Sitting on a grooming table at the Scottish Breeds Show, a Bearded Collie sat patiently, immobile even, while all around him dogs were being walked, groomed, tended to, displayed, exhibited, and judged.
Not only Bearded Collies, but also other Scottish breeds at the 31st General Championship Show of the Scottish Breeds Canine Club held at the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston, near Edinburgh, on 28th March.
My wife Tamara thought it would be interesting to go see the show. And it was interesting. For example, dog exhibitors take a cage and a portable grooming table to the shows. That’s quite a lot of paraphernalia involved in exhibiting.
And everyone was forever brushing and grooming their dogs.
And pushing their dog’s back feet backwards and their front feet forwards so that they stood ‘just so’ when they were being judged.
And the judges felt down the length of the animals backs and haunches and opened their mouths and looked at their teeth – ‘My, what big teeth you have.’
They were all lined up and ready to be judged. They were all incredibly patient and calm, waiting for their turn to strut their stuff and run around the ring with their owners. The way their long fine hair sweeps behind them, Bearded Collies look like they are heading into a gale-force wind when they are just trotting at a comfortable pace.
The dog won best of breed at Crufts this year was in the top seven dogs at Crufts in all classes. Its owner Ms Waldron from Middlesex got first prize here, too..