Ever seen a large dog show ?

When I first started showing dogs it cost $7 per entry per show (normally 2-4 days, each day sponsored by a different kennel club). Now it costs upward of $20. My wife and I were one of the few straight couples who showed dogs, at least 1/2 were gay. I have no idea if that is the same today but I don't know why it would change.

As far as the owners or handlers getting cut-throat, that isn't the 1/2 of it. The professional handlers - those who make their living from showing dogs - really frown on those who aren't. Many are ok but there are plenty who will do anything, even something illegal, in order to win. Their salaries are based on a base plus incentives such as winning Winners Dog/Bitch, placing in Group, or Best in Show. Top handlers make over six figures per year.

There is a t of time, effort and money that goes into showing dogs. We lost several thousand dollars every year as our only income from the dogs was using the dogs (males) as studs or selling puppies from the litters we had. We normally had 3-4 litters of 3-6 Shelties a year. Everything we did was for the dogs. I had a kennel built when we moved into our house in north Texas that was certainly a professional set-up. Our dog runs were both open to the elements and covered for inclement weather. Our vehicles were bought for the dogs, i.e., motorhome to take them to shows, SUV to haul them to vets, etc. The equipment needed to maintain the appearance of the dogs was also very expensive.

I could go on and on but that should give you a little idea about the world of showing dogs. I miss it but I don't miss either the politics involved or the expense of doing it.

Mammalian fecundity is indeed tied to high egg production in the female.

However, in many highly inbred organisms (pure bred dogs qualify) male sperm counts are low enough that even if the bitch is fecund not all of the eggs get fertilized. Put the same bitch with a different male and she makes less babies.

It happens in snakes & lizards too.

Silly boys...

I must be blind. All i saw was a 10. I guess i wasn't looking at her arm.

My wife saw that gal and told Edith i would notice her.

The dog show is a funny thing. Mostly the people. They really seem to have a good time.

That #12 girl keeps lingering ( lingerie ing) around on this post.

The trick to a cat is to tackle it and never put the brakes on. I had a Bull Terrier that would just smash into coons and cats and kill them for the hell of it.
I gotta have cats to keep the field rats/mice at bay and he drove me crazy trying and often succeeding at killing my cats. I had 3 hounds and one coon
was drawing blood on all 3 of them and the bull terrier finally caught up with them and body tackled that coon and killed it instantly. It is just in their blood.