The life of a Crufts winner...

[Astrid Landsaat]

‘She’s far too precious to take out for walks,’ explains Margaret, a 59-year-old retired social worker. ‘That’s not to say she is kept indoors all the time — she has to be kept fit and healthy. She can run around in the back garden for exercise.’

But even the garden has been specially crafted to suit Elizabeth’s status. The vegetable patch and flowers have long gone, replaced instead by paving stones which can be kept scrubbed, bleached and hygienic at all times.
‘She can be walked on grass in the summer, when it is dry and short, but we couldn’t risk twigs and mud getting into her coat. In the house, she sleeps in a special dog crate in the kitchen, where she’s put if ever we are out or busy.
‘We couldn’t have her roaming about freely, in case she had an accident and hurt herself. If she broke a leg falling off a table, or accidentally swallowed something, she’d never show again.

The full article is on  the Pedigree Dogs Exposed blog.

[Rhonda Fisher]

Missed the point

[eva ciechonska]

Sara it was me who called the Lhasa owner eccentric.  I actually know two ladies who pamper their pooches and who do not show.  They are certainly eccentric.  People call me eccentric.  I do not find that insulting at all.  Blimy we seem to be taking offence at every smallest thing.  To me the emoticon depicts the way you describe a person who you think is nuts.  Would that not be classified as eccentric?  Lighten up people. 

[ereni]

Agree. I like shows  but the sentence  ‘She’s far too precious to take out for walks,’ makes me sick. And as I can see on the internet , not only me: 

http://dogsinthenews.co.uk/?p=1179

https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaStilwell/posts/203779646392532

http://www.dogforum.net/dogs-news/34659-too-precious-take-out-walks...

http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-chat/226115-crufts-winner-held-hosta...,..

Thanks for posting, Astrid.

[Astrid Landsaat]

You are welcome and thank you for posting those links Ereni.

[Rhonda Fisher]

Perhaps next year Finn, paws crossed.

[eva ciechonska]

Very true Finn.  Years ago when I worked and before I moved we built a dog room in the garden with a fenced area  where they could stay during the day while we were at work.  The dog room had deep bedding and all kinds of comforts.  The dogs were given the choice and chose to stay indoors on the sofa with open access to the garden. So the dog room was converted into a store where we kept the loungers etc and the fence was taken down!!!????@@   At the moment the back door is open but they are all asleep on the armchairs and cuddled into me.  So please tell me whether they would prefer to be outside. 

[Rhonda Fisher]

Perhaps the symbol was commenting  about the situation of the dog rather than the owner, at least that is the way I viewed it.

[Rhonda Fisher]

Hug your dog instead Finn, much more constructive and rewarding.

[Rhonda Fisher]

Hmm my Irish and I are in awe of little animation characters, so many types and I have not got a clue how to put them on. I would love it if someone could design some Setter ones. We could have 2 IRW pulling an animated Finn back from the kitchen and shaking their heads. LOL

[Rhonda Fisher]

In that case I would like the water to be just a warm temp rather than boiling. But that would be a bath and one of my dogs really hates that word. Perhaps I should use the word soapy spa. (Couldn't open the link). Apologies Astrid for getting off track. 

[Astrid Landsaat]

I don't mind Rhonda. ;-)

[Astrid Landsaat]

And your view was right Rhonda.