Gayle.

What she said and what was printed could be poles apart too. The media repuation for accuracy in reporting is questionable at best.

I didn't say you were sitting with someone from DOL, I said someone from DOL introduced me to you. if someone from DOL introduced you to someone, it wasn't me. Definitely not. I wasn't set up where you say I was, I have no recollection of being introduced to anyone at that show, and the only people I can remember talking to where the people I was sitting with.

Well it definitely wasn't me. That rings no bells with me at all, as I said the first time I was there I was sitting with a particular group, none of whom are on DOL.

The day I met you at a show all you did was whinge about being at the show. I have never met you at a show, ever. Oh yes you did, Sale/Maffra shows would be at least 2 years ago now. :D You were set up between the gap in the main ring area. no, definitely wasn't me. The first time I showed at maffra I was with the Ellagant crew in one of the stalls right near the group 5 ring. the only other time I showed there I was there for about 45 minutes for the baby puppy class, then left. I didn't even set up. I wouldn't have a clue who you are as I have never met you.

You drove all that way yet you don't seem to show at KCC Park, which is only 2-2.5hours from you. There is always competition there in your breed. I show at KCC Park, not recently though, and for other reasons than not wanting to go to dog shows (house sale, moving, renovating). And I went to SA because the dogs breeder lives there and I wanted to spend time with her. If she lived near KCC Park, I'd have driven there to see her and gone to a few shows.

The day I met you at a show all you did was whinge about being at the show. I have never met you at a show, ever.

Honestly Gayle, If you do enjoy showng, I'd hate to see what you say about something you don't enjoy. I'm not sure I've ever read a positive statement about it from you. Moving on. Actually I debate photography in much the same manner and I absolutely love photography. Nothing wrong with a good healthy debate on all aspects of a subject. Just because I don't agree with some people, some statements, or some aspects of something, doesn't mean I don't enjoy it.

Lol thats me - there are 4 Fields on Saturday...4 How excitement! Are you showing Flynn too? Good luck with Moo, who are the other Fields? Relatives?

if it's so meaningless why are you even posting here? I don't understand why someone would bother talking about something that they clearly don't enjoy. Who said I don't enjoy it? I drove 13 1/2 hours to show at 4 shows in SA over the Labour Day weekend, I'd hardly have done that if I didn't enjoy it. And since when did you get to decide who discusses what on this forum?

It would be meaningless to me if I only titled my dog on 6 point challenges, given there's quite a lot of dogs being shown in my state. I have no idea if her breeder would think it's meaningless, it's not her dog and she doesn't show her. Seeing as this is my first show dog, it would be my first title, but that wouldn't make it any less meaningless.

If the judge signs the certificate, they are attesting to the fact that the dog is of a good enough standard to carry the title of champion. And if the dogs racks up enough of those certificates, then lots of judges must think the same. So maybe they do need to non-award more often, or maybe those dogs ARE good enough. It's up to the judges, isn't it?

Yep, I agree. But it's also a title, and on a pedigree and in years to come, it's the SAME title that all the other dogs got...rare or not, beating hundreds of other dogs or beating none. And the same judges signed the certificates. It still looks the same in front of the dogs name. There isn't a Ch. (beat lots of dogs) or Ch. (did it solo). I am not going to do it, god I have much better things to do on my weekends than chase meaningless titles, but if I did I wouldn't be the first. And I'm sure those people who titled their dogs that way didn't consider it an insult to rare breeds, common breeds or any breeds. They were just more desperate than I would ever be to title a dog.

no it wouldn't cause you would be going out of your way to not have competition, whereas most of us who do have the only one of the breed represented on the day can't bloody well find any cause there is none! How very insulting your post is to owners of rare breeds Actually, I probably wouldn't have to go out of my way as both of those shows were closer to me than KCC Park. It might take a few years though. If I wanted to do it quicker, I'd have to travel further though. How is it insulting to rare breeds? If you can't manage to understand what you said I'm can't be bothered trying to explain. BTW didn't you also show your 1st Aussie a few times? I do understand what you said, but the challenge certificates are signed by the same judges that sign the challenge certificates for rare breeds too, and if the dog is awarded then doesn't the dog deserve the points as much as a rare breed? I have never shown Benson.

The last EP Holisitic I remember buying was when Isaak was a puppy so last May....and the pieces were about the same size as the Black Hawk. The Pro Plan I bought a few weeks ago (when I was away and thought I'd run out of food), was also very small. That wasn't a puppy one and I'm pretty sure the last EP Holistic I bought wasn't either.

By the way, I had no idea there'd be no competition at those shows, I turned up there fully expecting at least a few other dogs. But instead of go in, go out, go home, I went in, went out, went to the secretary's tent and then went home.

no it wouldn't cause you would be going out of your way to not have competition, whereas most of us who do have the only one of the breed represented on the day can't bloody well find any cause there is none! How very insulting your post is to owners of rare breeds Actually, I probably wouldn't have to go out of my way as both of those shows were closer to me than KCC Park. It might take a few years though. If I wanted to do it quicker, I'd have to travel further though. How is it insulting to rare breeds?

You've obviously never heard of the "fight or flight" response. Putting the animal in a very small enclosure, only for you to give it to your dogs is exceedingly cruel and your dog may possibly get bitten. Tell me how you're different from the people who buy mice from the pet store and throw them to their cats? As I said, it's a bloodsport. It's quick and clean and there's no blood. Oh, and the "spit" is reserved for foxes, I hate them with a passion that far exceeds my hatred of filthy disgusting mice, and I'd happily tear a fox from limb to limb if I ever caught one in with my chooks.

As someone with a popular breed I'm curious of your opinion on the competition. If you showed regularly for a couple of years you would know a bit about the way it works and would know your own results to form an opinion. I just don't see what your opinion is in the thread it seems to jump all over the place a bit. Ahhhh, gotcha. I don't have the qualifying x-factor to be able to discuss the topic. I didn't realise that was required, sorry I'll exit the topic now. You are discussing this topic, I just didn't understand what your opinion was. Was asking for clarification. If exiting is the way you want to go then so be it - didn't know I was asking a hard question. You asked how I found the competition in my breed. Seeing as I haven't shown a dog here since last October (aside from a members comp last weekend), I don't have an opinion on the competition as there hasn't been any. I have shown my bitch previously, solidly from baby puppy to junior, then sporadically after that....to learn about the breed, my dog and showing etc, but I didn't learn much and found I learn more by not going to shows but doing other things with the dogs. So I do know how dogs shows work, how the points are allocated etc. But knowing it doesn't make it easier to understand. Case in point. My bitch got a couple of 6 point challenges when she was the only entry at a couple of local shows. The only shows she's entered where she's been the sole bitch of the breed. She has never been non-awarded. So those judges signed the certificate agreeing she is of a good enough standard to carry the title "Champion". With competition, she'd win her class but didn't ever get any points. Fair enough. But I could keep seeking out those 6 point challenges, and eventually title her (she might be a bit grey around the muzzle by the time I manage it) and she'd be a champion. It wouldn't be a cheap title, I'd have to travel a long way to get those points......but it would be as good of a title as any other dog who never beat a dog to get their title. And on a pedigree in generations to come, it would be as good a title as any dog who beat hundreds of others to get theirs. Personally, I don't think she's good enough to title with competition and a title without would be meaningless. Plus she hates shows and gets around the ring like she'd rather be anywhere but there. So the kindest thing for her is to have her speyed and love her beyond reason for being the absolutely most fantastic dog in the world, for the rest of her life. I will absolutely not shuffle off my dogs to another home just so I can get a "better" dog to show. Now I have a lovely young dog who I am told is really quite special......we shall see, I suppose. Maybe when I can be bothered going to a few shows in Vic with him, I'll have an answer for you about the competition in the breed, but right now I don't have a opinion because I'm a bit out of touch. I do enjoy reading and discussing others opinions though. It's an interesting topic.

I have fed my dogs a number of different super premium kibbles.....Eagle Pack and EP Holistic, Pro Plan and Pro Plan Selects and their kibble pieces are also quite small, the Eagle Pack are about the same size as Black Hawk, and the Pro Plan are small flat discs, each one about the same size as Black Hawk but flattened rather than round. It's only the cheaper kibbles I've used over the years that come in larger pieces. I believe the better quality brands are made in smaller pieces for easy digestibility for the dog. I'm on my 4th bag of Black Hawk and I couldn't be happier with it. Now feeding 4 Aussies, they love it, they look fantastic and I even use it as training treats. My little rescue girl is blossoming on this diet, she came to us very pudgy and with a shorn, dull coat.....now after 6 weeks of Black Hawk, she is trim, her coat is healthy and shiny and she is looking fabulous.

Oh believe me, when my Australian Shepherd is given a mouse or two in a box to kill, there's no fighting involved. One crunch is all it takes and that mousie is kibble. Pity I can't encourage the two spoiled rotten cats here that mice are better than Royal Canin.

As someone with a popular breed I'm curious of your opinion on the competition. If you showed regularly for a couple of years you would know a bit about the way it works and would know your own results to form an opinion. I just don't see what your opinion is in the thread it seems to jump all over the place a bit. Ahhhh, gotcha. I don't have the qualifying x-factor to be able to discuss the topic. I didn't realise that was required, sorry I'll exit the topic now.

No I've shown him about 8 times I think, but 4 of those shows were interstate, and before that I showed my bitch for a couple of years but she hated it.

There hasn't been any competition as I haven't shown him.

Do you show? yes I'm assuming with your Australian Shepherds, so given the number of Aussie's around, how do you find the competition? only one of my Aussies and I haven't shown him locally aside from a members comp on the weekend, since the speciality last year when he was in minor puppy.

Do you show? yes