Cobequid Dog Club Show planned for April 27-28
Large dogs, small dogs, thickcoated dogs and sleek dogs will all be looking their best when they enter the rings at the Cobequid Dog Club Show.
There are 165 dogs entered in the event, which will be held April 27-28 in the industrial building on the Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition grounds in Bible Hill.
Carrie Lucas will be handling a few dogs at the show, and is hoping to see a couple of them earn enough points to achieve their championship.
“I started showing when I was 10,” she said. “I had a miniature American shepherd and the breeder asked me to go to a show with her. I enjoyed it right away and got involved in junior handling.”
She showed dogs mainly in Ontario, where she grew up, but has also handled dogs at events in other parts of Canada, as well as the U.S.. Australian shepherds and Bedlington terriers are her favourites, and she currently has a Bedlington terrier of her own.
“They’re both very biddable breeds,” she said. “They generally have great temperaments. They’re go anywhere and do anything type of dogs.
“The thing I like most about working with dogs is seeing them come out of their shells.”
Along with grooming and handling dogs during the weekend, she is organizing the junior handling component of the show.
Nancy Downing, who is in charge of hospitality for the judges during the weekend, also got involved with showing when she was young. A friend’s family showed Afghans and salukis and she attended shows with them and
went on to show dogs herself.
She is a big fan of English springer spaniels.
“They will do anything you ask of them and more,” she said. “If you don’t ask them to do something, they will think of something.”
Along with showing dogs, Downing was involved with the St. John Ambulance therapy dog program, temperament testing, flyball and more. She doesn’t have a dog now, but when she feels the need to be around them, she visits friends and sits on the floor with their dogs.
Serving as show secretary, Nancy Mcrae will be busy with paperwork for much of the weekend. She’s been involved with dog shows for about 40 years and says it has helped her learn that the little things aren’t worth worrying about. She used to have standard poodles but has switched to Labrador retrievers, partly because, as a professional groomer, she doesn’t want to spend as much of her off time doing what she does at work.
She encourages people to come out to shows and learn about the different breeds, including some of the more unusual ones taking part, such as the Sussex spaniel and dandy Dinmont terrier.
“People at dog shows are usually friendly and happy to talk unless they’re just going into the ring,” added Lucas. “They put a lot of time and money into their dogs and if they have any excuse to talk about them, they usually will.”
Conformation judges for the show are Alejandro Rojas
Sanchez, who is from Mexico, and Canadian judges Jocelyne Gagne, Judith Taylor and Darle Heck.
Canine Good Neighbour testing will also take place during the afternoon on both days, and The Barnyard Grill will be on site with food.
Obedience and rally obedience trials will be held at Stay n Play on Crossley Avenue.
Admission to the show is free, but spectators are asked not to bring dogs, as only those entered in the show are permitted in the building.