JOIN THE CLUB: Club’s going to the dogs but it’s all just for show

By John Van Klaveren
MAN’S best friends put their collective best paws forward at Royal Geelong Show’s championship dog competition recently.
Groomed to within a clipped nail of their lives, the canines stayed on their best behaviour to avoid sending their owners to the doghouse.
But it was the dog-loving members of Geelong and District Kennel Club holding the leash behind the scenes.
And with 521 entries, they had their hands full managing breeds of all kinds from the affable affenpinscher and ballistic borzoi to the spirited shiba inu and stubborn schipperke.
Club pack leader – otherwise known as secretary – Narelle Deller hardly had a moment to herself with a constant stream of enquiries.
“This is nothing” she laughed.
“Our club show in May can get 800 or 900 entries.”
The program confirms that animal names have gone to the dogs.
From Charharra How Coolismy Porche and Tejada Who Wears Frenchknickers to Goneroamin I’m a Kissncuddler or Wyowna Batteries Not Included, not a Rover was to be spotted, apart from in the car park, of course.
And the business side of dog shows is big indeed, with pet industry sponsors keen to brush shoulders with breeders.
“It’s big business and there are a lot of dollars involved,” top dog and club president Fred Freijah confirmed.
“Winning a show, being certified as a champion or grand champion, can make a big difference to breeding fees.
“The stud fee goes up and puppy prices rise if the breeder wins and some want to win badly for these reasons.”
Dogs need 100 points to be certified as a champion and a well-presented dog could earn up to 17 at show.
Breeders often travelled as far as Adelaide and Sydney for major shows.
Narelle said the club ran free training sessions on Sunday mornings for owners and breeders to get the hang of the whole dog show routine.
“I guess you could call it teaching old dogs new tricks,” she smiled.
But kennel club members had more in mind than just the business of winning championships, she said.
“Our members put back into the dog breeding community. We have the betterment of the breed at heart.
“Backyard breeders are in it just for the money. A pedigree breeder does the right thing by the dog.”