# Non-dog people at dog events



## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

How do your clubs deal with this? We had such a huge problem with spectators at this weekend's agility trial - I was constantly yelling at kids to get off of the ring gates, move back with their food, keep quiet, etc. Very very nerve-wracking and I felt horrible for the Novice dogs who had to deal with the extra distraction.

I also got a little snippy with one guy who didn't take my "She's shy" to mean DON'T PET MY DOG, despite the fact that I was moving backwards and blocking her. I said "No thank you!!!" to him as he tried to pet her, LOL, it was the only thing that would come out of my mouth, I was stunned at how brazen he was and quite frankly tired and brain-fried after a long weekend. I tried to explain myself but bumbled over my words and he eventually left. Whatever. People need to ASK first. I had kids with their parents crouching down and looking at Marge as if she was a wild animal in an exhibit.. these people are very very brave getting so intimate with dogs they don't know.

I was MORE than happy to give one tween-aged girl a bit of biscuit to give Marge after she said how cute she was. But please, please, please, leave the freaking dogs alone unless you're told it's OK.


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## Adustgerm (Jul 29, 2009)

Some people are idiots that lack serious manners and doggie social skills. We talk about socializing our puppies when we first get them. I think they need a class on how to socialize humans in the doggie world.


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## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

I can understand not knowing any better with certain things - standing too close to the ring, for example. But if you're TOLD to move back, TOLD to be quiet and TOLD to put your Cheez Doodles away, it's really rude if you don't do it. The competitors literally spend THOUSANDS of dollars getting their dogs ready for competition and don't need it spoiled by people who are causing a scene. 

I think that's part of the reason why a lot of people prefer indoor trials - you get a whole lot less spectator foot traffic.


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## Locke (Nov 3, 2008)

While I think it's great to show the public what dogs can do, I can understand how frustrating it can be when they are so rude and inconsiderate.

Also, when I don't want people to pet Matrix (he needs slow introductions with strangers), I've given up saying "He's shy" because people DO NOT get it. I usually say "Sorry, he's not friendly"... that outstretched hand retreats so quickly...hhahaha


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## LynnI (Mar 27, 2010)

If at all possible there should be a spectators only section, the exhibitors and theirs dogs are in posted and guarded area that has no access.
Another good thing is to post rules that are easily visable for the spectators or give them a Handout with the rules.


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## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

A handout is a really nice idea, I didn't think of that. Just kind of a friendly reminder to them to stay away from the dogs, ask before petting a dog, etc. The only problem I see is that it will go right in and out the ears of the kids (who were the ones causing most of the problems).

I also was thinking that double ring gates would work nice - like just a bit of ribbon looped around maybe 5 ft away from the rings just to give the exhibitors a little more room so that no one leans on the actual ring fencing.

The problem with these things is they they require more work, and it's so hard to find people willing to put in the time (especially chasing spectators around with flyers lol).


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

You might want to print up a flyer that tells people what guidelines you expect them to follow. It's enevitable that you're going to have spectators who have no clue how to behave at a dog show or trial. Typicaly they decided to go to the event because they wanted to see lots of dogs and expect to be albe to pet and play with the dogs. A simple sign saying please ask before petting and no eating or yelling around the ring would help to curb most people. The dog show I went to this past weekend, and most dog shows, have signs stating that it is a "self cleaning" show and people need to be considerate and pick up after themselves. At shows I've been to that have nice flower beds or landscaping they usually have signs telling people to keep thier dogs out. One show had a realy cute sign in a flower bed that said "We don't pee in your bed so please don't pee in ours -Thanks from the flowers".



MissMutt said:


> The only problem I see is that it will go right in and out the ears of the kids (who were the ones causing most of the problems).
> 
> I also was thinking that double ring gates would work nice - like just a bit of ribbon looped around maybe 5 ft away from the rings just to give the exhibitors a little more room so that no one leans on the actual ring fencing.


Maybe a sign for the parents might help. Something like "All children, 2 & 4 legged, need to be kept under control at all times" might work.

Does your club have or rent chairs for your event? or do all the exhibitors and spectators just stand at the fence around the ring? A second ribboned off boundry might help, but honestly I can't see alot of children respecting a simple ribbon boundry. The additional boundry also seems like it would be very off putting for both the exhibitors and the spectators wanting to watch the event. It's like your saying come see our event, but stay 5' away from us.


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## LynnI (Mar 27, 2010)

lol I know one venue that has a sign going in and it says, ' All out of control or unsupervised children will be sent home with a cappacino and a puppy'. 

putting up an rope barrier around the outside of the ring isn't that hard and I use one when we do agility demo's and it works.


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## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

Just to clarify, I don't mean a 5' ring around the whole trial, just an extra boundary around the rings, where NO ONE, including exhibitors, could walk. Maybe 5' is too great - 3', maybe? I don't think that would make the spectators feel put off.

My Open JWW course had a tunnel entry that was literally right up against the ring gates, and there were people standing right in that corner.. we had a clean run, but a lot of the younger dogs on their Novice courses were distracted by the screaming kids and people hanging on to the ring gates.

My club doesn't rent chairs or anything, no.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

Maybe you club just needs to make the rings bigger. Every agility event I've seen has had at least 3' between the obstacle and the outside of the ring.


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## petpeeve (Jun 10, 2010)

I think the lesser infractions should be the steward's responsibility to step up and politely say something. Greater offenses should be reported to, and dealt with by, the trial chair.

All competitors should have a fair chance at qualifying to the BEST of their ability, and to be denied that by misbehaving spectators is unacceptable.


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## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

animalcraker said:


> Maybe you club just needs to make the rings bigger. Every agility event I've seen has had at least 3' between the obstacle and the outside of the ring.


Our rings are the standard size - 100 x 110'. This course just called for the tunnel to be right next to the freaking fencing for some reason.



petpeeve said:


> I think the lesser infractions should be the steward's responsibility to step up and politely say something. Greater offenses should be reported to, and dealt with by, the trial chair.
> 
> All competitors should have a fair chance at qualifying to the BEST of their ability, and to be denied that by misbehaving spectators is unacceptable.


I agree 100%. I was stewarding while I was reprimanding those people, and I saw several other club members stepping in as well. I just want to be proactive, though, and prevent it in the first place.


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