Discover Dogs

 The Pekingese Club run the breed booth at the Kennel Club’s Discover Dogs Exhibition. This is held twice a year, once over the Crufts Show period in March and then later in the year in November at Earls Court.

 The purpose of Discover Dogs is for the general public, and also exhibitors with other breeds other than their own to have the opportunity to talk to individual breeders about their respective dogs. 

 As those of us who prepare and show dogs will know, a dog show isn’t the ideal place to be able to discuss the idiosyncrasies that are pertinent to our particular breeds.  There is always something to keep you busy there, mainly being that the dogs need to be groomed and kept in readiness to step into the ring.

 The Pekingese breed booth is manned throughout Discover Dogs by the Officers and Committee of the Pekingese Club together with back up from kindly volunteer members.

 However, Discover Dogs starts several weeks before this time for the Pekingese Club, with ideas being formatted to ensure that the setting up and decorating of the booth together with co-ordinating arrangements for a team to be there on the days is achieved.  Entry to the exhibition hall itself in order that the booths can be decorated in advance is possible the evening before the public are allowed in, so separate provision has to made for this to happen. 

 Discover Dogs is especially designed not only to be able to have produced a highly decorative booth, but is intended above all to be an educational experience as well. 

 At Discover Dogs in November this year, the history of the breed together with points regarding the general care of the Pekingese, in particular when buying a puppy and grooming, were displayed on the walls of the booth itself with handouts available for interested breed lovers, and for those who hadn’t realized that they were.

 The days themselves are very busy, with the public being  allowed to come face to face with breeds that they love, ones that intrigue them or maybe those that they may never have been acquainted with before.  It gives them the opportunity to ask a multitude of questions, even though to the people manning the booths, it seems very often that many of the questions you are asked are recurring, and you try to put a different “spin” or intonation in your reply.

 The Pekingese booth is constantly busy throughout the day itself with interested people being allowed access to the venue from 10am until 6pm.  There is always a steady stream of people eager to learn, and every so often you find that there is a rush of people and you are literally surrounded by an inquisitive crowd.

 A good many of these who visit the stand have either had a Pekingese themselves but more often than not it is usually a relative, maybe a mother, grandmother or similar that have owned a Pekingese.  Without exception they remember these dogs with affection and will be quite indignant that anyone may consider them to be lapdogs!  In particular they always remember their special character and their bravery.

 Children in particular are encouraged to make a fuss of the dogs when they come to the booth and with a little instruction on how to hold the dog itself, are allowed to cuddle their new found friends.
                                                                    
Daphne Lee Overseas Secretary and Adele Summers Club Secretary explaining 
the virtues of Pekingese to young enthusiasts

 The booth itself is manned throughout the day by two people, but ideally you need to have three people available in order that a break can be taken every so often from what can be a noisy, busy, tiring but highly enjoyable and rewarding experience.  In addition, on average, three dogs are in attendance with the organizers providing a large floor pen where the dogs are able to move about.

Daphne Lee Overseas Secretary and Adele Summers manning the Discover Dogs 
Booth at Earls Court, London

 The dogs themselves seem to rise to the occasion and do enjoy the attention, however the handlers manning the booth ensure that the dogs have adequate rest periods in between being “on show”.

 The event isn’t about being the best specimen looking for any prized awards, it is about having our breed represented in order that those who haven’t had the pleasure of owning a Pekingese can learn a little about the grooming, how much exercise is required, their unique background and whether one will fit into their lifestyle. 

 By the end of the event the stalwarts who have manned the booth have invariably made long journeys that morning from different parts of the country only to turn around after a long, tiring but worthwhile day to set off for the long drive home again.

 Discover Dogs gives those who have been associated with Pekingese a chance to put something back into a breed that has given each of us so much pleasure just being associated with these delightful Chinese dogs.