I really like the behind the scenes videos shot informally, like this one of SADIE, the winner of the Westminster Dog Show.
You have to get past Whooopie talking about leaky bladder ( didn't Rosie talk about that problem too? Well there's 2 out of 6, so maybe we're safe. Ah-choo!) but the part where the dog gets washed with human shampoo is cute- and of course, in typical Linda fashion, it all leads to a life story.
when I was in high school, my best friend invited me join her at a dog show. Until that time, I had no idea that her family was so into dogs. her mother was in fact a breeder of Champion Weimaraners and German Short Haired Pointers. My friend was, as she humbly admitted, one of the top junior handlers in the nation, and owned a Champion 15 inch Beagle- a dog I'd never seen.
In her house, dogs weren't pets to be fed table scraps. They were kept in the kennels, fed a special blend of food, groomed with precision and crated nightly. they had long names and the pedigrees to match.
I thought going to the show would be fun. I had no idea of the long hours, stress and amount of work that happened when you were owner-handlers. I just tried to stay out of the way as dogs were blown dried, had their asses wiped and were run from ring to ring, the handlers rubberbanding a different number on their arm for each dog, each event.
I saw the things you see at all of these events- celebrities with fancy dogs. Owners who looked just like human versions of their dogs, and silly things for sale that no 4 legged creature should ever need, but most certainly would be scooped up by chubby woman who called their dog their fur-baby.
I saw a few things, that i never thought about happening inthe ring- the dog who squatted and peed (like Sadie- a BIG no-no), my friend inserting a matchstick in a dog's rectum - a dog known to take nervous shits. He will be puckered his butt around that matchstick and won't - you know- she told me.
Uh. yeah.
And something, I never understood even after al those years of watching the AKC shows on TV. The handler puts the dog's treat ( usually dried liver) in their own mouth to hold it... EWWWW.
So, all that said and done, it was fun and I was hooked. I didn't have thousands of dollars to buy a show dog, but I did get to play with some adorable pure bred puppies and kiss a very cute boy, who it looks like might have continued in the dog world, becoming a very popular professional Handler. or it might be another guy with the same name... I'll let you know on that one.
Meanwhile.. keeping with the doggie theme
watch THE VIEW tomorrow
Friday, February 19, 2010 as
Broadway star Bernadette Peters comes by with her dog, and Sherri goes behind-the-scenes at the Westminster Dog Show. Learn more.And don't forget to fill out your survey and enter the very cool sweepstakes to win a trip to NYC and witness a taping of The View!
I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a totebag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review.
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