This show, in Puyallup, Washington, is Cooper’s third show. As you can see from this picture (Cooper is being shown by Jayme, in the green shirt), he still doesn’t have a clue of how to behave in a show ring.
You’ve seen those pictures of the winning dogs: They’ve got their legs nicely placed (the placement is called “stacked,” a word that has entirely different connotations for non-dog show people), and they’re looking forward off into the distance (or at least out toward the piece of liver hidden in the handler’s hand). But not Cooper. No.
The picture is very grainy because I (Patrice) was hiding. The theory being that seeing me would be a distraction to Cooper. As if he could get any more distracted…
I could hear Cooper thinking, “Why is this weirdo grabbing my legs? Next he’s gonna go for my balls, I just know it. Better cover them up with my tail.”
After Jayme and Cooper, is Rebecca and Seamus, and then Tammy with Mowgli (Cooper’s much better trained and behaved brother). Seamus won 1st, and Mowgli got 2nd.
Later, Jayme told me that Cooper behaved much better during Sunday’s show, but I think that only a very discerning eye could see that.
But we’ve got to give the boy a break — it’s only his third show, and he doesn’t practice every day maintaining a stiff upper lip while strange people feel him up.
What do you think?