What's wrong with that one?

The AKC nationals are underway, right about now. We decided not to go, Tulsa OK is a bit far to travel just for the honor/experience of it. Maybe next year. The rumors are it's going to be in North Carolina, so crossing everything that at least one member of the pack makes it in for 09! We have quite a few friends going and I wish all of them the best of luck.

Instead of nationals we'll be trialing at what will forever be known as the "what's wrong with that one" trial. The beaver county kennel club's trial is held with an all breed conformation show and obedience trial at a big convention center in downtown Pittsburgh. There's a ton of spectators, it's loud, chaotic....and just a totally different feel than any other trial we do, with the exception of Cleveland in Dec. or the invitational.

Now two of my pugs are from conformation lines, both were shown in Conformation, one even finished her CH. But they are absolutely not at conformation weight. I'll never understand why many breeds are shown so heavy, they truely are obese. Showing in conformation seems like a lifetime ago. I don't think there's enough $$$ in the world that could make me even think about putting on pantyhose and walking into that ring with a chubby little dog waddling next to me......I think the pugs agree with me on this one.

Here's where the trial got it's new name......I thought it would be nice to take Abby over to the breed ring to see Helen, her breeder who was there showing her father and sister. This was Abby's first agility trial, she was just amazing and so, so cute! Earning Qs in 3 out of 4 runs and beating the pants off of all but 1 big dog! When this other person who shows pugs looks down at my cute little girl and says "what's wrong with that one, what does she have worms?!?" What do you say to that? I had to stay calm, saying almost anything could insult her breeder as well. Helen spoke up before I could and tried her best to explain that Abby was at an ideal weight for a performance dog.... it didn't matter, this woman's (Beth Robel in case anyone wants to know) mind was made up, I'm surprised she didn't call some sort of authority on me for pug starvation. My dogs *must* be starving, they can actually breathe.