The dog owner from Winnipeg, Trina Gallop, shared her experience after visiting New York dog show.
Despite the fact that she was there as a spectator and did not show her dog, the woman received a lot of impressions.
“It has been absolutely fabulous,” Gallop said. “I’m at a loss for words how amazing it is. I’m not showing, but to be a spectator is just as amazing.”
Gallop is the owner of Bailey, Canada’s No. 1-ranked basset hound. She explained that attending such an event is a great experience for her, and maybe she will come there with her dog one day.
“Bailey’s got a couple years to mature and come into herself, but who knows what the future holds for her? Maybe she’ll be down here in the next few years.”
Winnipeg can also boast a dog show – it is going to take place in Portage la Prairie this weekend. Local dog owners have the opportunity to show off training of their pets.
“It’s not like going to be what you see on TV,” Dunbar, the representative of the event, said. “It’s not like what you see at Westminster. The dogs are doing different work here. It’s a performance.”
Dogs will have to go through a series of exercises, including performing several commands. They will show how well they are trained by their owners.
“There’s a group of dumbbells and the owner of the dog will put their own scent on one of them. Then the dogs will go out and sort through the dumbbells, hopefully picking up the one with their owner’s scent.”
Both purebreds and mixed-breeds can take part in the competition.
“Everybody that enters an obedience trial is doing training,” she said. “Once they feel they’re ready to face the real ring and have it judged by a licensed obedience judge, they enter one of the trials.”