Pooches and their owners from near and far put their best paw forward last Friday at the Dog Show as part of the Noosa Country Show.
About 280 dogs of all shapes and sizes were put through their paces as they competed in their various classes under the management of steward Kerry Maguire.
Among the owners was Joan Webb, a regular when it comes to competing in dog shows, who brought with her two of her Samoyeds, Marnie and Yuki.
Marnie was well on her way to becoming supreme champion having previously racked up 9 out of 10 wins needed for the title which also requires an accumulation over the shows of 1000 points.
Joining Marnie was Joan’s six-month-old Yuki, a magnificent dog which won the Best Baby in group award at the Brisbane Ekka in August.
“His father is an international champion in Europe, from Finland. His blood lines are the first to come to Australia. Everything about him is just correct,” Joan said.
“We’ve got a big future in mind for him.”
Samoyeds are named after the Samoyedic people of Siberia; they have a lovely temperament, are very good with kids and are often called “the smiling dog”.
Joan said the Samoyeds breed was thought to be more than 33,000 years old with cave paintings showing them from the time as reindeer herders.
Joan’s love affair with Samoyeds began in her 20s when her father, also a dog-lover, bought her a poster of a beautiful Samoyed with a big smile.
“I was into horses then. I didn’t know how you’d find a Samoyed. I didn’t know they had dog shows,” she said.
By chance in 2000, Joan was at the Brisbane Ekka when she walked into the dog pavilion and in front of her was “this magnificent white dog ready to go into the ring to be judged”. She made contact with the dog’s breeders Dawn and John Wilders from Victoria and that’s where she got her first Samoyed.
With their thick double-layered coat, the dogs can take up to minus 40 degrees in temperature and they use their tail to wrap around their nose which helps them when they are breathing in the minus 40-degree wind.
“The undercoat is wool, which is an insulation for heat and cold; and people even make clothing out of their coats because it’s just like wool but 70 per cent warmer than sheep’s wool.”
Joan said she had a jumper made from a mix of wool from the dogs and merino but it was too hot to wear in Australia, though she had worn it in New Zealand.
Ann Cassidy has been showing her old English sheepdogs for about 35 years after falling in love with the breed in her youth.
“The family bought me a pet. Somebody stopped me on the street and said you should have this dog in the showroom,” she said.
“Considering I was a very competitive young person I thought that’d be good. I had a couple of good wins and it just went on from there.”
Ann now has six dogs, one named Leonard has starred in a number of Dulux television ads. Last Friday Ann Cassidy and Robert Schmaars of Ottaba signature brought two American imported old English sheepdogs to Noosa Show, one of five shows they planned to attend over the weekend.
“They’re a lovely temperament and a lovely dog clipped down. These are a nice breed, a very healthy breed,” Ann said.
“I’ve had a number of imports. It’s really good for the breed. We’re only a small breed, a small gene pool.
Established 1978 Ottaba has imported six American and Canadian champions, combining the very best lines to maintain breed type while improving soundness.
When it comes to dog breeds it’s the tiny Pomeranian that dog trainer Lyn Ferguson prefers. On Sunday Lyn was showing Kim Haddon’s black and tan Pomeranian named Ch Zeigen Eye of the Tiger who won first in her class on the day.
“I love them so much. They give you 150 per cent,” Lyn said. “These little guys give you everything and a little bit extra.”
