations go before them ,a little thought on the organisers part would go a long way i for example would not put your dog up due to its poor coat,lack of muscle etc

ta muchly, but jcm maybe has something because a broken / rough coat can hide lots of things

[neilsherlock 226]

i love to show my animals, i love to work them too. The biggest problem with any show ive attended is that the judges dont know conformation and skeletal structure or the knock on effects of poor conformation, just to 'know a good dog' is not enough in my opinion.. To place a worker up because it has a Scars is bollox, what macho crap is that. I have yet to see a Judge talk through there judging with the handler, tell them the pros and cons of the conformation. I feel shows can be educational and have purpose but the judges should have to at least undertake a basic conformation course.

[jcm 2,326]

I only know that the dogs were no workers because the owners openly admitted that they were pets, dont get me wrong i go for a drink and a laugh, even took my dog to shows on the intention to enter him and was having such a laugh i forgot to enter him in his class.

[birddog 1,354]

i love to show my animals, i love to work them too. The biggest problem with any show ive attended is that the judges dont know conformation and skeletal structure or the knock on effects of poor conformation, just to 'know a good dog' is not enough in my opinion.. To place a worker up because it has a Scars is bollox, what macho crap is that. I have yet to see a Judge talk through there judging with the handler, tell them the pros and cons of the conformation. I feel shows can be educational and have purpose but the judges should have to at least undertake a basic conformation course.

i've never put up a dog just because it has scars, in my post i said both dogs being equal the 'scarless' one would get it,it is a beauty show after all, it's just that scars or a let down toe type injury caused by work in my eyes doesn't take away from conformation, structure balance etc, and if anyone has approached me after a show i've given them my honest view, do we really need to know the function of the thoracolumbular fascia or the importance of the length and angle of the dorsal bones (which i do) in order to recognise the correct balance and movement in a running dog ? sometimes a dog has all the right bits in all the right places but is way off the condition of a structurally lesser animal that is in better condition, fitter and stronger, so which one comes first ? the best made one that couldn't catch it's tail it's that far out of condition or the lesser dog (structurally) thats fit as a flea with firm elastic muscles and a gleaming coat, this and a hundred other puzzles face the man in the middle, so the judge thats taken the basic conformation course gives it to the dog with soft muscles, flat feet and dull coat because basic conformation was better......if only it was that easy

[birddog 1,354]

i think this topic has the potential to be a cracker because there will be so many different opinions, some like rough coats, some stronger types, some small and nimble etc etc it would be good if other guys who have judged put up an opinion too

[lurcher330 2,297]

It's not so much the showing IMO,it's the racing ,Im not really into racing the the dogs at shows because your average working lurcher does not stand a chance most of the time ,if i do it is just for a bit of crac,but when people are breeding dogs just for racing it takes it away from the working dogs and it's only a bit of crac if there is a chance you might just win a race,but i know what Darren is saying when he started this thread,which is how much greyhound can you keep adding to a lurcher until it becomes a greyhound?7/8 ,15/16, 31/32 and some have even bred 63/64/and so on.so at what stage can they not be classed as lurchers anymore ,i reckon 3/4 is well enough 5/8 just right

[davemu 52]

you dont work her stuart do you i thought she was your show pony

look close bud there are scars there, howd you get on last night ?

there was not a great deal about lastnight untill we went on your land and it was jumping with big ears

[artful212 394]

It's not so much the showing IMO,it's the racing ,Im not really into racing the the dogs at shows because your average working lurcher does not stand a chance most of the time ,if i do it is just for a bit of crac,but when people are breeding dogs just for racing it takes it away from the working dogs and it's only a bit of crac if there is a chance you might just win a race,but i know what Darren is saying when he started this thread,which is how much greyhound can you keep adding to a lurcher until it becomes a greyhound?7/8 ,15/16, 31/32 and some have even bred 63/64/and so on.so at what stage can they not be classed as lurchers anymore ,i reckon 3/4 is well enough 5/8 just right

 

 

i know what u mean i feel the same the showing is abit of craic but some take it to serious and you know they never wuld hunt the dog by the look of them and the racing holy f$$$ now that is a charade unmarked greyhounds being used lol i once entered a whippet greyhound bitch for a laugh and she ended up winning whole thing some folk wernt to happy bout that and the bitch was well worked

[birddog 1,354]

i understand what your saying about the racing and non peds and unmarked greyhounds can and do win but i know a big black dog that has a decent % of bull and saluki in it that often shows them the way home (and he's a proper worker) would it be too hard to make the races longer or the best of three or throw in a jump or two and that would sort them, but by moaning about them are we not being too serious ourselves, personally i think a race is a race your either 1st or your not and as it is a test to see who's fastest theres got to be losers

[MoChara 1,600]

The amount of unmarked greyhounds racing at these shows is unreal. Mo Chara cant be showed because he tries to eat the judge ffs but have got 2nd and 3rd for him. But i did think about racing him, but no point putting a "heavy" dog in amoung grey's imo.

 

And birddog i know what your saying about scars - Mo has his on his legs but are hard to see as hes white, jerry lee's are more noticable.

[birddog 1,354]

The amount of unmarked greyhounds racing at these shows is unreal. Mo Chara cant be showed because he tries to eat the judge ffs but have got 2nd and 3rd for him. But i did think about racing him, but no point putting a "heavy" dog in amoung grey's imo.

 

And birddog i know what your saying about scars - Mo has his on his legs but are hard to see as hes white, jerry lee's are more noticable.

again i don't see it as too much of a big thing if a dog is a wee bit off with me the judge handling it, if a stranger pulled my lips back and felt my nethers i'd have a go at him.......and a scars a scar....... whoopee, both mines have them as have probably all of my mates mutts it doesn't take away from their conformation or working ability just as it doesn't prove they're a worker, i treat racing as fun although i still like to win but i understand when i pay my money somebody has to lose

[birddog 1,354]

you dont work her stuart do you i thought she was your show pony

look close bud there are scars there, howd you get on last night ?

there was not a great deal about lastnight untill we went on your land and it was jumping with big ears

be careful there bud the keeper who's a pal of mine has been on to plod about illegal coursing it's gotten kinda hot they gave me a wee tug at 3.30 the other morning but i've got written permission for bunnies

[MoChara 1,600]

Very well said birddog. Mo Chara has a problem with a strange person coming in touching distance of him, pulls back and gets defensive. So i dont take him as its likely he wont stand, and the judges thats judged him just glanced by him. Dont understand him as he was as socialised as any.

[birddog 1,354]

Very well said birddog. Mo Chara has a problem with a strange person coming in touching distance of him, pulls back and gets defensive. So i dont take him as its likely he wont stand, and the judges thats judged him just glanced by him. Dont understand him as he was as socialised as any.

have to admit though some of the bull x's walking towards you is intimidating but most of the time their the best to handle, and i'm going to live to regret saying this but big softies really i usually have a pocket full of tasties to win over the nervous types

[northern lad 2,292]

Strikes me after reading Birddogs post that the chances are most exibitors wouldnt know a thoracolumbular fascia from a dorsal bone(Ill hold my hand up first )how about a basic overview being given at the shows,its easy to the say judge nows feck all ,but how much do we really know.I for one would be happy to stand ringside and watch/ listen to an experienced judge going over some dogs(obviously not competing that day)