You could call it a dog’s day. Putting their best ‘paw’ forward, canines of various breeds including some rare breeds came together at the 92nd and 93rd All India Championship Dog Shows held in the city on Sunday.
Organised by the Mysore Kennel Club that is affiliated to the Kennel Club of India, the shows were inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor of Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fishery Sciences University Suresh S. Honnappagol and Principal Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries D V Prasad.
As many as 480 dogs from 45 breeds participated in the show. This year, some of the special attractions are Akita – the Japanese breed, Black Russian Terrier, Dogo Canario (Spanish Mastiff), Dogue De Bordeaux (French Mastiff), Siberian Husky and the American Cocker Spaniel. The most popular breeds of Labradors, Pugs, Great Danes, St. Bernards and Rotweilers made their presence felt by participating in large numbers, according to the organisers.
One of the highlights was the presence of Karnataka’s very own Mudhol Hound. As many as 27 Mudhols from Bagalkot participated in the shows.
P V Yathinder from the Mysore Kennel Club told The Hindu that this breed was gaining more popularity in the country after a Canine Research and Information Centre was started in Mudhol. With Indian breeds getting diluted, the Mysore Kennel Club (MKC) took it upon itself more than a decade ago to preserve them, he said.
According to Mr Yathinder, the dogs are judged according to their coat, gait and temperament. “They are judged for their body confirmation. Every breed of dog has a set standard for judging,” he said.
The judges for this year are Thomas Y H Lim from Singapore and Philip John and Partha Sekhar Chatterjee from India, he added.
The Mysore Kennel Club also used the occasion to observe “World Veterinary Year – 2011” to celebrate 250 years of veterinary education that started off in France.
Many pharmaceutical companies and others in pet-associated sectors showcased their products at the venue. There were stalls offering free pet care advice to dog owners.
The results
In the 92nd championship dog show, the “Best in Show” award went to a Dobbermann owned by Sahita Senthil. A German Shepherd dog owned by Dhanashekar was judged second “Best in Show” while a Boxer dog owned by Edwin Manohar and A Stephen bagged the third “Best in Show” title.
The “Best in Show-Bred in India” award went to the same German Shepherd dog owned by Dhanashekar that was judged second “Best in Show.” Another Germand Shepherd dog owned by the same person was judged “Best Puppy” in the show.
In the 93{+r}{+d} championship dog show, the dog adjudged “Best in Show” was a Dobbermann owned by Javinder Singh Pawar, while the second and third “Best in Show” awards went to a Golden Retriever owned by T. Preetham and a St. Bernard owned by B. Sharath, respectively.
The “Best in Show-Bred in India” award was bagged by the same Dobbermann owned by Javinder Singh Pawar that was judged “Best in Show.” The “Best Puppy” award went to a Golden Retriever owned by Ms V Srinivasan.
