Question about dog shows

BruceCampbell · 12-23-2009, 06:49 PM

My daughter is really into dogs at the moment so I took her to a dog show recently. I have always had dogs as family pets, but this was the first time I had ever been to a dog show. One thing I didn't understand is that there were a few different cocker spaniels being shown in the "sporting group" when there was only one each of the other breeds. These were all the American type cocker spaniel, they were just different colors. I thought that the dog shows have a portion where all dogs of one certain breed compete against each other and then the winner of that round would move on to the next round which would be the group (i.e. sporting, working, etc.). So why were there so many cocker spaniels being shown in the sporting group? Are different colors of cocker spaniels considered separate breeds by these people? If that is the case, why aren't the different colors of labs, for example, considered separate breeds?

Mikey · 12-23-2009, 06:51 PM

They aren't considered seperate breeds by color. Dog shows can be diffferent-so they can be like you described-ie one breed competing-or they could be breed groups. Just depends. But your right-the different colors does not mean it's a different breed. Likely that's just who entered-ie. there were three cockers entered

RedyreRotties · 12-23-2009, 06:56 PM

Some breeds are divided into different VARIETIES.

It is like this with Cocker Spaniels at AKC dog shows. There are 3 varieties, with a Best of Variety winner of each, which is entitled to go to the group. The varieties do not compete against each other except at Specialty shows.

Other breeds who are divided into varieties include Collies (rough and smooth) Dachshunds (smooth, long, or wire) Bull Terrier (white and colored) to name a few.

American Kennel Club - akc.org

BruceCampbell · 12-23-2009, 07:10 PM

Why are they considered different varieties? I'm just curious because they all looked exactly the same except for being different colors. I can see the dachshunds and collies because of the different types of coats. The wirehaired dachshunds do look different from the smooth and so forth. I guess I don't really get why they would decide to judge different colors as varieties in some breeds and not in others. I mean, they didn't have a merle rough collie and a sable rough collie and a tricolor rough collie all being shown in herding simultaneously. They had only one sable rough collie competing in that group.

Mikey · 12-23-2009, 08:06 PM

I'm not entirely sure, redre does show so she knows her stuff-but what I think she means is the variety is the class they show against each other-and their are three of them. I don't think she means-they are considered different varieties of the breed. I coudl be wrong but that's how I read that

**fawkese1** · 12-23-2009, 09:25 PM

i think that there are 3 varieties based on coat color... black-including with tan points, party colored-white with spots, or ASCOB-any solid color other than black. i'm not positive, but those are the 3 varieties of cockers that i am aware of...let me google it...brb

BruceCampbell · 12-23-2009, 10:57 PM

Okay. I wonder why though? Like I said before the other breeds weren't categorized into varieties based on coat color. RedyreRotties said that bull terriers are judged by coat color too, but we didn't see the terrier group, so I wasn't aware of that. The groups we saw had one each of the different breeds. There was one great dane in working group. There wasn't a blue dane AND a fawn dane AND a harlequin dane. There was one Australian shepherd in the herding group. There wasn't a black tri AND a red tri AND a blue merle AND a red merle, etc. I guess it just seemed weird that there were three cockers when there was only one of the other breeds.

Another thing I don't get is the poodles' haircuts. What is the point of shaving their butts naked except for the poofy things on either side? It just makes them look silly, IMO. I think those ridiculous haircuts are the reason that poodles are often thought of as "sissified" dogs.

I don't really know much about showing dogs, obviously.

**fawkese1** · 12-23-2009, 11:05 PM

lol... i don't really know much about it either... i did go to the AKC website to look up the cocker spaniel thing.... they didn't really have much of an answer there.... so i don't really know why...

as far as the poodles hair cut...it has always been explained to me that that is actually a "working" cut...the hair is kept around the vital parts of the dogs anatomy to keep them warm... and on the joints, tip of the tail...etc... i suppose that if you google it there may be another explanation...

you should check this thread out tho
Extreme Grooming