In the interest of full disclosure, I should say that I grew up going to dog shows and my father showed our dog, Morris, who was a Briard, to champion. Still, though, I am convinced that attending the Philadelphia AKC dog show (one of only six remaining benched shows in the country) is a wonderful way to spend part of a day. Not only can you see several dogs of any given breed (and there are more than 180 recognized breeds) together as they compete for “best in breed”, but you can visit dogs and breeders and ask questions and actually meet some of the dogs. You can learn about their temperaments (are they “one-person” dogs? particularly easy to train? protective? high-strung?) as well as common health issues, life span expectancy and other information. While dog lovers may just have a great time seeing so many dogs, being able to learn about the breeds can be extremely useful if you are considering adding a dog to your family. You may find that you like the dogs of a particular breeder better than others, or you may just gather a lot of useful information. Of course, like at any trade show, there are also booths with dog-related products (toys, leashes and collars, grooming tools, etc.) and services (like trainers, people who microchip and dog walkers), so if you aren’t in the market for a dog, but already have one, go!
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