MALL OR DOG SHOW?

As we race toward the end of 2008, we only have a few more chances to see this years group of top dogs. This coming weekend you can spend your time watching football with your cousin Hal, who used to steal your Def Leppard tapes, or you can go to a dog show in one of seven places. There are four day clusters in Arizona and Georgia, the Desert Southwest Cluster in Yuma AZ and the Coastal Low Country Cluster in Savannah GA and for those of you who have to hit the sales at the mall on Friday there are two day events in five locales: Arcadia FL, Kankakee IL, Fitchburg MA, East Lansing MI, and Conroe TX. Normally, we would expect the four day clusters to draw larger entries than the traditional Saturday/Sunday fare. However, expect the largest entries in Michigan, where you may see as many as 1500 dogs on Saturday, and in Massachusetts, where entries should be over the 1000 mark. The Arizona shows will be a little shy of 1000 and the Georgia shows should be around 700 to 800. Ditto for the Texas shows. The Illinois and Florida shows will be the boutique shows of the bunch with entries between 500 to 600. Nonetheless, every AKC show always has some spectacular dogs. So what are you going to do, stand in line with the bargain hunters at the mall or see a dog show?