Julie, holding the obedience trophy, looked at Dony, who seemed equally happy to take the second position in the show. While Julie was quick and precise to the stand, sit, and walk commands, Dony won over the audience with her ‘spiralling' tricks. They seemed to know that the tougher challenge would be on Sunday when more than 320 other contestants from across the country would try to impress the judges with their tail wags, yips, and yelps.
These dogs of the Labrador Retriever breed are winners of the Obedience Dog Show, held as part of the 24th and 25th All-India All-Breeds Championship and Obedience Dog Show, held at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium here on Saturday.
Dogs in various breeds will participate in the main event — the All-Breeds Championship — organised by the Trivandrum Kennel Club, which will be held on Sunday.
While the obedience show would test the rapport of the dogs with its owners through various tests such as heel walk, recall and response to commands, and scent identification, the breed show is based on the ideal characteristics of dogs based on specific breeds.
“Dogs can be given basic training normally after one month of their birth. Pressure skills are also taught, based on specific characteristics of the breeds,” said M.S. Vipin Kumar, trainer of Julie and Dony.
The competitions will be held for dogs under seven categories. More than 25 breeds will compete for the challenge certificates. Apart from common breeds like Labrador Retriever, Rottweiler, Dachshund, Dobermann, Boxer, and Pug, there will be rare breeds like Siberian Husky, Miniature Pinscher, Basenji, and Whippet. The mighty St. Bernard and tiny Chihuahua breeds will also be featured.
The judging for the all-breed event would be based on the breed standards as specified under the Federal Kennel Club, which entitles the dogs, which adhere to these standards, to participate in international dog shows. ‘Challenge' certificates are also awarded in the show. The show will conclude with the best 10 line-up of the dogs.
Two shows would be judged simultaneously in two separate rings. This would enable trainers to get for their dogs the champion prefix, which requires the specific participant to obtain a minimum of three separate ‘challenge' certificates (from three judges), said Trivandrum Kennel Club secretary Ramesh Kumar.
