Quote Originally Posted by LilacDragon
The purpose of showing the dog in a conformation ring is to show that it is the BEST of the best and more closely meets the breed standard. As for being proven in the field - bettering the breed means that the dog has the temperment and workability that the breed was meant to have.
I agree but disagree - I feel that showing a dog often proves nothing, other than the fact that you show your dog.

I know a toller breeder who puts CHs on all of her tollers by pinning them up against eachother in the ring so that they can win points, and therefore get their CH. They aren't too common in the showring so it's easy for her to pull it off. They are terrible examples of the breed -- in one show, my friend handled one of this breeder's dogs, and the judge asked why there were two goldens in the group ring. Another time, the judge told her to leave -- said "none of these dogs deserve ribbons." Of course this is Canadian showing -- much easier to pull this off when you don't need majors!

I have a friend who has been showing her sheltie for three years, and it's sitting on 9 points. It went to a couple of shows a month for three years -- that's ALOT of shows. Just needs one more point, and she will have her CH. She's never taken anything over Winner's Bitch. Will her CH prove that she's a good example of the breed?

And everyone has secrets to make their dog look more correct for the ring. Powders, gels, specific haircuts, etc. I've been to grooming seminars, I see the things they do to make the dog look correct -- they can turn a horrendous dog into something quite lovely. It's not that difficult if you know what you're doing -- I did it to a dog I handled earlier this year. Left her hocks long to make it appear as if she had more bone, brushed her leg hair inwards to make her legs appear straighter, showdried her hair to make it appear thicker, thinning sheared her nose to get rid of the cowlick. She's a horrible example of her breed conformation and yet I handled her straight into the group ring.

My dog is a beautiful example of what the breed is supposed to look like -- in CKC and AKC. However, in UKC she would do terribly. In FCI, she would do terribly. It doesn't mean she isn't a good example of what she should look like. Showing is based on opinion and politics -- not always on the dog, itself. when I look for potential studs, leases, etc, I don't even look at a Can CH. An Am CH is a bit better. A UKC Ch tells me that the dog is very correct, but European-type and very refined. I'm more likely to look at a Special in any of these registries as it's a higher possiblity that the dog stood for a judge through several shows. However I know of some Specials that did just the opposite. My co-breeder Specialed a dog that backed off the judge it's last time out -- Group placer, Can/Am Ch. I have, on video-tape, a Special backing off a judge -- Group placer, Can Ch. A friend witnessed a dog sitting between the handler's legs, terrified out of it's wits as she held it's head still and the judge lifted it's lips with a pencil to check the teeth. This dog group placed -- under a European judge. If the judge is European, the more likely the dog will place.

Even so, I love showing, and for the more common breeds it really can be a good way of seeing which ones are show quality (politics aside). It's a good hobby to have too. Can't wait to put a Ch on my boy -- I'd like to show him both CKC and AKC. Doubt we'll ever get to UKC, he probably wouldn't win anyways -- not refined or European enough.