Why
dog shows? Seems like a silly thing to do. We have
all seen them on
TV, all the different dogs competing for a ribbon, and we can't imagine
why
people spend so much time and money on a beauty contest for
dogs, when
the really important thing about a dog is his personality.
And you are right if you don't know the whole story. And the
whole story
starts with the reason for having purebred dogs in the first
place. In
the beginning, when Paleolithic man first started feeding the wolves
that hung
around the clan campsite, he realized that these creatures, when they
became
friendly and began to defend the campsite and accompany hunting
parties, could serve several
purposes. Their acute hearing alerted them to the approach of
strange
predators, and their acute sense of smell could lead hunters to
game.
This set the stage for selective breeding. By breeding the
best hunters
to each other, man could produce a "super hunter". And
breeding
the most alert and watchful to each other they could produce a super
guardian. The breeding of purebred "specialist" wolves was
underway.
Those specialist wolves are your little Lhasa Apsos today.
The Apso
originated, like many other breeds from a canine stock which traveled
with
nomadic pastoral people in Central Asia. The
larger members of this stock were transformed, by selective breeding
into the
large livestock guardian Mastiff, the medium sized Tibetan Terrier, used
for
herding, and the smaller Lhasa Apso, used as a domestic
sentinel. The
apso was alert, sharp of hearing, and suspicious of strangers, ready to
alert
the family or monastery at the approach of any stranger, man or beast.
Along with these behavioral qualities, he was a sturdy small dog: small
enough
to live in a small yurt or house, but sturdy enough to endure the harsh
climate
and high altitude (12,000 to 16000 feet above sea level).
These abilities
were the result of his structure: slightly shortened legs, large lungs,
and his
long, hard coat. The demands of climate and purpose, resulted
in a very
reproducible physical type that we recognize as the Lhasa Apso today.
But today, the apso no longer has to alert the family at night, nor
does he
have to endure the -50 winter winds nor the 16,000 foot elevation, so
low in
Oxygen. His ancestors lived or died depending on how well
they
fit the
requirements of purpose and environment, but these conditions no longer
determine which ones reach maturity and reproduce. The unique
characteristics
that defined the essence of this breed, and were largely determined by
the environment,
are in danger of being lost, unless the breeders are vigilant in
preserving them. In order to keep those qualities that were
developed under the influence of the Lhasa Apso's native environment,
we need to breed only those animals which
show
the greatest degree of "breed type" and soundness of body and
temperament.
And that's where dogshows come in! We go to Dog Shows to find the dogs
which
exemplify these breed characteristics, so that we can employ them as
parents of the next generation. Besides breeding for the correct
characteristics to keep the original look, physiology, and purpose of
the
breed, we have to maintain the genetic health of the breed as
well. One
breeder cannot hope to do that, because no one breeder can keep a
sufficiently
large population of dogs to maintain the genetic diversity of the
population. To avoid inbreeding, breeders have to work
together to breed
a healthy population. How do we find the right mates for our
animals? Dogshows, of course!
A breeder who does not show his/her dogs is in the same position as a
scientist
who never publishes his work. The scientist might make many
important
discoveries in his laboratory, but if the rest of the scientific world
never
knows about it, what good is all his work? And no matter how
beautiful my
dog might be, if no other breeder ever sees him, how will his genes
ever
benefit the breed? Breeders bring their dogs to shows mainly
to be able
to compare their work with the work of other breeders and to find dogs
and
bitches whose characteristics might complement or improve their own.
Beyond the implications for the preservation of breed characteristics
and
health, breeders find new lifelong friends and socialize with people of
similar
interests. It is a rich learning environment, and often a
great social
environment as well. We have fun!
So if you are really interested in the breed, come to a dog
show.
There are many different activities there. Besides the
"beauty
contest", Conformation, there are performance events as well.
Even if your dog is not Conformation champ material, you might want to
learn to compete in Obedience, Rally or Agility. You will
meet
breeders and exhibitors that can help you with any problems you may be
having with your dog, and you will learn a lot. There is also
a
lot of good shopping for doggy stuff at shows - stuff you can't always
find at your local PetsMart! You can find a Dog Show near you
at http://www.infodog.com
. Bring the family, a folding chair,
and a picnic basket. See some beautiful dogs, and make some
new
doggy friends!