Barking dogs and the sounds of blowing hairdryers echoed throughout the building. Dogs were being put to the test this weekend at the Lethbridge Dog Show. It was a stressful few days for some dogs, or perhaps more stressful for their owners. Dogs were groomed to the nine’s and owners were ensuring their pets were on their best behaviour.

The Dog Show took place throughout the weekend at the exhibition park. Dog owners came from all across western Canada to compete in the event. Some dogs were judged on their obedience skills, while others were judged on how well they conformed to their particular breed. Bill Blair, a judge from British Columbia, judges obedience. “It’s really nice to see a good working dog with a good attitude,” he said. “I like the competitiveness of dog shows and watching people that are really serious do a good job.” This year he saw breeds in the ring he hadn’t seen before.

Many breeders show their dogs not simply for bragging rights, but also because it reflects positively in the dogs they are trying to sell. According to paw-rescue.org, showing dogs is an indication of a responsible breeder. It states that these kinds of events enable breeders to ensure their dogs demonstrate the desired physical and behavioural traits for the particular breed.

Devin Carroll and his mother own a kennel in Edmonton. Carroll just began showing dogs five months ago and is enjoying it so far. “It’s fun to get the dogs out to a different environment and see them looking happy,” he said. Although their dogs didn’t win any events at this show, he still remarked that it was a lot of fun.

Over 1,000 dogs competed in the Lethbridge show. Some handled the pressure well, while others did not fair so well. A few let their nerves get to them and required a clean up crew to come into the ring after them. Unfortunately this was bad news for their owners, as this kind of accident disqualifies their dog from placing in the event.

Although every owner hopes their prized pooch will prance their way to the top spot, many of them enjoy the event regardless of wins or losses. Donna Kjorsvik, a breeder from Bowden, was showing her cocker spaniels. “I really enjoy the camaraderie at the shows,” she said. “I especially love this show, Lethbridge probably puts on the best show of the year. They are an amazing club to come and support.” Unfortunately loss in numbers and the high cost of venues has caused a decline in dog shows. Kjorsvik is hopeful that more dog shows will come to Alberta again.

The Lethbridge & District Kennel Club hosts the Lethbridge dog show annually. For more information on the club and future events you can visit their web page at ldkc.net. For the Lethbridge Dog Show results you can visit canuckdogs.com.