Looks Can Be Deceiving

Did anyone happen  upon the Westminister Dog Show this week or read about it in the paper?  The Scottish Deerhound won Best in Show.  This breed does not make the Top 10 list of favorite breeds in American pet homes and many people have never even heard of this kind of dog.  Even if you are not a dog fan you might have heard someone comment about the fact that he won the show.  Well, I am here to blog to you that looks can be deceiving....

All of the dogs in any given dog show are supposedly the best of the best.  The owner or breeder recognizes something in the dog and gets it ready for showing in AKC (American Kennel Club) dog shows.  The dog, no matter the breed, must meet certain standards of their particular breed and AKC rules must be followed.  For example, a dog cannot be spayed or neutered if it is shown in the ring.  Also, while not in the show ring or waiting to be shown in the ring, all dogs must stay in their crate at the show unless they are being taken out for a bathroom break by the owner/handler.  I have never shown dogs and choose to not show my dogs because looks can be deceiving....

So, other than personal opinion that one particular kind of dog is downright ugly or too this or too that, how does one dog rank as the best in a dog show?  Well, the point is....looks can be deceiving.  I have been to many dog shows for many years specifically to see the Hound Group.  My favorite breed, dachshunds, are hounds.  I have made many friends over the years with dog show people.  My standard dachshunds always come from a show person because it is just about the only place one can find a standard dachshund anymore.  So, what is the deception?  It all boils down, sadly to say, to politics....

"Politics:  you do this for me and I'll do that for you or you owe me one" is one viewpoint of what goes on.  Of course, politics can occur in just about any arena....sports, offices, jobs, etc.  So, was the winner of the Westminister Show a political choice?  Maybe, maybe not.  What qualifies the judges to be the best judge of something that is often a decision based upon emotions or politics?    As much as I love hounds, politics is precisely why I choose to never show one of my dogs.  I already know they are the best!  But, they are only the best to me.  Another person's opinion on my dogs is not what counts in my heart.  So, I don't need anyone telling me that my dog is or is not the best.   For some people, their cat(s) is(are) the best.  For others, no dog or not cat is the best.  It's what makes the world go 'round!  Just remember though, looks can be deceiving....The ugliest dog you may ever see may be the best in show to the one who loves them!