Posted by nap on 3/22/2007, 11:04 pm Valerie UKC is the Total Dog registry and because of that, many clubs and exhibitors love to take advantage of shows that offer both conformation and some type of working event. Many of us only travel to shows that offer the opportunity for both and now with the increase in competitors competing in working events and the opportunity to earn a Total Dog award; many clubs are finding an increase in entries at their conformation shows when a Total Dog event is hosted. As an individual who has been a part of all aspects of the Total Dog experience, I would like to share a few thoughts with all of you. As a competitor, it is the most awesome feeling in the world to earn a Total Dog award and NOTHING compares to that very first one. (Well, maybe winning the National Best of Breed but I haven’t done that yet!) As a competitor, it is also VERY stressful to juggle working and conformation events. Fear of being left behind or missing an opportunity for a work or to show is mind-boggling. I have been extremely lucky in my quest for Total Dog awards that the judges and clubs have been extremely helpful in working with me and others to accomplish our goals. I think it is important for all of us to recognize that our dogs love to have a job and that the dog that can move gracefully around the ring one moment and perform in the working arena the next is something everyone should ultimately strive for. There IS much more to dog life than the show ring. That said, as a club member who has been part of putting on a Total Dog event, scheduling is one of the most important aspects of putting on the perfect Total Dog event. Because help is so limited, often those individuals who are competing in both conformation AND working events are often the SAME people who are working to put on the event. As a member of both the Cascade APBT Club and the Northwest APBT Club, two UKC Total Dog clubs, I have been exposed to just about every mishap and conflict imaginable. It is so important that everyone involved understand that UKC is the TOTAL DOG registry and although you may not wish to compete in any working events, those of us who do need your support and patience in this endeavor. These are the times when everyone needs to step up to the plate and lend a hand to ensure that all events run smoothly. One of the best ways to raise entries for conformation only clubs is to pair up with a working club in your area and split the duties, understanding that both clubs need to work together to make it a positive experience for judges, competitors, and club members alike. As competitors, it is very important that we have patience with the trials and tribulations of running a Total Dog event. Many times one event or the other is put on hold while an exhibitor competes in their corresponding event. Most of the time, it is the working event that is held back. Working only dog owners need to develop an understanding and appreciation for the time and effort it goes into breeding/owning/handling/grooming a good conformation dog. These dogs are a lot more than just “pretty dogs” who do nothing more than “run around the ring and shed hair!” It does take a great deal of training and time to get a good conformation dog in shape and ready for the ring. On the other side of the coin, it is imperative that the conformation people develop the same kind of appreciation and understanding of the working dog. Years of training goes into getting many dogs ready for the competition ring and without the support of fellow competitors, we would be unable to perform to the UKC standard of the Total Dog. As judges of both conformation and working events, we need to appreciate and do all we can to support the members of our sport that choose to compete in Total Dog events. In my years of pursuing Total Dog awards, I have only had two conformation judges state that they would not wait and that conformation was more important than the working events. I have been extremely lucky in that most of the judges compete in some working event themselves and understand the importance. As judges, we are selecting breeding stock and breeding stock should be able to produce those animals that are better able to do the job for which they are bred. What better way to prove ability than to work? Judges of BOTH conformation and the working arenas need to work together in order to make the Total Dog experience a positive one for everyone involved. I have yet to meet a working event judge who is not willing to hold up an event for the conformation ring. I hope that those of us who are conformation judges will start to give the same respect back to the working judges. It is not easy asking an entire class of weight pull dogs to stop in the middle of a class just when strategy, timing, and warm-up are of utmost importance. One of the greatest gifts handed to me by my working counterparts was their support while I showed my APBT to a breed, group, and BIMBS win while they sat on the sidelines, cheering us on. Approximately 20 people slunk into the building, waiting patiently as their working dogs sat in their crates for over an hour. THAT, my friends, was sportsmanship. Many of those individuals had absolutely no interest or respect for the conformation dog and after their short stay ringside, developed somewhat of an interest and recognized the importance of the sport. We even had one competitor enter his weight pull dog in the conformation ring the next day! As an added bonus we had THREE conformation dogs try out Weight Pull and several more come over to learn! UKC does not specify that either conformation or working events take priority over the other. The only mention of the possibility that a conflict can be ignored is found in the rulebooks as follows: XI. Judging Schedule. Essentially, what this means is that the only individuals allowed to make a decision whether or not to hold a class are the JUDGES. The rulebooks pertaining to both conformation and any working event do not specify that conformation MUST take precedence over the working event or vise-versa. According to UKC dog event staff, only the judges of either the conformation or the working events have the right to deny the exhibitor the opportunity to compete if their events conflict. I think as judges, we are responsible for making the entire experience for the exhibitor a positive one and for doing all we can to help format and encourage more individuals to promote UKC’s Total Dog program. If this means we need to adjust the judging schedule to accommodate those dogs who are in the middle of weight pulling, group exercises, or on top of the a-frame – we need to do it! As exhibitor’s we need to be patient when our event is temporarily put on hold so that our companions can prove their dog’s worth as a Total Dog. Take this opportunity to go and WATCH that working event or conformation show and see what you and your dog are capable of doing. You too might catch the fever. As clubs, we need to be prepared to be workable and flexible with our schedules and do everything we can to make the experience and smooth and easy one. When an exhibitor has a conflict, we as event coordinators need to spend time mediating the situation so that everyone has the opportunity to compete. As a club member, I will be promoting hiring those judges with a respect and admiration and a willingness to work with the Total Dog competitor. I, for one, will continue to compete in, judge, and put on as many Total Dog events as I can and can only hope that the rest of the competitors, judges, and club members develop the respect entitled to those who attempt the Total Dog experience. Valerie Ann Piltz
205.188.116.74
Here is a letter I have writen to UKC to be printed in an upcoming Bloodlines Magazine regarding the Total Dog event. Because many of you do not get the magazine, I wanted to share this with you.
A. Start time for licensed classes. At pre-entry only shows, judging must start at the advertised start time. At all other shows, judging must start at the advertised start time or as soon as possible thereafter if there are a large number of day-of-show entries. No dogs are to be judged prior to the start time advertised in BLOODLINES magazine. Dogs should be present at their ring at time of judging. Judges are not required to wait for dogs.
Vintage Kennels
UKC Judge # 6665
Conformation/Weight Pull
Owner/Trainer/Breeder of multiple Total Dogs and Total Dog Award Winners
PERMISSION TO CROSS POST TO BREED LISTS8
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