Owners and dogs will not only have a chance to strut their stuff, but also educate spectators as Nanaimo Kennel Club hosts its 4 All Breed Conformation Shows.
Set for June 13-16 at Arbutus Meadows Equestrian Centre at Nanoose Bay, Sandi Malcolm, club first vice-president and organizer, said there will be shows and an opportunity for people to learn about dog breeds in the Parade of Breeds on Saturday, June 15 from 5-7 p.m. Dogs will walk into the arena and a brief breed biography will be given, after which people will be allowed to come, meet and pet the dogs.
“There’ll be a lot of, just general information,” said Malcolm. “I work in the dog food industry and I hear so many times, like a young couple both work and they get a border collie and they wonder why their home is destroyed. Or a Newfoundland, which would be happy to live in (a small) room and yet they’re huge, big dogs. We’re trying to offer education that way and put people in contact with how to source out a good dog.”
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Numerous breeds will take part in the four-day event and there will be two minutes and 30 seconds for dogs and owners to move around and be evaluated, Malcolm said.
“Lots of dogs are table dogs … and that allows the judge to go hands on and then you do walking around the ring, down to vats and circles, and the judge judges the gait and their conformation, how they’re put together, and you’re judged against the standard and in all breeds, they’re not judged only on against each other, they’re judged against what the breed standard says for them,” said Malcolm.
Dogs that aren’t entered in the show will not be allowed on site, as per Canadian Kennel Club rules, and Malcolm said it’s for safety reasons. More than 1,000 dogs are expected, she said.
There is no admission fee, but there will be $3 charged for parking and Malcolm said proceeds will go to the Lions Club and to Nanaimo Kennel Club’s junior handling program.
For a schedule of events, see the club’s website, under the events tab at www.nanaimokennelclub.ca.
Shows run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
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