November 25, 2002 – Two weeks ago I

Double Handling
Double handling is a term used to describe the attempt to influence, from outside the ring, the actions or responses of competing dogs. Double handling is not permitted in most show venues, and in cases of infringement the dogs involved can be disqualified. Apparently at Euro Dog, while double handling may be banned on paper, it is not banned in practice. The sidelines were a veritable circus, with owners and family members shouting for their Dane, waving their arms and sometimes shoving onlookers out of the way while they maneuvered from one side of the ring to the other, all in an effort to get their dog to "look alive" for the judge. As chaotic as it sounds – and it was pretty chaotic – nobody seemed to mind. In fact, double handling appears to be an integral part of the fun and "culture" of showing.

Inside the Ring
While double handling kept things pretty lively outside the ring, things weren't much calmer inside the ring. Again the atmosphere was anything but formal. While the Danes were lined up in the ring waiting to be examined by the judge, there was very little "stacking" going on. Many dogs were fidgeting and handlers allowed their dogs to sit or lie down in the ring. I even saw a few handlers stretch out on the floor with their dogs. One fellow actually crawled out of the ring with his dog in order to chat on the sidelines while the judging was underway. The "down and backs" were often comedic, with dogs pulling their exhibitors this way and that way. One black Great Dane in particular did not want to be examined by the judge. After a short struggle he succeeded in pulling his handler right out of the ring and into the sidelines. The judge calmly followed. The dog subsequently refused to allow the judge to look in his mouth, so it was left to the handler to show the dog's teeth. After the dog calmed down, all three of them returned to the ring as if nothing unusual had happened.

Later on in the same ring (different class) a Dane made a large solid "deposit" right in the middle of the ring. This occurred while he was being examined by the judge. The poor judge was without a ring steward. (The ring secretary had not shown up, either, so an onlooker was filling that role.) Nobody came forward to clean up the mess, so the judge calmly continued judging the class. It happened to be a very large class. The judge skillfully directed the down and backs to avoid the accident. Toward the end of the judging, he lined up the dogs in two rows – one on front of "it" and one behind"it"– while he made his cuts. Eventually the ring was cleaned up and nobody was the worse for it, except perhaps the dog who committed the faux pas. He didn't win.

A European View
I chatted ringside with a German friend who was exhibiting at Euro Dog 2002. She lived in the US for awhile and has exhibited at the GDCA National Specialty, so she is very familiar with the American style of showing. She asked me what I thought of the European style. "It's certainly different," I told her. (I can be terribly profound at times, can't I?) Her response was interesting. She told me she much prefers the European style of showing because, "it allows you to get a better sense of the dog."

More to Follow
There's more to tell, of course, but it will have to wait until next week when we'll take a closer look at some of the European Great Danes. Au revoir!