Fun, Dogs and Videotape

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190 – The Annual, 2019-20

By Caroline Coile

At a recent dog show I sat next to some people who were having way too much fun. They were (supposedly) drinking, commenting on the groups, and filming themselves doing it. The idea, they said, was to make dog shows seem fun, not stodgy, and to that end they were starting a YouTube series called Drunken Dog Show, modeled after the television series Drunken History.

The AKC suspended them.

Some people applauded this decision, saying the videos made a mockery of dog shows, provided poor role models for juniors, gave the AR folks ammunition, and was not good PR for the general public.

I disagree. I’m sure I’m not the only one who is bored to tears at the dog show commentary we hear year after year, who can recite the breed blurbs for Westminster and Philadelphia verbatim, or who counts how many of the breed winners are miraculously dubbed Therapy Dogs for their bios. Those of us stuck in front of our TV sets comment as much or more on who wore it best as we do on who’s going to win, and we do what we can to make this serious competition fun as well.

We’re obviously not the only ones finding humor in the group rings. Who can forget the notorious spoofs on YouTube entitled Westminster: White-Women-in-Knee-Length Suits Group and its partner Westminster: White Working Men in Suits Group? They’re admittedly funny, although I’m not sure the handler described as a “stocky Caucasoid with large breasts” thought so. Nor are they the sort of video that would attract anyone to our sport.

The ultimate dog show spoof, Best in Show, was another admittedly hilarious treatment of dog shows—-but I doubt it drew anybody to the sport. We loved the movie because each of us could recognize a bit of us (or our competition) in at least one or two of the characters, but it probably didn’t make anyone say, gee, that looks like fun!

Click here to read the complete article
190 – The Annual, 2019-20

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