Dogs strut stuff at show

View larger image Ann Wilkins, of Madison, waits with her Irish wolfhounds, from left, Jane, Nessie and Sarah Lee, during the Shawnee Kennel Club’s dog show Saturday in Woodstock. Andrew Thayer/Daily Recommend This Print This Get E-mail News Alerts Buy Photos/Page Reprints * Breaking News If local news is breaking and you know about it: * Call Us: 800-296-5137 * E-mail Us * Upload Your Photos View larger image Julian Bivins, of Charlottesville, stands with Coco, a Saluki, in between judging events. Andrew Thayer/Daily View larger image Susan Giles, left, holds Bond, a lhasa apso, as judge Polly Smith, right, makes her inspection. Andrew Thayer/Daily View larger image Suzette Poe holds Luther, a pomeranian, while waiting for the judge during the competition. Andrew Thayer/Daily

By Preston Knight-pknight@nvdaily.com

WOODSTOCK -- It starts with a desire as old as the four-legged creature itself -- man wants dog.

"In dog showing," Diane Baskin said, "one thing leads to another."

Her husband sought a Siberian husky, and they, or at least she, preferred to show it off in competitions. The couple now own six.

"It's like potato chips," said Baskin, of Clifton. "When you start, you can't have just one."

With the dog the foundation of showing, then comes the wide range of equipment needed to transport the animal, followed by the irresistible urge to want to compete with more, requiring a bigger vehicle -- a process that could lead to the purchase of something as large as a motorcoach -- and then a bigger house, she said.

If done right, the financial obligation to be a serious dog show enthusiast -- parading your dog in front of judges at shows sometimes several states, or a country, away -- can cost thousands of dollars per month. It's not unheard of to cost the most dedicated of people with certain breeds of dogs close to $250,000 a year, according to one competitor.

"It's like a whole world," Baskin said. "The dog show world."

The Shenandoah County Fairgrounds got a taste of it Saturday and Sunday, the first time the Shawnee Kennel Club held its annual show there. With 600 entries, numbers were down, but all expectations are that it will grow next year as people are attracted to the Sharon Lilly 4-H FFA Show Arena, show chairman Jerry Howse said Saturday.

The building is much cooler than being underneath tents that had previously been used at the Clarke County Fairgrounds, he said.

Also, the arena now features a concrete floor, something the club indicated would seal the deal for it to come.

"We could go up to 1,500 dogs," Howse said.

And there's no questioning that the interest is there. The "dog show world" that Baskin raves about features a committed bunch who, in addition to enjoying the competition, are drawn to the social aspects of touring.

"It's addictive," said Margaret Larosa, of Madison. "It's like baseball or whatever."

Howse said anyone can get involved, so nobody should rule it out as a hobby. He was not groomed to show dogs, for example, when a random thing happened in 1976.

"We started out because we saw a show on TV in the Chattanooga area," Howse said of he and his wife, Sharon. "I golf. She doesn't. She does things on her own that I don't. We were looking for something for both of us. We always had pets. We contacted the Chattanooga Kennel Club and ended up liking to do it together."

Harry Austin, of Charlottesville, also came upon the hobby by accident six years ago.
"I just wanted a pet," he said. "The breeder we got the dog from said you're getting a show dog ... you should show it off. I had no interest. Then she talked me into it."

Last year, the breed, a Leonberger, was accepted into the American Kennel Club. Austin said one of his dogs became the first best of the breed at the most recognized event, the Westminster Kennel Club's dog show.

"It's easy to keep going when you keep winning," he said.

To prepare a dog, though, takes a lot of work, in addition to a financial commitment. Austin said the key is accentuating the best features of your dog to judges instead of hiding its negatives. Judges have written standards for each breed to determine which dog at a show should win.

"There is no perfect dog," Austin said.

For anyone interested in getting into the show world, Baskin recommends attending a competition and talking to breeders.

"You want a good dog first," she said.

And after that, you may have found yourself a new pastime.

"You either like it or you don't," Howse said. "The general rule is if you stay in it with dogs, you'll be in it for life."