The Four Ps
I’m sure you think this is a rather odd title for an article that appears in a popular dog magazine … so let me explain.
Those of you who may have read my offerings for a length of time will be well aware of the influence Nigel Aubrey Jones had on my life. A fellow Welshman, Nigel was my idol and mentor. I have never met anyone wiser, and his passion for, and deep knowledge of, the sport of purebred dogs was such that many turned to him for advice, which was always freely given after due thought and consideration. Sometimes it could be brutal, but it was always well intentioned. Nigel did not suffer fools gladly, and everyone knew where they stood with him. Those in whom he saw talent and genuine interest were indulged. Those who abused the sport he loved so dearly would often be shredded by a tongue that could be as acid as it was articulate. Nigel never held back, and it was his forthrightness that I found one of his most impressive qualities. His articles in DOG NEWS were always straight to the point and eagerly awaited.
(For those who may be unaware, Nigel spent most of his adult life in Canada, where he lived for many years with his long-term partner R. William Taylor, a Canadian he met through their mutual love of Pekingese. Together they established the St Aubrey Elsdon kennel, which housed some of the greatest Pekingese in history, also breeding countless exquisite champions. Furthermore, Nigel, who had a natural eye for quality and potential, imported hundreds of significant dogs to Canada and the United States, primarily but not exclusively Pekingese. Several other breeds benefitted from imports that were spotted by Nigel on his frequent visits to the U.K.)
When I was in my 20s, I remember vividly Nigel saying to me “showing dogs will teach you far more about people than dogs.” At the time I thought it was a rather strange observation, but as time passed – and I have now been involved with the purebred dog world for 60 years – I realized that, once again, Nigel was right.
I have always been an optimist; my glass was always half-full (whereas I often joked with the family that my younger sister’s glass was always half-empty … with six holes in!). As far as the global dog world and its future are concerned, I have always hoped that it will survive and remain basically honorable. However, a few unrelated situations have recently got me wondering.
In a conversation with some doggy friends the other day, there seemed to be a consensus of opinion that sportsmanship had deteriorated rapidly post-Covid, and we began to wonder why. Various theories were put forward, but the one that made more sense to me was that, during lockdown, dog exhibitors were taken by surprise when they looked at their monthly bank statements and realized just how much money they were saving by not entering or travelling to dog shows. When things returned to normality, people were possibly more conscious of spending their hard-earned cash and so expected results, regardless of whether or not they were deserved.
The basic premise of competing at conformation dog shows is a simple one. A dog of a specific breed is entered at a dog show where it is expected that the judge in question has sufficient knowledge and integrity to pass a valid and objective opinion on the dog’s merits and award it accordingly in the context of the competition it faces on the day. It isn’t rocket science.
A novice exhibitor, by definition, will not be in a position to “judge the judges,” as they lack both knowledge and experience; those can only come with time. Consequently, their opinion of a judge’s performance will be based largely on emotion, and remember that many (particularly new) exhibitors see their show dogs as members of the family and will consider a low placing or apparent dismissal as a personal insult. It is far easier to come up with some fatuous reason why their own dog didn’t win while others did, than to have the presence of mind to acknowledge the failings of their own dog and the merits of others.
I have noticed in recent years — and I am speaking primarily of the U.K. dog scene — that exhibitors who are finding their feet decide, quite ill-advisedly, that success will come more quickly if they attach themselves to some clique or camp of successful exhibitors, usually led by a strong personality who is the head honcho, backed up by a group of sycophantic satellites. Rather than paddling their own canoe, researching their breed and asking advice of the most respected elder statesmen in it, they feel that attaching themselves to one of the apparently successful cartels will bring fast rewards. That may be true in some cases, but invariably, when the newcomer begins to know more and voice their opinion, if it doesn’t coincide with the party line they can be cast aside as quickly as they appeared.
In any competitive environment nothing is more attractive than success, and, sad to say, many who enter the dog world display symptoms that border on the psychopathic. Often these people are immediately plausible, probably successful in “the real world,” charming and on the surface likeable. They befriend someone who they consider at the top of their game, they are generous with gifts, they put themselves at their newfound benefactor’s disposal, and they try to make themselves as indispensable as possible. They infiltrate their group of friends, many of whom they have never met, and these days monitoring a Facebook profile and studying a subject’s recently added friends can all too often paint a picture that should set alarm bells ringing.
Friend requests are only accepted by virtue of the fact that the wannabe friend has a mutual friend of standing, and so their own circle grows at an alarming rate. Then the inevitable happens, and the senior person of some standing sees through their acolyte, the relationship is terminated, and the resulting fallout can be quite toxic.
Ambitious narcissists work out a plan of action when they become involved in the dog world. They decide where they want to be and who will prove the most suitable stepping stones to get there. They can turn on the charm like a light switch and be wholly convincing, so much so that their motives are seldom questioned. Their ruthless ambition is cleverly disguised as an eagerness to help, and their intelligence is such that they soon learn that using those three magic words … “for the breed” … will open many doors. Before you know it, they are sitting on committees where their eager enthusiasm is welcomed, they are given more and more responsibility, and they make themselves indispensable. They never rock any boats, never challenge decisions at meetings and generally go with the flow … UNTIL!
When the time is right, they deviously but subtly sow seeds of doubt among their more vulnerable colleagues until there are sufficient people who begin to question the current officials, and slowly demolition begins. Gradually there is a widespread feeling that it’s time for a change, but they need a new leader. Totally oblivious to how they have been manipulated by the Svengali, the disgruntled thrash around looking for a new incumbent. Then someone has the bright idea to actually suggest the orchestrator of the destruction, who, of course, initially feigns disinterest or unworthiness while inwardly rubbing their hands with glee. The plan is working, and another dictator has been created, the last thing on their mind being “for the breed.”
Both at breed club and kennel club level it can be fascinating, if not a little disturbing, to sit back and watch the progress of certain individuals and their rapid rise to fame.
In the olden days Kennel Club committees were generally populated by wealthy landowner/sportsmen who felt passionately about the purebred dog sport, the nurturing and developing of breeds and regulating events for the common good. They served their governing body with no thoughts of self-advancement or mass-breed judging approvals. They were there to both serve and govern. Furthermore they almost always had a stockman background in livestock breeding and were successful as both breeders and exhibitors.
Sadly, today it is all too apparent that those who inveigle their way into a position of perceived power are there purely for self-advancement. Once there, they will clearly sell their soul to the devil if it suits their purpose, and deals being struck behind closed doors long before meetings take place seldom remain secret. Back-scratching and reciprocity are widespread, and nowhere more so than in the world of judging appointments.
In this day and age, the global purebred-dog world should be united, with principled leaders at the helm, in their desire to promote the many virtues of the purebred, doing their damndest to counter the sterling efforts of the wealthy anti-purebred lobby that will not rest until dog shows are a thing of the past. Sadly, it seems that far more energy is injected into jockeying for position and game-playing for personal gain. That energy should literally be going to the dogs, while in reality the sport may be doing just that.