Page 106 - ShowSight - June 2020

FAST FOOD FAVORITES
Home delivery of groceries has proven to be a game-changer for many, even for consumers who actually enjoy trips to the supermarket. (Who are you?) Despite the fact that delivery times have lengthened considerably, returning to the produce aisle or standing in line at the feed store is out of the question for a growing number of self-isolating shoppers. However, for exhibitors longing for fast food fare on those long weekends away from home, there’s still the option of pulling up to a drive-thru window (now festooned with a plastic shield) to order the food you love to hate/hate to love. Happy meal, anyone?
UNPOPULAR OPINIONS
What is it they say about opinions? Oh right, everybody has one. For many stay-at- home exhibitors, mixing social distancing with social media has only proven a point your mother likely impressed upon you when you were a teenager: If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. Oversharing— and opining—in the digital age can be ruinous to friendships as well as reputations. Before hit- ting the “send” button, it’s best to remember another piece of advice your mother probably gave you: Keep your opinions to yourself.
I MISS MY TRIBE
For dog people, “family” often includes a small circle of friends who share our breed devotion and our commitment to the sport. These are the people who remind us who we are. But in a world where everyone has been disconnected physically—if not technological- ly—the relationships we share with the people we care about most are even more important to our sense of personal well-being. When we eventually return to showing dogs again, the experience is going to be akin to a very sig- nificant family reunion; a purebred pow wow of sorts.
I MISS YOUR DOGS
The real reason to return to dog shows is to once again experience the wonder of being in a place where the beauty, legacy and cultural relevance of the purebred dog is celebrated without judgement. (Ok, there’s plenty of judgement to go around at a dog show, but the criticism is always constructive. Right?) Dogs are the reason for the show, of course, and their return to the ring will be a cause célèbre for every club that manages to pull off an event despite local, county and state restrictions that are sure to be in effect. When that first post- pandemic Best in Show is finally awarded, we’ll once again join the community of breeders, judges, stewards, exhibitors, superintendents, photographers, artists, vendors and volunteers that calls itself “the sport of dogs.”
Now, can I get a rain check on a hug?
I Need a Hug! Everyone—and every dog—needs a hug from time to time. Photo by Dan Sayers.
104 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2020
“For dog people, “family” often includes a small circle of friends who share our
breed devotion and our commitment to the sport. These are the people who remind us who we are.
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