Periscope

Dogs parade with owners in cham

by Annie Leung

Hours before the beauty show began, 276 dog contestants crowded at the Institute of Vocational Education in Kwun Tong to have final touches on their looks. Some owners were busy blow-drying their dogs' hair to make it smooth and fluffy, while others were checking the braids or permed straight hair of their beloved pets.

After much blow-drying and brushing, all the competitors were ready to run for the best dog and best breed titles in the groups of gundog, hound, pastoral, terrier, toy, utility and working at the 2006 Spring Championship Dog Show organised by the Hong Kong Kennel Club Limited.

Competition is fierce in a dog show. Dogs have to stand out among hundreds of others to get the top prize. In the competition, the contenders are led by their handlers to walk or run around the field on the judge's commands. All dogs also have to be scrutinised one by one by the judge, who will pick the most outstanding.

Michelle Lee Miu-ching, whose Saluki was the winner of the best of breed in the hound group, said posture and training of a dog were important for winning.

“The dog should have good walking posture, which means that its front and rear legs should move perfectly. How the dog runs is also very important. It should run fast but smooth,” Ms Lee said. “The bone structure of a dog is also very crucial. If it has good bones, it looks fierce when it stands firm. However, if the dog's back bone is not good enough, it looks ugly no matter how you pose it.”

To ensure her dog's good performance, Ms Lee began a series of training with it several months before the contest. She walked the dog every morning. Running, swimming and picking up balls all became the dog's daily routine. “I want to train my dog through playing,” Ms Lee said. She considered those exercises could help build the fine physique of her dog, which was bought from Egypt .

Carol So Kit-fong, owner of a Welsh Corgi which joined the open bitch competition, said she went swimming with her dog to make it exercise more.

Dog's obedience and concentration are also the keys to win, according to Sidney Ku To-wan, whose Samoyed took three top awards: the first prize, the best of the group and the best exhibit of breed.

“My dog loves eating, and that's why it stands perfectly in front of the judge. It just wants the food in the judge's hand. It shows great attentiveness to the judge,” she said.

In laymen's eyes, the dogs might look more or less the same. But for John Stanton, judge of the spring championship dog show, he had many details to look into.

Judges have to examine the breeding standard of a dog, which includes its facial features, skull, body's boning, stockiness, legs, tail and coat, Mr Stanton said. He also looked for other things to determine the champion. “How it moves around, how it stands to let the judge touch, how it goes up and down, all these help to show whether a dog is obedient or not,” said Mr Stanton, who has extensive judging experience in New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and North America.

Communication between the handler and the dog will also affect a judge's decision. Mr Stanton said: “I put much emphasis on the overall picture presented by the dog and its handler. They have to show the best thing to me in a very short time.”

All dog owners showed a close relationship with their dogs, and some even treated the pets like their children. Ricky Fung Tak-choi kept calling his dog “good boy” for more than 10 times in five minutes when he spoke. “I love to play and talk with my dog,” he said while touching his Samoyed gently. His dog was the winner of the best senior puppy in group and the best senior puppy of breed. Mr Fung said he had not done much to train his dog, but he always talked to it when he was home.

Many other dog owners also caressed and played with their dogs to get them ready for the scrutiny.

Evaluating the relationship of the handlers with their dogs is not an easy task. That demands a judge's past experience in presenting dogs, the show's manager Franki Leung Chung-kai said.

“John is a good dog show judge, not just because he's friendly and knowledgeable, but he himself has also involved in many dog shows and won more than 60 championships,” said Mr Leung, who is also in charge of the Hong Kong Kennel Club's judge committee.

Mr Stanton, who comes from New Zealand , first took part in an international show with his English Cocker Spaniels when he was only 10. In the past 25 years, he has joined thousands of dog shows and won many titles for his dogs. His experience earned him high acclamation in the field.

Mr Leung said Hong Kong had a mature dog show culture despite the fact that only a small number of dog owners took part in the competitions. “Besides Japan , Hong Kong has the best and the most professional and qualified dog show in Asia ,” he said.

Dog shows have a history of 58 years in Hong Kong . They have progressed from a “fun day out” to the organised competitions today.

The shows are more than carnivals for dog devotees. They allow people to appreciate the canine beauty, Mr Leung said. “In order to promote the dog show culture, we have to do it from the very basic, and this is to let more people become true dog lovers through the beauty of dogs,” he said.