Jamshedpur, Jan. 11: They may be part of the same breed but their characteristics are so different that handling each one is a unique challenge in itself.
His job is a passion, confesses Stephen Wheeler, a dog breeder and handler from Sweden. That is why he travels all around the world with his Poodle-Standard. This time, he is showing off his favourite at the 41st and 42nd Championship Dog Show organised by the Jamshedpur Kennel Club.
The active, intelligent, charming black-coloured poodle is no ordinary canine. Called Bar none on the prowl to Avatar (yes, that’s his name), the three-year-old costs about $60,000 — about Rs 30 lakh in the international market — according to experts. Bharat Krishna Shetty of Agrani Kennels, Bangalore, owns the poodle that is handled by Stephen. “I love poodles, especially black ones. This one is special because of its correct shape, head and active movements. Though these are natural traits, it is difficult to find the perfect poodle,” said Stephen.
Avatar is already famous in the international circle for he has won Swedish, Finnish, Danish, Norwegian, Polish and many international championships till date. The handlers take about four hours to trim Avatar’s thick coat of hair and another two hours of a continental trim on the spot to give it a more stylish look. For all these reasons the maintenance cost of poodles go up, though they thrive on simple dog food.
“This breed is fabulous for their temperament. They are never aggressive and they make great family dogs for they love children. They can stand any temperature change. For example, Avatar was born is Tennessee, US, and has now arrived in India after being in Sweden where it was –20°C,” added Stephen.
Though the crowd could not have enough of Avatar, Chihuahuas, Pugs and Napoleon Mastiffs, too, stole hearts while a Siberian Husky, owned by Rahul Sharma, won the first prize.
Tarak Nath Das, an audience, said: “I have a Great Dane. I saw a poodle for the first time in my life and would definitely like to have one. However, the cost would not allow any middle class family to own it. I have brought my family members today to see this dog.”
Samsher Khan, a breeder of a Great Dane said: “Even though I am found of the Great Dane, I have liked the poodle the most in today’s show. But working dogs are my first choice.”
Vaishali Singh, however, differed. “I liked the Chihuahua the most, though I also like working dogs like German Shepherds and Labradors. I have brought my family to check out the Chihuahua,” said the dog lover.
The dog show had 240 entries and 26 breeds were represented, with some of them being the most uncommon — rarely found in the country. Judges of the event today included Rober Dowson from Philippines, John Rowels from Australia, and R.C. Lingam from Mumbai.
