Always look on the bright side of life

Paul | blog | June 18, 2012

I think at this stage the world and his aunty are aware that The Cork Summer Show scheduled for the week end just gone had to be cancelled due to unprecedented rainfall over the last few weeks.

According to Joan Blackburn last night on RTE’s weather forecast, Cork was the wettest county for the month so far with over 4 times the average rainfall (Tell us something we don’t know Joan !!!)

You can imagine the disappointment of the event organisers, having to make this extremely difficult decision, after the months upon months of organising that goes into running an event like this.

Being involved with the IKC open dog show, that was due to run on the final day of the show, I can empathise with the main event organisers in a small way.

For me what makes it even more disappointing, is that as per the blog we posted back in March, Munster Agricultural Society had purchased a sizeable piece of land, which is now the new home for The Cork Summer Show, and it would have been fantastic to showcase this fantastic venue to all the people that entered the dog show on Sunday.

Coming from the glass half full school of thought (Although the glass was truly overflowing with all this rain recently) there is a positive side to all this.Whilst out at the venue on Friday evening I was walked through the site with former Chairperson, now Vice Chair Gerard Murphy, and he outlined the societies plans for the future, and I can safely say without giving too much away, that going forward this venue, which will be available for any event as long as it fits in with the ethos of the society, will be extremely impressive and in my opinion one of the best locations in the country to hold events such as dog shows etc.

So as the dust settles (if only) and we pick ourselves back up after this minor setback and start planning for the future, at least we know that hail rain or shine next year, the society and all involved are looking forward to a very bright future.

On a final note, I’d just like to thank everybody that supported the IKC Open Dog Show, by entering the show, and supporting our four judges, who I am sure like you are as disappointed as the organisers that this year, we didn’t get to show off our dogs in front of what was expected to be record crowds.

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Irish Kennel Club new web site

Paul | blog | June 14, 2012

All good things come to he who waits……Well the wait is over, the Irish Kennel Club’s new web site is now live and available across the World Wide Web.

I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate all involved with the upgrade of The Irish Kennel Club’s site, as it’s a huge improvement on the previous version, and a more fitting reflection on what The Irish kennel Club is all about.

There is some brief but very good information to be found under the Dog Breeding section, and having been involved with a dog related web site now for over 2 years know that if you bombard people with too much information, they simply don’t read it, and bounce off to another site to find what they are looking for.

As with all web sites, the Irish Kennel Club’s site is a work in progress, and I look forward to seeing how it develops going forward.

Well done again

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Poland 1 – Ukraine 0

Paul | blog | June 11, 2012

Well I guess the weather we are experiencing at the moment sums up how the majority of Irish Soccer fans must feel right now, especially the thousands that spent hard earned cash to travel to Poland to support The Boys In Green.

MET éireann describes it as bright with sunny spells, but cloudy periods also, with occasional showers, some heavy, with the odd thundery one. Top temperatures of 15 to 18 C., me, I describe it as pretty dismal, and worse after the 9 PM watershed.

But lets not forget the football players themselves, as they have to deal with difficult balls (Football ones that is), slow playing surfaces, fans blowing whistles in the crowd, the heat and midges. Who said the life of a professional footballer was easy ??

If you are a regular follower of this blog, I’m sure you’re asking yourself, what the hell is he going on about this time, and what the hell has any of this got to do with our beloved four legged friends, or dogs as some people call them.

Well quite a lot as it happens.

On the run up to The World Cup 2010 that was held in South Africa, the police sent out an Appeal to the public to “donate” dogs that would be trained to work during the 2010 Fifa World Cup. Once trained they will be used for patrols, locating narcotics and explosives, tracking, fire detection and search and rescue.

For those that don’t know, Euro 2012 is being co hosted between Poland & The Ukraine, and it’s Ukraine that has come under the spotlight of us dog lovers on the run up to and now that this tournament is well under way.

Even online activists with Anonymous “Took out” the site www.kieveuro2012.org, which is one of the main sites for information etc for Ukraine’s involvement in these championships.

What on earth could the government have done on the run up to these football finals to have brought this attention to their front door, from the watching public.

Maybe they took a leaf out of South Africa’s book, and were using certain breeds of dogs to help with crowd control etc during the finals

But surely that would have us applauding the Ukrainian officials….

Maybe it’s that fact then that the Ukraine government have been conducting mass killings of dogs found in the streets in an attempt to clean up the city ahead of the soccer event.

When caught carrying out these heinous acts, last November they would said they would stop the killings, but that’s not the case according to France 24 online news site.

So even though the weather we are experiencing for our summer is not as it should be, and the result didn’t go our way last night, and the blasted midges are eating the football players alive, please spare a thought for the defenceless dogs that were brutally done away with so this tournament could go ahead. One pundit summed it up with these words “ All animal cruelty is abhorrent but it’s particularly terrible it’s being done in the name of a game we love.”

Guess I’ll be shouting for Sweden this evening.

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Pedigree Dogs.ie 1890

Paul | blog | June 7, 2012

OKIDOKI….so there I was catching up on all that is new in Summer Bay when I nearly choked on my cheese sandwich….

What is it you might ask that made me nearly exit stage left from this life, with just less than half of my to do list completed….Well, two words, Done Deal.

You see they have now have taken to advertising through our TV sets…On this occasion it came either side of Pat Shortt doing his 1890 routine for house insurance…..

Not that we are overly worried or anything…As to us here at Pedigree Dogs there are 2 obvious things that differentiate between our own web site and DD.

One is that we haven’t amassed the huge amount of money that it must cost in order to broadcast an ad during prime time TV, and the other is the way we run the classified dog section.

Now to be fair, maybe we are not comparing apples with apples here.

If I am to be completely honest with you here, DD are at a slight disadvantage compared to us when it comes to running a classifieds web site for dogs.

On the other hand, if you are thinking of trading in the spouse, Done Deal maybe the web site to place your ad, as we currently don’t facilitate such transactions, we stick to an area we know a small bit about, kind of specialise, if you will.

We also set out our stall from the start, with the emphasis throughout on attracting reputable breeders and owners and there are a number of stipulations directed at potential advertisers – puppies or adult dogs being sold must be registered with the Irish Kennel Club or the Kennel Club (UK), ads must be accompanied by a photo that promotes responsible dog ownership, showing dogs of good health, and kept in suitable conditions, with no exaggerated claims used in the text.

Anyhow, the panics off, I was able to wash the piece of sandwich down with my tea, and I’ll be able to catch up with Home & Away on the TV later or the RTE player.

22 22 22

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Dogs: I think they are worth a second chance

Paul | blog | June 6, 2012

What a sad and tragic episode of Mad Men that was last night !

I’ve mentioned a few times here before that I happen to be a fan of a Mr Don Draper, but last night he let me down, BIG TIME

You see, he has been given lots of second chances in his life up to now, living under another mans name etc, but on last nights episode he came across an instance that he was not happy with, and instantly dismissed this person, which resulted in a dire and tragic ending.

The thing is, I think we all deserve a second chance, even our dogs….

The fact is, that our dogs are always giving us second,third or far more chances to get our acts together. However most of us are quicker than Usain Bolt when it comes to coming down hard on our dogs, when they haven’t obeyed the mixed signals or instructions that we send their way that are curvier than a curve ball.

Add this to the fact that we don’t rear our litters correctly, that are not the result of a carefully planned mating, socialised from the outset and given the correct training from day one, it’s no suprise that so many dogs are not given a second chance at this life and end up in the POUND, the canine equivalent of death row.

There has been major advances in dog training methods over the last 25 years or so, but try telling all the dogs in the countries pounds that it’s a Dogs Life.

The message is simple: You only get out of a dog what you put into them, and if you aren’t prepared to cater for their needs 100% all the time, don’t you think you should be a little more forgiving, when you come home to find a mess, or if your dog continuously barks when stuck out the back garden ?

Stop and ask why is your dog doing this, don’t just dismiss your dog to the pound, as if you happened to see last nights episode of Mad Men, you know where that ends up.

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Pedigree Dogs – Want to be a part of it ?

Paul | blog | June 1, 2012

We’re not as popular as page 3 of The Sun, but we’re heading there -

59’193 Visits and 185’515 pageviews on pedigreedogs.ie for the first 5 months of 2012….Nice !!!! Want to be a part of it ?? Send me on the link to your Kennels web site or Breed Club and for a return link you too can be seen by these visitors to our site.

Pedigreedogs.ie – The registered web site for Dogs in Ireland

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June is National Microchipping Month (NMM)

Paul | blog | May 31, 2012

I’m sure there are a few things in this life that you wouldn’t mind losing, (I certainly could do with losing a few pounds off the waistline) but losing one of your dogs, doesn’t even bear thinking about.

It can happen in so many ways: an open door, an unlocked gate, a romp off-lead in a field. In a split second, your pet can go missing. Sometimes a pet finds its way home on its own. More often, though, a lost pet remains lost.

The main cause: lack of identification. You can greatly increase your chances of finding your wandering pet by making sure it has identification at all times. The standard collar and identification tag are a must. But you should also consider the added insurance of a modern microchip, a permanent identification technique that successfully reunites hundreds of pets and owners every year.

A microchip is an invisible form of identification. The chips are the size of a grain of rice and contain a unique ISO standard number. This number is recognised world-wide. The chip is implanted under the skin between the pet’s neck and shoulder. A special scanner can then read the number right through the animal’s skin. Nowadays, when a lost pet is brought to a veterinarian, pound, or animal shelter, it is automatically scanned. The number is checked against a computerized registration database, and the listed owner is contacted immediately. As with an identification tag, it is important to keep contact information current with the database. There is no harm in outfitting your pet in the belt-and- suspenders combination of tag and microchip. You can even put an additional tag on your pet to say that it has been microchipped.

However, one problem that is regularly encountered with found microchipped pets brought to dog pounds, animal shelters, and veterinary surgeries is incorrect contact information on the database or the microchip is not registered. Registering the microchip is the responsibility of the owner.

Right now that task couldn’t be easier with Petlog – The UK’s Largest Lost and Found Database for Microchipped Pets

Why not download the new My Dog UK App onto your smart phones, brought to you by Petlog, who have created the Petlog Lost Pet Alert – Petlog members can mark their dog as missing on the database straight from their phones, and Petlog Premium members can send an alert to authorised agents within a 30-mile radius of where their dog went missing. The app is free and also has advice and info about microchipping, as well as lots of other great features – such as finding dog friendly restaurants / hotels / shops etc

The Kennel Club are offering the upgrade to Petlog Premium for the special price of £7.50 (online) during NMM – which allows you to update your details as many times as you like for the lifetime of your pet, as well as other benefits.

Let’s all get behind the statement that we are a nation of animal lovers, by making sure we protect our dogs, by having them microchipped. Go ahead, start making your plans now, you can always start that diet you have been contemplating, next week.

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Dog food…Are you having a laugh ?

Paul | blog | May 30, 2012

In a blog I posted towards the end of last year, I stated that We Are What We eat, and therefore Our Dogs Are What They Eat

Another way of looking at this is to say that you only get out of a dog what you put into it.

Dog poop, is a subject we have covered here quite a few times in our illustrious 2 and a half year existence, and I’m not going to get too deep into this here today.

But, we’ve all come face to face (hopefully not literally) with a big mound of dog poo, so big in fact, that as my Dad would say, “you could take shelter behind it”

Is it any wonder, when you see peoples shopping trolleys at the supermarket checkout, loaded up with the cheapest of the cheap dog food, like the example above.

4% Chicken in the Chicken Kibble…What the hell is the other 96% made up of ?

4% Carrot in the Carrot kibble and 4% Peas in the green vegetable kibble…Bloody ‘ell

That’s even before you get onto the colourants etc….

Here’s a snippet from one of the larger supermarket chains in Ireland in relation to the dog food that they stock, that goes out the door by the trolley load….

“We know you want the best for your pet, so we make sure that our suppliers use only the best quality ingredients in our pet food“….eh….4% Chicken in the Chicken Kibble, I don’t think so….

It’s common knowledge amongst us humans that too much processed food in our diets is very bad for us, but yet the majority of the dog owning population in Ireland, couldn’t give a S… when it comes to looking after their dogs nutritional requirements.

So if you REALLY love your dog, get your act together, do your research on what is the best possible food for him or her, you’ll not only be doing your dog a favour, as from now on you’ll be able to bring normal sized poop bags out with you on your dogs walk, instead of the big black bin liners you have had to use in the past.

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Flea & Tick Treatment for Dogs…Natural

Paul | blog | May 25, 2012

I have to admit, that whoever or whatever advertising company came up with this ad, are worthy to share the same elevator as Mad Men’s Don Draper.

You see, unfortunately, the power of advertising is extremely strong, and poor unsuspecting souls (like myself) often get sucked in.

It’s not too bad if after seeing an advert for the latest Magnum ice cream bar, and with temperatures in the mid 20′s, you suddenly get the urge to indulge in a creamy chocolate ice cream enrobed in a luscious chocolatey coating, rich chocolatey sauce and thick Belgian milk chocolate, to take your mind off more mundane things.

But when it comes to things for our dogs or pets, we should think twice before we drop whatever it is that we are doing, and head straight to the online veterinary web site, or to our local vets office.

Have you ever wondered, why most of these spot on treatments for dogs and cats in their instructions advise us not to come in contact with the contents, and if we do to wash it off straight away.

Why is it so important that your dog or cat doesn’t get to lick the contents, so that it is necessary to apply on the back of the neck or other non accessible areas ?

Is the potent smell of these spot on treatments for our dogs, not enough to make you wonder, what the hell is this stuff made of, and should I really be inflicting my beloved dog or cat with this toxic mixture ?

Don’t worry though, there is an alternative, and as is the case for most things, for every man made synthetic, potentially harmful substance we can buy for ourselves or our canine friends, there is a NATURAL ALTERNATIVE that in my opinion should always be tried first.

Anyhow, that’s it for today, the sun has got his hat on, and I’m off out to get me an ice cream bar, and wash it down with an ice cold Pepsi, that I picked up in the supermarket where I bought me some styling gel, and some deodorant, that once administered will have me knocking the female of the species away with a big stick.

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Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club of Ireland

Paul | blog | May 23, 2012

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club of Ireland are holding the Breed Championship Show on Sat. 9th June at the National Show Centre, Cloghran, Swords, Co.Dublin.

On that day they are also hosting a Family Fun Day for all Cavalier Owners and their families.

The Day will commence at 10 am with the Championship Show and the Fun will commence approx. 2 pm after lunch.

There will be lots of information available on the care, grooming, health etc of the Cavalier, as well as lots of Fun Classes for the children (and adults ) to enjoy.

As per my recent BLOG this is a great way to reach out to people within individual breeds, advising them on upto date issues regarding health, and general care of the breed in question, that maybe in their innocence or ignorance think they are doing it by the book.

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Pet Parents are NOT Moms

Paul | blog | May 21, 2012

I love children, but I could never eat a whole one…

It was Mothers Day in the USA recently, and a piece written about “Pet Parents are NOT Moms”, caused quite a stir

What’s your take on it ?

Do you think it’s acceptable that we humans refer to our dogs as our kids or fur kids ?

Do you talk to your dog and say things like “Mommy is getting your dinner ready now” or “Daddy is going to take you for a walk soon”

Should we like some of the outdated dog behaviourists out there refrain from looking at our dogs as part of the family and simply see them as part of the pack, a member that is far inferior to us super human beings, that should submit to us, and only do things on our command or on our terms.

Did we domesticate the wolves and wild dogs, just so we could be their master ?

Myself and my wife have four dogs, the first came into our house, very shortly after we moved into a house and were sure that the back garden was dog proof. We never imagined that we would ever be more than a one dog household, but things just happened, and now we have four.

Having said that, we just didn’t decide overnight that we could take care of every aspect that comes with owning either one or four dogs.

Not having any children, people sometimes tell us we are mad having four dogs in our house, and that they must tie you down, to which we respond that they are just like your children, but you can’t book children into boarding kennels (Well not the ones I use anyhow)

Now I’m not comparing dogs to children and vice versa, but before thinking of going down the road of ownership, you have to look well into the future and make sure that you can take care of either puppy, dog or child, by way of shelter, food, education, health care, etc.

My dictionary tells me that a parent is a living thing that has produced others of its kind…..Maybe I need to invest in a new dictionary, as there are plenty or parents out there that have never produced, and maybe the correct meaning of the word parent should instead state, “being responsible for…”

Next month brings us Fathers Day….I wonder what the Dachshunds have planned for me this year ????

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Munster Agricultural Society Cork Summer Show

Paul | blog | May 16, 2012

Ok, so we mentioned on the Pedigree Dogs Facebook page yesterday that we had a couple of bits of GREAT news re Munster Agricultural Society “Cork Summer Show” IKC All breed Open Dog Show, being held on the 17-06-12

Here’s the first bit.

As well as Munster Agricultural Society putting up the fantastic prize fund (Below) at the show, we are also delighted to announce that Brenken have come on board as a sponsor, and will be offering the following by way of prizes.

Best in Show – Medium PVC Dog Kennel (White) or voucher to be redeemed @ Brenken for another size kennel – Value Euro 150.00

Best Puppy in Show – Small PVC Dog Kennel (White) or voucher to be redeemed @ Brenken for another size kennel – Value Euro 100.00

For more details on these amazing kennels check out THIS AD

Prize Fund from Munster Agricultural Society

BIS = € 200.00
RBIS = € 30.00

BPIS = € 30.00
RBIS = €20.00

All remaining Group winners = € 20.00
Reserve Group winners = €10.00

Now for the second bit….

On our blog on the 27-03-12 we mentioned that unfortunately, due to the BSD Club of Ireland, running their Championship show on the same day, we can only offer Any Variety Group 1 or Any Variety Group 2

Well, we now have confirmation from The Irish Kennel Club, that we CAN now schedule breed classes in both of these groups.

So what are you waiting for, head on over to Dog Show Entry and make your entry, we can be found under Cork Summer Pedigree Open Show.

We’ll see you there on the day.

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All you need is love (Part II)

Paul | blog | May 15, 2012

Last year I penned a blog called All you need is Love

If you are interested go ahead and read it, if not this blog wont mean much to you.

Anyhow, the pups that are mentioned in the above blog turned a year old on the 09-05-12, and as the cake in the top left hand corner suggests, there was a reunion, and party held in their honour.

Unfortunately, our Danno couldn’t make it, as we had a communion to attend, but he is already making plans to go and see Ruby, his first and only, and his offspring in July this year.

We think that the friendship and many other spin off’s which has come as a result of two dog mad families getting together to breed a responsible litter of Dachshunds, is fantastic, and wouldn’t be surprised if Hollywood come knocking on our doors to make a feature length film about us…

I can just see it now

“Ruby and I, the tale of two Dachshunds, a Black & Tan and a Shaded Red, defying all that is thrown at them, so that they can be together and raise a perfect family” Narrated By Danno AKA Dessaur Hawaii Five 0

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Labour saving devices & our dogs

Paul | blog | May 14, 2012

With the good weather nearly upon us (wishful thinking me thinks !) we get the added bonus of being able to spend more and more time outside with our dogs.

It’s scientifically proven that dog owners are more healthy than, what is it you call those other people….oh yes, non dog owners (strange breed)

We’ve posted these scientific results HERE before for us wise ones who are already in the know, in the hope that the non dog owners may wake up from the zombie like state they have been living in and realise that life without a dog in it, is like having jelly without ice cream, peaches without cream, Tom without Jerry, and so on. Sorry to go on there, but these non dog owners aren’t the most intelligent breed of Homo Sapiens

Now one of the downsides of spending so much enjoyable quality time with your dog in the great outdoors is that household chores kind of start sliding, and trust me, it’s a slippery slope

Isn’t it great then that as we evolved, we have invented and developed man made devices that in theory can complete these household chores, thus saving us time, allowing us to spend more time with our dogs….Labour saving devices I believe they are called…

Having said that, there is always room for improvement, and I’m sure you will agree with me that the device hereunder, could do with some modification, if it’s going to keep us completely satisfied, and on the right side of the dog versus non dog ownership divide.

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One man’s meat is another man’s poison

Paul | blog | May 11, 2012

That is to say that what I like, might not be to your taste.

If you look at general dog ownership in Ireland, everybody has an opinion on what (or maybe what is acceptable in “Some Peoples” eyes) is the best way to rear, train, feed, house, and exercise your dog.

You can even narrow this search down, by applying the above to the small percentage of dog owning people in Ireland that show their dogs, and the vast differences of opinion that the owners of the 1800 or so dog’s at an all breeds Championship Show in Ireland, will have.

Narrow it down again to the other people in your dogs breed.

Some people house their dogs outside, and only get to see them twice a day at meal times.

Some people only care to their dogs teeth and nails the night before or morning of a show.

Some people breed indiscriminately, in order to finance the rising costs of entering every Championship show in the dog show calendar year.

Some people leave the mother with the pups out in a wooden shed, and only bring the pups into the house to show prospective buyers.

Some people breed from dogs that haven’t had the breed specific health tests.

Some people let their stud dogs be used on non IKC bitches, or with a different breed completely.

Some people breed from a bitch on her very first season .

Some people sell a bitch in heat or one that is in pup, for the right money.

Some people feed poor quality dog food and never give the dogs any exercise.

Some people never worm the mother of the pups before mating, nor the pups when they are born.

Some people keep quite a few different breeds, and add and switch between a few of the latest fashionable ones.

Some people advertise them for sale on one of the general classified web sites as well socialised even though the only person they have come into contact with is him or her.

Some people tell the prospective buyer that the will receive a lifetime of support, and that’s where that promise ends.

Some people don’t carry out home checks on prospective buyers

We all know “Some People” in our breeds that tick some of the above boxes. How often have you heard it around the show ring, where one exhibitor labels a fellow competitor a puppy farmer or that they don’t care for their dogs properly.

There is a lot of talk at the moment in the UK regarding the Kennel Club only accepting registrations from people that do things by the book, or if you want to phrase it another way, from reputable breeders.

The 6 Million Dollar question is though, whose job is it to educate, monitor and if it’s not too strong a term, control “Some People”, that it has to be said, are the minority when talking about dog show folk ?

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When is a Judges decision final ?

Paul | blog | May 9, 2012

Well it depends if you are talking about dog showing or about life in general. Or does it ?

If you are unlucky enough to be caught on the wrong side of the law, and convicted for your crime in a court of law, you could say, that that decision is pretty much final. That’s unless you feel as though you didn’t get a fair hearing in the first place or a new piece of evidence has come to light, and you go down the road of an appeal.

Is it strange then, or maybe funny, that the same type of process and rules exist in the world of showing dogs.

Lack of sportsmanship, and general bad manners, seems to be creeping into our Sport or Hobby on a far to regular basis.

Maybe the increased costs, and added pressure that the exhibitor feels under, is a contributory factor, whereby they feel that they have to win in order to justify the costs of travelling to and entering dogs shows on the island of Ireland.

None of the above though, excuse any person from conduct that the majority see as being un sportsmanship like, and lack of manners shown towards any member of the show society, or fellow exhibitor or spectator.

Our blog here at Pedigree Dogs last Friday was a short reminder, wishing all those travelling to and exhibiting at the Mini Circuit shows at the week end, a safe journey, and enjoyable few days amongst friends. It then went on to remind people of the Dog Show Sportsmanship Checklist

In relation to Judges, dog show ones that is, none of them are infallible, they are only human, and as we all know humans make mistakes, none of us are perfect.

People that find themselves on what they consider the wrong side of a judgement, must always remember that, it’s just one persons interpretation of how well your dog conforms to the breed standard, and that’s it, nothing more, nothing less. Don’t forget after all, by making an entry you are asking for the judge’s opinion

If that’s not enough to pacify you, there is always an appeals process.

Now back in the real world, a solicitor or barrister, would advise their client that was going down the road of an appeal, to say nothing about the case publicly, as this may influence the case, and have the appeal thrown out of court. In other words don’t go shouting things from the roof tops or post anything relating to the instance on the social networks etc.

As in real life, maybe us dog show exhibitors should take the advice that our learned friends above would offer. Take a look at what is considered as being acceptable behaviour beyond the four sides of our show ring, man up, take the Judges decision as being final on the day, and if you still find it hard to sleep at night after being dealt this awful miscarriage of justice, take it down the right channels.

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Mini Circuit & Dog Showing in Ireland

Paul | blog | May 4, 2012

Just a quick line to wish all those travelling to and exhibiting at the Mini Circuit shows this W/E, a safe journey, and enjoyable few days amongst friends.

The weather looks a bit mixed, so bring your all weather gear, and tents, but remember only pitch them in the spaces provided (Like our friend above)

AKC Judge Dr. Harry Smith Jr. was once asked, “What things tend to irritate you when judging?” He responded, “It takes a lot to get me irritated in the ring when I am judging. When I do, it’s usually because one of the exhibitors has been a poor sport. None of us are infallible. We do our best to render excellent judgments. When, in the eye of an exhibitor, we do not do what they think is correct, they must be a good sport about it, and go far away from the ring before they explode! Good sportsmanship is the strongest part of our dog show sport.”

And remember the Dog Show Sportsmanship Checklist:

Abide by the rules of the game
Avoid arguments
Give everyone a chance to compete fairly
Always play fair
Follow the directions of the judge
Treat your competitors, officials and judges with respect
Offer encouragement to all
Accept the decision of the judge
Win without gloating
Lose without complaining
Do not participate in Internet bashing
Do not tolerate poor sportsmanship in yourself and others
Exercise self control and lead by example

Here are another few Pedigree Dogs blogs re the same subject

What A Judge Expects Of Exhibitors Click Here

Dog Showing – One persons perspective Click Here

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Huskies in Ireland – Oprah we need your help !

Paul | blog | May 2, 2012

The fact that we still live with dogs, even when we don’t have to herd or hunt our dinner, gives me hope for humans and canines alike.” – Oprah Winfrey,

It’s amazing the reach that a quote like the above can have.

So it’s no surprise then that recent headlines in some of the tabloid newspapers in Ireland, have caused major hurt and damage to Husky owners the length and breadth of the country.

As per my blog the other day check out THIS FACEBOOK PAGE set up to counter act the irresponsible reporting of the 2 recent attacks by dogs in Ireland.

It’s great to see a group of dedicated and passionate dog lovers coming together to try and reverse any damage that has been unjustly done to the Husky breed by these Journalists only interested in sensationalising the news in order to sell more copies.

A lot of the group that set up the above page are also involved in the following page, Hiking & Mushing Ireland whereby they try and get people interested in primarily the Husky breed to come and join them on their walks / runs or mushes to show them what the breed was bred for, and the amount of exercise that they require in order to lead a fulfilled life.

We have all seen the affect that programmes like the first Pedigree Dogs exposed programme which aired in 2008 has had on our life in dogs, rightly or wrongly, and the debate and questions that were presented to the public have stuck. Even some vets in Ireland are advising potential dog owners not to buy a pedigree dog, as in their opinion they are full of genetic defects, and prone to disease.

No mention of buying a dog or pup from a responsible breeder of pedigree dogs, that goes to unbelievable measures at considerable cost to health screen any potential breeding stock, check the Inbreeding Coefficient rates of potential matings, to ensure that any pups produced are healthy, fit for function, and once socialised and cared for go on to lead healthy and long lives.

I take my hat off to any group that stands up for what they believe in, and am sure with all the hard work that is being done on behalf of the Husky breed in Ireland, people will get to see the correct side to these stories.

People need to realise that in all the breeds of dogs, there isn’t a “one size fits all” and that you have to research the breed fully, taking into consideration, the exercise, grooming,feeding and veterinary requirements before just falling in love with that ball of fluff, and bringing one home.

Maybe if Oprah was to read some of the newspaper reports over the last few weeks in Ireland, her hopes for us humans may dwindle, and all her hopes would then rest on our canine companions

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Dogs and Crazy People: Welcome to my world

Paul | blog | April 30, 2012

The more I know about people, the better I like my dog, and being the person behind the web site Pedigree Dogs, I’d say there wasn’t a truer word spoken.

Putting yourself out there via the World Wide Web ensures that you cross all sorts of peoples paths, and as the saying goes “There’s nought queerer than folk”

Trust me I have come across a few of those over the last few weeks !

Having said that there are certain things that you can control in yours and your dogs life, like the food we eat, the water we drink and the exercise we take as well as the drugs, toxins and chemicals we expose ourselves and our dogs to on a daily basis.

Everything else is out of your control.

There is so much that can go wrong from the day that our pups enter this world if you are a dog breeder, or from the day the puppy is introduced to your house if you have purchased a dog from a responsible breeder or rescued from a welfare group or shelter.

Just because you have researched the breed, and sourced a responsible breeder that only breeds from health tested parents, feeds a nutritionally balanced diet, and socialises the litter of pups in that crucial development stage of their life, doesn’t mean that that dog will go on to live a long and healthy life, but at least you are stacking the odds in your favour.

A couple of months back I penned a blog called There’s No F In Dog which stated that as a dog owner we live in a mild state of fear all the time.

It’s strange then, and I’m not sure about you, but I have to admit, that sometimes I do take my dogs for granted.

When you think about all that has gone wrong with dogs from your past, and maybe of what might or can go wrong with the dogs that fill your lives today, surely we should cherish every second that we spend with them.

Maybe then, the next time you come home from a dog show with a blue ribbon for second instead of the red one for winning, try to remember the love your dog brings into your life, and what life would be without him or her. Without your dog, all you’d have left to deal with are people, and we all know how crazy some of them can be.

Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.

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