It was literally a dogs day on Sunday when ‘man’s best friend’ on leash and their groomed owners trotted the field showing off their sheen and suave.
It was literally a dogs day on Sunday when ‘man’s best friend’ on leash and their groomed owners trotted the field showing off their sheen and suave to canine lovers gathered at the dog show organised by the Gujarat Kennel Club at Vadodara.
Around 200 varieties of dogs of 31 breeds including Indian as well as many foreign breeds entertained the audience with their skills. Dogs of German, American, Siberian and Indian breeds from Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Rohtak and other parts of country participated in the show along with their foreign cousins including English Mastiff, St Bernard, Boxer, Beagle, Lhasa Apso, Bulldog, Pug, Pomeranian and Rottweiler divided into groups named as Toy, Utility, Hound, Terrier, Pastoral and others. “Each dog at the show is exhibited before a judge by its owner, breeder or a hired professional. The role of a handler is similar to that of a jockey who rides a horse around the track and, hopefully, into the winner’s circle. Dogs show different moves.
Dog shows bring dog lovers on one platform where they can see and understand various breeds,” said Kalpna Patel, secretary and treasurer of the Gujarat Kennel Club.
Anusha Shah, who loves dogs, said, “I am a regular visitor to dog shows. Here we get to see various types of dogs, meet their owners, and learn about dog handling. I love good looking, shiny coated, healthy, pedigreed, well-nourished dogs and I am happy to see various breeds of dogs here.”
In the show, DNA met 4-year-old Max, a large St Bernard with a large head who won over the audience with its stunning looks. A champion of many shows, Max’s, came to the show with its owner, Ravi Gulia, a dog breeder by profession. Max has won 17 competitions including American and Indian championships, claimed Gulia, stating that even Max’s kids too have also won various competitions. DNA went ahead to meet a 18-month-old wrinkled faced Neapolitan mastiff, a serious, powerful-looking dog with a muscular rectangular body and massive head who digs Gujarati food like ‘fada’ and has a specially love for ‘chhas’. Its owner Sapal Desai said that the German breed can also roll and jump, though its weight at times gets in the way.
And finally, there was this medium-sized, thick furred Siberian Husky, Pappu, a breed of working dog, who had to be sprinkled with water and kept under a fan to beat the scorching summer heat. Siberian huskies come from an environment where the general temperature is around -40ºC. However, this sickle tail with erect triangular ears has made a distinctive mark by adapting well to the harsh Indian summers with a little aid from an air conditioner, claims its owner.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}