Show'n'Style Grooming&Handling

I keep on seeing, usually right after a WDS or an EDS, but not only, some mocking posts on the subject of the "Vice-World or -European Winner (or Champion)" and I fail to understand them. I will tell you why and please bear with me and take your time to read the entire post and then to look yourself in the mirror for one (full) minute. One minute can be a long time to do this but it's rewarding, trust me.
First, I cannot remember a sport, of any kind, where there is no such thing as a "Vice- Champion or -Winner". Except of the combat confrontation in the "Highlander" movie franchise, but that was a fantasy movie. Now the question that arises. Are we getting to the point where dog shows are no longer a sport, but a mortal combat where "In the end, there can be only one!" ? Did we already got to this point?
Second, let me tell you two short stories.
One is of a dog that I knew very well since he was born, and who was under my training and handling as a puppy, then was owner-handled for the whole of his life. That dog competed in 4 or 5 WDS and EDS altogether; he was always awarded ResCacib (so "ViceWinner"), while the Winners were every time different dogs, different bloodlines and\or types than the one before. Now, except of my friends who are handlers (we are paid to win after all, isn't it? 😉) , but the others, who would you bet your money on, in the long term, for the benefit of the breed: on the eternal "ViceWinner" that proves steady high-ranking in quality, or on the ever-changing star-of-the-day? Food for thought, my darlings.
The other story is of a handler that I met couple of times. He comes from a country with a strong cynological movement, where National Ch title is not easily won as there is tough competition around in most breeds and also it is pending on winning a Mandatory point , not only few titles no matter where. But I met him for the first time in real life (I knew his name from the Almighty Facebook, he is quite famous) in a Balkan country, in a small 100+ dogs show, known to be almost sure to produce you a National Champion and a Cacib-title holder (necessary for InterCh title) without too much fuss , as there were rarely more than one dog \class present. Now, we only crossed the border to get there, but he took the effort of travelling+\-3000 km across Europe in the heat of the summer, for that 5-shows event😊 . Found himself in the situation of struggling with one of the breeds he brought with him, as my handler-friend whom I was helping also brought two males of the same breed. I saw him sweating, almost begging for a deal of "non-combat", being relieved when winning once...I didn't even follow the end result as it was so obviously just a hunt for a cheap title. This guy is now one of the most vocal voices against the "ViceWinner" titles in any big show, also from time to time he remembers to re-post his funny memes on the matter . At least 4 times a year, with follow ups and a choir of people applauding his posts. Well, my friend. I remember how much it was worth for you a National Ch title won (or not, I don't even care) out of 4 dogs in the breed, only 2 of them in the same class (3 x class titles necessary for Ch diploma, sometimes 2 titles will do 🤣) 🤔 . In the same breed, the "title" of ViceWinner in an EDS or WDS means second place among probably more than 50, (some years ago, more than 100), males. Some of them established superstars of their breed. Or females. I personally wouldn't brag about the above-mentioned National Ch title, but I would be thrilled with the ViceWinner in the same breed.
My darlings 😊 I have some questions that leave a bad taste in my mouth every time I read such posts or see that attitude:
For the World or European Winner title holders, and their friends and handlers and the rest of their church, do you feel your Winner dog loses some "face", do you feel their title threatened in any way, if the holder of the ResCacib posts his\her dog under the "ViceWinner" tag, be it an unofficial title? Are you so stressed upon the actual quality of your own dog, so to feel the need of clearing the ground around it of any possible comparison? Or do you feel again the joy of winning the title when you later take your time to burst the bubble of the holder of sometimes well deserved, hard-worked second place? You do you, but please enlighten me, what do you really get in bettering your life, while doing it?
And for the FCI - Federation Cynologique Internationale , and for all of my friends on Facebook, some of them being older, wiser, and especially in a better position to have an opinion on the matter than I am, are we keeping this sport as the only sport where there's "...no time for losers", and where "in the end, there can be only one!" ? Is it so, winning the title is all that matters, and this is how we pretend to keep our sport alive? Or we make the title of ViceWinner official and let's see what happens, will any Winner feel less happy with his title?
Rant over. Not even rant, but if some of you are bored enough in your lives, during these hot summer days, to share unrequited opinions on the ViceWinner (unofficial) title, be kind and let me have and share my own opinion on the matter, being me bored enough of seeing yours, time and time again. Better be nice with each other, lads; as the rest of the world, the real world around us, doesn't give a damn about us and is just so close of crushing us indiscriminately, winners or not, but especially winners of any kind.

Nice memories from 10 years ago, second of 5 different dogs winning the breed in club shows under reputed breeder-judges, with my grooming\training\handling.
A dog to remember forever, Aldo!

I am looking at this list while drinking my 4th "morning" coffee and smoking cigarette no "I didn't count".
First thought was to ask Mr Ante Lučin (I think he is managing this page) to verify the truth behind this post and list, as I saw there some unexpected names of breeds that one couldn't think may be touched by the welfare hysteria. But somehow I feel that this post\ list reflects the truth. Some months ago , when the Oslo Court of Justice banned two breeds, a "dog-person" from my country publicly applauded the decision and suggested other breeds to be banned; they were indeed breeds that showed some physical traits far from the "wild natural dog" appearance; but I noticed in her profile photo that she was hugging a Wire Dachshund; and my answer to her was that she would better shut the hell up and stop mumbling nonsense, as I am able to create a much wider list than hers, in no time, starting from her beloved Dachshund but going to breeds that no one expects , because basically this is what creating and preserving breeds means: bending the rules of nature , and transforming it into something new, that is not meant to survive by its own into the wild but to find its place into the artificial world we are living in , and live there as a part of it. It is part of normal evolution of mankind and it is far less toxic than any miracle of technology that we are so used to see and integrate in our daily life.
I bet that, on a deep analysis, any individual internet using terminal that all of us are using right now is far more toxic for the universal welfare than any individual breed-dog you choose, and add to this that during the lifespan of that dog you will throw and change at least 5-6 terminals, also that there are for sure more terminals in use than dogs being kept as pets or as breeding stock. So until the animal wefare propaganda will not be spread through classic means like smoke signals from the peak of a hill but from PCs and smartphones using internet servers, spare me with the bu****it.
The conclusion stays. Any breed can join the list if a dog-savvy person is working on that. Any damn breed. (There is a story about the axe-handle being born as a tree in the forest) The problem is not defending a particular breed, or a particular dogsport, or by the way any particular activity involving animals; the problem is to understand that yesterday's foes are today's friends against a wider agenda than banning one breed or another (as this spring's events in Spain proved, when the Animals Welfare Law faced protests in Madrid where dog breeders, cat breeders, hamster breeders, hunters, fishermen, small livestock breeders, and the list goes on, flooded the streets ; as a side-comment, that was possible because the Spanish "humaniacs", politicians and NGOs with an agenda, that pushed the law, made a mistake , by trying to behead all aspects of "animal-involving activities" in a single shot; that helping people who didn't work together or even hated each other before , understand that it is time to work united and aim for the roots of the problem not for the symptoms; Northern European countries, from Austria\Germany up on the map, are more proficient, aiming one small target at a time and apparently it works, as seemingly any, let's say ,carp fisherman will not protest in the middle of the street for the right of the Labrador breeder to continue his work with the breed; of course, after banning Labradors , there will be a ban on carp fishing but who cares, the Labrador people will not protest against it- because we are dum muppets and we only see what it hurts us directly, today; and we are so damn concerned about only ourselves, happy to see that the first blow missed us and hit the neighbour that we didn't like too much anyway.
Staying for too long in defensive position doesn't end well; as regards breed dogs and dog welfare, my strong opinion is that all this started when the first local ban on docking and cropping appeared, if not before; and when everyone involved accepted the new rule or found a way to avoid it, instead of counterattacking by saying as it is: that spaying and neutering any living creature without a clear individual medical reason is far more invasive and life-changing, but we still do it and feel good about it; it was politically correct at the time, and now we are only reaping the benefits of what we let grow in our yard.
The beauty of the dog world, at least a part of it, is that it gathers people from every damn corner of society; people that can provide, if they are asked to, ammunition for dealing with the problem from another perspective. Biology and reproduction specialists; vets; lawyers; politicians; psychologists; economists; law enforcement officers; and so on. Those people, at least part of them, would spend a bit of time from their busy lives to help saving the world of breed dogs. But it has to happen before it's too late to counterattack. Splitting a ( World? European?) Dog Show between two countries because the one officially organizing it couldn't deal with local laws banning some recognised breeds, so those breeds are judged in another country, is just a way of delaying the sad end; instead of forcing every member country of the FCI to deal with local authorities to secure equal treatment for all breeds and breeders- or to lose its right of organising such an event. What is next? Splitting an event in 3, 4 countries, each group of breeds where it is safe to attend? Each for its own, in the end of the day? A country that cannot provide equal treatment for ALL recognised breeds should not be allowed to organise an event such as that. Yes, I know, they will lose some benefits in the short term, but if they want to survive and to count in the larger picture of the Dogworld , they will be pushed to find the human and financial resources to fight the stupid animal (and human) welfare laws locally, for the benefit of the worldwide Dogworld. That instead of being content with what they can do without going against the (local) current. Because for the moment they all think they can survive with limited local loses (some with banned breeds but still plenty of otherbreeds not banned and injecting money in the phenomenon ; some with banned grooming - the no-shave whiskers story still makes me laugh; some with banned activities\training methods) but by that, they not only let the problem grow ; but they support the growth of the problem .
For the first time since I remember looking from a distance to the worldwide dog related activity, I see an FCI President stepping out of the ivory tower of his position, and acting into the real dogworld on a regular basis. Not being just an emblematic figure on display at big events, but also adding his personal touch here and there, in seemingly small parts of the overall image and activity. That shows, in my opinion, genuine interest in the basics of this activity not only in the final personal outcome (and income), and this is a rare thing. And he was re-elected, but as things look now, it is much more of a burden than a joyful position; as the next few years of his presidency will be the point of no return, where we all will be in position to stay in defensive position and lose the game in the long term, or go in offensive position and save our beloved Dogworld. Time will tell what path will be the chosen one, I only remember what they say it is an ancient Chinese curse: " May the Gods let you live in interesting times" . We are there right now.
For the moment, I am not mourning for 18 breeds (almost) banned in Holland, nothing new there, just another page in a growing file; I am only trying to think if there is anything to do to save them and all others, worldwide.

After several years of growing collaboration with Clear Passion Retrievers kennel and the breeder, the brain and the heart behind it, Andreea Cletiu, the time has come to announce the mutually accepted decision of putting an end to it 😌.
It was a fine journey, and I am thankful for the chance 😌 to have produced probably more than thirty champion titles over these years, and to have put my theories about working with Retrievers in kennel-like conditions to an extended test with a way more than successful outcome.
Thank you for the trust invested in me 😌 and wishing you good luck in your journey ,to all the ClearPassion team!

Nuevo episodio, nuevos colaboradores y nuevos posibilidades a explorar, aqui, en Alicante.
Es el momento para dar gracias a la Peluquería Canina y Felina Lulitas y a su dueña Elena Caruntu para ofrecernos la posibilidad de trabajar juntos para la preparacion de la Exposicion Canina de Alicante .
Tambien esperamos que colaboramos mucho tiempo para crecer juntos y diversificar nuestra oferta en el mundo perruno alicantina; porque la idea del proyecto Show'n'Style es de abrir las puertas de la alta peluqueria y de la educacion para todos los que lo necesitan, sean ellos perros de exposicion o mascotas queridas de sus dueños.
Muchas gracias, Peluqueria Lulitas y Elena !

Thank you so much, Elena Caruntu and Peluqueria canina y felina Lulitas , for your support and working together to prepare the Alicante Dog Shows !
This was a wonderful start of what we hope to be a long-term collaboration, so we can grow together and diversify our offer in Alicante's dog world- as Show'n'Style project is meant to offer to everyone access to high-class grooming and wonderful education, for dog shows and for life in society too.