We all are pretty familiar with the typical “dog show.” Perfectly groomed dogs of only pure breeds… and only pure breeds that are deemed good enough! These dogs are trained to walk a certain way and hold themselves a certain way. Kind of like modeling, successful dogs are the ones who look the best.
But the RSPCA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has decided to change up the game a bit. They launched a dog show they call “Ruffs”, possibly a little play off of the classic English dog show, Crufts…
They call it an “alternative” dog show, and launched it online last year in March. It’s an online dog show, and unlike other dog shows that are based on the dog’s appearance, Ruffs awards dogs for their welfare and happiness.
The categories are:
Happiest Hound – Pictures of dogs at their happiest.
Perfectly Imperfect– “Wonky” dogs who will never be perfect according to a set of arbitrary standards, but are perfect anyway.
Best Transformation– “Before and after” pictures of rescued dogs.
Best Rescued Ex-Breeder -The many dogs discarded when they’re no longer “useful”.
Best in Show
RSPCA takes online submissions. So if you know a rescue that dog that’s had a miraculous recovery from an awful life, they’re the perfect candidate. Any shelter or rescue dog is eligible!
The deadline to submit a dog you know is February 20th, 2015. To enter, email pictures with a short paragraph about your dog and why they should be in Ruffs to campaigns@rspca.org.uk. Happy nominating!