The obvious…or not

Sometimes, I forget how much I know about dogs, dog shows and animal husbandry. What’s obvious to me, isn’t necessarily obvious to others.

There is an AKC process called a Bench Show Committee. Every all-breed show has one. The officers of every specialty club are the Bench Show Committee. The Bench Show Committee addresses complaints (bad sportsmanship, foul language, threatening a judge, etc.) with a trial at the show. The verdict is sent to AKC. AKC determines the punishment, which usually includes a fine and suspension of AKC privileges anywhere from 3 months to lifetime. Five years is the average.

In an effort to address the issue of misuse of motels/hotels by exhibitors, AKC encourages the use of the Bench Show Committee to discipline those exhibitors. The all-breed clubs encourage local motel/hotel owners to contact them if abuse of the motel/hotel facility occurs. This is actually a ‘selling’ point when local clubs are soliciting motels/hotels and rates for show exhibitors and includes barking dogs, not cleaning up after your dog/s and destruction within a room. The trial happens at the dog show. If you’re found guilty by the Bench Show Committee, co-owners are effected as well regardless of if the co-owner/s was at the show.  AKC privileges include being able to breed, register and show dogs as well as judge dogs.

Here’s what is printed in nearly every premium list (the information packet on a dog show), usually on the page listing the motels/hotels.