Schnauzers on Parade

Went to the Internation Kennel Club's (IKC) dog show at McCormick Place in Chicago. I don't know the difference between the IKC and the AKC as far as standards and whatnot. In any event, we got to the Saturday, February 24, 2007, event at around 10 am in order to see the 11:45 am miniature schnauzer competition. We wanted to make sure we got ring-side seating. Which we did.

Unfortunately, the judge was delay in attending allegedly due to the weather. She was an older woman with harsh and angry gray hair. In short, the 8 and 9:30 am competitions could not proceed at Ring 13 (where the miniature schnauzers were scheduled). When the judge finally arrived around 11 am they were running way behind. From our seats we got to watch neighboring rings and so got to see the Yorkie, Bichon Frise and whippet competitions. And Ring 13 was also home for the Giant Schnauzer competitions which was delayed.

When the miniature schnauzers finally took the ring it was almost 3 pm. But like the gritty little dogs themselves the wife and I persevered. It was comical to see how the miniature schnauzer competitors sized each other up (not the handlers). None of the other breeds we saw that day did that. The schnauzers yapped at each other, at passing people, and inanimate objects. Anything to assert schnauzer dominance. I wonder if that counts against them in judging. It really shouldn't since that is a trait of the breed.

I got lots of miniature schnauzer photographs. They all had docked ears for some reason. I had heard that undocked ears had become more common at competitions. We also saw the rumpled Neopolitan mastiffs, Black Russian terriers and the best in show puppy competitions.

Didn't stick around to see the Best in Group competitions or Best in Show since it is a given that the miniature schnauzer will get snubbed again. So why ruin the moment?

All in all, a great time was had by all. Despite the weather which put a damper on our departure from the Chicago Lyric Opera's presentation of Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte due to the wife's open toed footwear not being resistant to the 3 inches of slush that had to be negotiated before we could catch a cab. But that's a story for another day.