Date:11/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/11/stories/2009011159470300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Mix of obedience, discipline and grace

Staff Reporter

— Photo: R.Ravindran

Line-up of champs: Trainers with their German Shepherds at the championship dog show organised by the Madras Canine Club in Chennai on Saturday.

CHENNAI: Over 48 breeds of dogs are set to the 88th and 89th Dog Show organised by Madras Canine Club that got under way here on Saturday.

Hundreds of breeders from across the country brought their pets to the show being conducted at the University Union Grounds in Chetpet. Judges of international repute Rodi Hubenthal and Wera Hubenthal of Norway and Cristian Stefanescu of Romania are participating.

The obedience show saw 25 participants. The dogs were tested for their ability to follow simple to complex instructions. Dogs bred by police personnel fared better as they were mature and disciplined. However, a 10-month old Labrador female dog, Daffy, was the cynosure of all eyes with her grace. She did not fare very well at obeying the orders of her master and often ran all over the place when asked to stand still. But the audience enjoyed it thoroughly. For the other breeders though, Daffy proved to be a distraction as the dogs were finding it hard to ignore her presence.

The German Shepherd speciality show had 70 participants. The judges kept an eye out for features such as strong bones, firm face and stamina. Madras Canine Club member K.B. Jaisimha said that since German Shepherds were originally used for shepherding, they had to have sufficient strength to be able to run for long hours. Members of the audience cheered, clapped and made gestures at the animals in a bid to divert their attention, but many of the dogs, kept their ears upright and continued to run, in a silent show of strength. After about an hour’s running many of the dogs could be seen huffing and puffing with their tongues out.

With the popularity of the ‘Hutch puppy’ rising, a Pug Speciality Show was organised in which there 45 participants. Anjos Audi owned by M.Harshvardhana won the show with its perfect pout and cute sag. The proud owner said the pug had the most perfect features and so won the recognition it deserved.

Madras Canine Club president C.V. Sudarshan said the standards for judging the breeds were set by international canine expert bodies such as the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) and breeds which came closest to the requisite features were declared to be the best. For the All Breeds Show scheduled on Sunday, Irish Setters, Golden Retrievers, Spaniels (Cocker), Basset Hounds, Lhasa Apsos, Dalmatians, Fox Terriers, Rajapalayams, Chihuahuas and Dobermans are among the breeds of dogs one can expect to see.