Dog show

So this was a few weekends ago, but I wanted to post about it because it was so much fun. I went to the Raleigh Kennel Club dog show. I'd seen dog shows on TV, of course, but never in person. And this one is a small local show so it wasn't anything fancy, but I was just there for the dogs! They were everywhere in large numbers and it was spectacular. They are (almost) all just so adorable. My two new favorite breeds were the Shiba Inu (looks like a fox!):

And the vizsla:

I think what's so striking about the vizsla is its sleek reddish coat, and the fact that its nose and lips are pink, rather than being black.

I've always liked weimaraners. Their coat is such an unusual greyish brown color, and their blue eyes are beautiful. I think I may have overcompensated on the red eye removal, but here's the weimaraner I saw:


Here are some more pictures from the show:

I love great danes! They are sweet, gentle giants.

A collie all fluffed up for the judges!

I wanted a beagle for a long time. They are the perfect size, I think. But I heard they have a strong natural odor, and the last thing I need is a house that smells like dog!

A ginormous Irish Wolfhound...I'm not a fan of the shaggy hair though.

All the basset hounds looked like grandmas with their ear protectors on.

Here's a basset in all his (or her!) beauty.

Wow, those are some hairy, hairy paws! And again with the ear protectors. Not sure what kind of dog this is.

I love how whippets are so sleek looking. They are very similar in appearance to Greyhounds (which are bigger) and Italian Greyhounds (which are smaller).

Must be named Fifi. That, or she escaped from the Yearning For Zion compound. That part down the middle, it's meticulous! Owners of these dogs must have never gotten over their My Little Pony phase.

The whole reason I even knew about the dog show was because my friend has two purebred Sharpeis and she was showing them. This is the male, Marker.

A poufy Keeshond.

Here's a shot of all the pugs in a row. I wish it was of their faces rather than their behinds, but no matter what side of the ring I was on, it always seemed to be the wrong side.

How does he even see?

We saw lots more dogs, but my photos of them are mediocre: Chihuahuas, dalmatians, bulldogs, pit bulls, boxers, minpins, Dachsunds, spaniels, corgis, Chinese cresteds, sheepdogs, labs, terriers, and German shepherds.

If you have a chance to check out a local dog show, I highly recommend it. It's a great way to spend a morning or an afternoon. You just need to make sure you get a schedule of what breeds will be in what rings and what times, if you care about seeing a certain kind of dog. But you can also just wander around aimlessly, or pick a chair and camp out and watch the dogs pass by you. Most owners were happy to let me take a picture of their dogs. But there were signs in the grooming area that said no photos or videos allowed. That was a bummer since that's when the dogs were up high and holding still!