By Sean Leslie

PA Exhibition Centre goes to the dogs

Mar 10, 2013 | 8:21 AM

Hundreds of dogs, owners and handlers have descended on the Prince Albert Exhibition Centre for the Prince Albert Kennel and Obedience Club’s annual All-Breed Dog Show.

Numerous breeds, from Chihuahuas to Great Danes, are on display this weekend in a show that has been taking place in Prince Albert for decades.

“We’ve been a member in good standing with the CKC [Canadian Kennel Club] since the 1930s,” said show coordinator Kathy Horne, who said the show’s been a regular event since the 1950’s.

The Prince Albert All-Breed Show is sanctioned by the CKC, which means winning dogs collect points that can be used towards a national championship.

To decide a winner, judges are looking for dogs “that best represent breed standards,” said CKC licensed judge Kathleen Anderson Wulff.

Labour dispute

Canada Post strike enters 19th day; but Santa letters getting delivered

46m ago

Tragic events

Fatal fire at Clearwater River Dene Nation claims two lives including teenage girl

1h ago

Warm Weather could stay longer than expected

Prince Albert's weird weather forecast explained

1h ago

They can conform to breed standards in two ways, one of which is attitude. The origins of the breed are the key to evaluating dogs, said Wulff “the history of the breed is very important because a judge has to know what the breed was bred to do,” said Wulff. This will determine “what the dog should behave like, should they be happy, should they be wary, should they stand their ground,” she said.

Dogs are also judged on their conformation, or bone structure. Again, the historical origins of the breed are crucial for adjudicating in this category. For example, “If you have a herding dog like a border collie, you really want to make sure that the dog can move effortlessly around the ring. Because when the dog is out in the field working … you really want that dog to have staying power,” said Wulff.

There will be about 1,400 dogs on display over the three day event. Some are shown by professional handlers, who sometimes bring more than a dozen dogs to each show, said Horne. They train them, groom them, prepare them and lead them around the floor.

However, there are also owner-handlers, like Donna Harty and Carla Antal from Lloydminster. Their 7-month-old standard poodle named Moose was competing on Saturday morning.
 

They spent a lot of time getting Moose ready for his big moment, “Between bathing and shaving at home and everything probably about 46 hours. And to get him ready for the ring at the show probably about one or two hours,” said Harty.

Moose ended up winning the ‘best of winners’, which means he finished higher than all the other poodles entered in the class.

The last two shows take place Sunday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Prince Albert Exhibition Centre’s main building. Tickets are available at the door with the proceeds going to the Prince Albert SPCA.

sleslie@panews.com

On twitter: @_seanleslie