The days seem to be getting shorter and the mornings bring with them a gentle chill. As the summers seem to fade away the pets in our city can at last breathe easier. In a month the winters will set in and most of the diseases will ebb away.
Ticks will disappear till the next summer and along with them the numerous diseases they carry. Being an ideal climate for pets to thrive, Delhi will soon be flooded with dog shows.
In Winter
Dog shows are only successful in winter because the pets will be able to compete in a daylong competition only if the weather conditions are favorable. This also being a healthy season ensures that the pets look at their very best. The shedding stops or at least reduces to a great extent and finally the coat has a glow on it.
Peak Health
Most of the dog shows being canine beauty pageants need the dog to be in peak health. There are two kinds of dog shows in general the All Breeds shows and Obedience trials. The former is a beauty contest where the breed characteristics are looked at while the latter is a true test of a trained dog. Therefore, in an all-breed show, any owner can take their dog irrespective of its training.
For the serious show exhibitors, the time has already come to start conditioning their dogs. A good show dog must be fully fit and properly groomed well before the show starts. Though the official dates for shows in Delhi are from the end of November the show season across India has already started.
Two Kinds of Shows
For the uninitiated, there are two kinds of shows, those shows recognized by the Kennel Club of India and those run by other pet-lover groups. The Kennel Club has granted some shows special status; the winners of these shows will get points that add up in the eventual choosing of the Dog of the Year. This has helped the serious exhibitor in having to go to a limited number of shows in their quest to make their pet the top dog for the year.
Understand the Commands
To make a champion of your dog a lot of effort is involved. Lots of physical conditioning of the animal, minute and precise grooming to make the dog look good, and a strong bond with it so that it obeys implicitly during the show is important. The dog must understand the commands of the handler and he in turn must be capable of bringing out the best in his dog. A dog gets only a few minutes within the show ring, and if the handler is inattentive or careless then the best dog may lose.
This year there will be stiff competition between most breeds with lots of show dogs being imported from across the globe. As usual, the main competition will lie in breeds like the Great Dane, Alsatian, Labrador, and the Boxer.
For the first-time exhibitor, a talk with experienced handlers is a must. Show tactics need careful planning, and the proper physical conditioning of the dog can be obtained through consultation with your vet. The forms for the shows will soon be out and these need to be filled out correctly and at the earliest.
The best person to contact on how to go about the show is the Secretary or the President of the local Kennel Club. Their names and addresses can be obtained from the vet, who may have a copy of the Kennel Gazette. Start the preparations as soon as possible in case you want your pet on the winning podium.
