Calaidescope World

Mister Congeniality

Max and I attended the PCCI All Breeds Championship Dog Show last Saturday in Alabang Hills. No, I didn't sign him up to compete. We just wanted to watch. Well, he wanted to walk around and play with the other dogs.

I was surprised when an officer of the Labrador Retriever Owners Club of the Philippines asked me if I wanted to enter Max in the competition. I said, "No, he's not a show dog. Besides, he's too fat." Her reply was, "If your dog is fat, mine is obese." She has a retired champion chocolate labrador, very beautiful. "He has papers...you live nearby...you can take off his harness and put a collar...." Another labrador breeder came up to Max to check him out. She asked what "line" he came from and was quite impressed when I told her that Max's sire was a Sunshadow dog (one of the best labrador retriever show dogs in the country). In fact, I was the "happy and proud mother" when many people walked over to check my "son" out and hear them say he was good looking, of show quality (even if he was fat) and if he could stud. What I felt were the best compliments, however, were "Your dog is so well behaved!" and "He socializes very well". He didn't bark at the other dogs or fight with them. He was also very gentle with the kids who played with him.

There were other labrador retrievers that were of perfect show quality. One was a two-year old black lab, large build, shiny coat, best described as guapo. Really. Max is a good looking dog, but let's be realistic here, there's no way he's going to win a dog show against a gorgeous creature like that. The others were, well...Max looked MUCH better. There was a one-year old whose tail curled upward (labs' tails should point down at a angle). Minus points there. Cute as that dog may be, sorry to say, he just wasn't for show. The siberian huskies in competition were absoultely beautiful, too. And the boxers. The jack russell terriers were cute but really makulit.

Pet owners always think their pets are the best; the same way all parents adore their own children. Nothing and no one can be better. I love my dog even if he's fat, lazy and sometimes acts like a cat. Or pig. Or cow. Or frog. If anything, my sister said Max will win "Miss Congeniality" in a beauty contest. But having him as a companion is its own reward. This is the closest I will get to becoming a Stage Mother.

posted by Calai @ 9:41 AM