Dog show

I was judging at the Birmingham National Dog Show this afternoon. It is now more than 30 years since I awarded my first Challenge Certificates and I can’t believe how much has changed.

That first day was in August, in Glasgow (the year they didn’t hold the event in Edinburgh) and it poured...and poured. The Mastiffs and their owners were not worried about getting wet - we were happier outside. The only people who moaned were my two stewards, Maremma people, but we were wet and happy, and there were plenty of dogs.

Today dog classes in the giant breeds are smaller. My steward today said he was sure it’s because people have smaller houses. I think there are lots of reasons - the escalating costs of fuel, entries, and affording dogs - bad press, and fashion.

A fellow judge today was bemoaning the changes in the world of dog showing. “It used to be so much fun.” She’s right to a certain extent, but there are still events where people have fun. I think they are the more sociable breed club events, though.

Mastiffs are giants and they need and love the space outdoors. Today, because we were relatively few, we were listed after two other breeds and put in an indoor ring in an echoey shed.

We were after the Alaskan Malamutes (see my blip). This lovely old lady won the Veteran Bitch class.

Then came the Leonbergers, another fabulous breed.

A few years ago we would have outnumbered both of these breeds, but our old English giants are now officially classed as “endangered “ because of our numbers. There may not have been many Mastiffs today, but they were of very high quality and a credit to the breed.

Meanwhile the trendy people are buying Cockerpoos and Labradoodles......... they may sound exotic, but really they’re just overpriced mongrels........

The march of progress.