Obedience, dock-diving, more: 1,000 dogs due to compete at annual show at Cape Cod Fairgrounds
A crowd that David Harsch describes as “hundreds of well-behaved dogs competing with their devoted humans” will gather again this weekend for the Cranberry Cluster of dog contests and events held each fall at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds.
The Cape Cod Kennel Club puts on two types of events over four days in East Falmouth, and has been doing that for decades, according to organizers. A long list of breeds will participate in three types of events each day: what’s known as “confirmation,” obedience and dock-diving.
About 750 dogs competed on weekdays last year, says Harsch, who's in charge of publicity for the local kennel club, while the numbers for confirmation and obedience ballooned to about 1,000 on weekend days. Plus anyone can bring a dog for the dock-diving contest, for which he says 2021 numbers were not available.
Confirmation is the most popular of the events, according to Harsch. Dogs bred for a particular purpose compete for points, titles, placements and Best of Show underneath a large tent that will be set up on the fairgrounds. There are also special competitions daily for owner-handled dogs, he says, because a lot of the dogs are handled by professionals.
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Owner-handled dogs also compete for their own Best in Show. There will also be daily competitions for dogs between 4 and 6 months old, as well as for younger exhibitors between 9 and 18 years old. The schedule for when each breed will be shown will be available on infodog.com (see instructions below).
For obedience, dogs compete against other dogs of similar skill level (rather than same breed) for qualifying scores, titles, placements and Best in Trial indoors The obedience events are divided into two types: traditional obedience and Rally. Rally encourages more interaction between dog and handler; Obedience Trials are only on Sept. 15 and 18.
For Dock Diving, dogs of all breeds and sizes compete for titles related to which dog can jump farthest over water into an outdoor pool. Unlike the first two events, any dog can try this event for $10, and no pre-registration is needed. These competitions happen Friday through Sunday.
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Well-trained show dogs must meet the standards set for their breed by the American Kennel Club, organizers have previously told the Times, but the dock-diving competition as a kind of equalizer, since there are no breed requirements for entry. All it takes is a dog that will jump from the dock into the water, usually encouraged by a favorite toy.
To watch the Cranberry Cluster Dog Show
When: Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 15-18
Where: Cape Cod Fairgrounds, 1220 Nathan Ellis Highway, East Falmouth
Admission: $5, $2 for kids under 12. Attendees may be asked to sign a COVID-19 waiver. Only dogs entered in the events are allowed, with dock-diving dogs registered with admission.
Information and a list of events: www.infodog.com (click on “show info,” then “show calendar” then “premium lists,” then search for Cape Cod Kennel Club by Sept. 15 date) https://www.infodog.com/show/club_page.htm?ev=2022098704. For a list of which breeds are competing when, as well as an obedience and rally schedule, click on “Judging Programs” instead of “Premium Lists.”
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod dog show: 900+ of various breeds compete in Cranberry Cluster
