Udhagamandalam: A three-day dog show was inaugurated at the Government Arts College ground in Ooty on Friday. A stage for pet animals, particularly for dogs, has always been an attraction in Ooty during the first week of May every year. Being part and parcel of the ‘Ooty Summer Festival’, the ‘dog show’ was organized by the South of India Kennel Club (SIKC).
An ‘obedience test’ and ‘specialty show’ for golden retrievers were held. Thirty-three dogs, including four police dogs, took part in the ‘obedience test’ while 65 golden retrievers for the specialty show.
As many as 343 dogs of 53 different breeds from across the country will be part of main shows to be held on Saturday and Sunday. The championship show for different breeds will be held on these two days. Fifty-three different varieties of dogs, including pug, doberman, Shih Tzu, a Thailand breed, and hounds from the locals are taking part in the show.
“This year, three new breeds such as American Staffordshire and Cane Corso of Argentina will be introduced in the show,” said Nagina, secretary, SIKC. Dog of the year will be selected at the end of the show.
According to Nagina, special prizes for lady handlers have been introduced to encourage them in an arena where men dominate. Three judges from Switzerland and Malaysia will assess the performance of the dogs.
Swamy from Canine Gurukulam in Bangalore told TOI, “Dog show in Ooty is a great exposure for the breeds to take part in international shows.” He said, “I have been training owners, including women, of the dogs for the past 10 years. My trainees take part in this show.”