SINGLE AND LOOKING FOR LOVE IN THE DOG SHOW WORLD!

I admit this is a very different subject for me to be writing about on a German Shepherd dog blog. However, it’s also a very familiar subject for me to be writing about because I have lots of experience in this field. Over on my e-mail list that I own, “The GSD Showcase” recently a member sent an e-mail stating she was looking forward to meeting someone’s widowed father at a dog show. I read the exchanges going back and forth on this subject and I jokingly wrote about this looking like a dating service and that I had a lot of experience in that field. Well I got several letters from members saying that I should start a website for single show dog people. I laughed and said “You’re kidding, right?” No they weren’t kidding. They were serious. They wanted to meet other single, available dog show people. Someone wrote to me, “Barbara, make sure they are not just pet people. I want someone who understands the addiction of showing and breeding dogs!” Well I must admit that this is something that I had tossed around and thought about for a couple of years now.

For those of you who don’t know my background, let me tell you a little bit about it here. Back in the 90’s I used to publish a magazine for single people. I didn’t continue it for very long because it was SUPER expensive and it was eating up my savings. Then while living outside of the Atlanta Georgia area (Roswell), I was hired by the largest dating service (at that time) in the country. It was called “Together.” They had three offices in the Atlanta area. Then I moved up to Connecticut, which had five offices. I worked in three of them and eventually became the manager of their Westport office. I LOVED what I did. We matched single people with other single people that had similar personalities and goals.

Anyway back to the single “looking for love” dog show people. I’ve investigated the “gazillion” dating websites on the internet. You can find just about any type of dating site that might be of interest to you. There are many, many ‘dog lover’s” dating websites as well. I did not, however, find dating sites for dog show people. Now the problem that I could see with this concept is that the doors would need to be open not just to German Shepherd Dog show people, but other breeds of dog show people as well. Why? There’s just not that many in the German Shepherd Dog community that are single and available that I’m aware of anyway. The people that I mentioned this to didn’t seem to have any problem with show dog people from different breeds; they just wanted someone to share and understand their passion that they have for showing and breeding dogs. So do you think that you could date or marry someone for instance, that showed and bred the hairless Chinese Crescent dog? More importantly, would your German Shepherds happily share their domain with this little hairless dog?

I’ve already had two friends of mine tell me that they know two single women who would be interested in this concept. One is a German Shepherd lady and the other one is a Sporting Group woman. From past experience, it always seems that the ladies are more apt to give something like this a try. The men on the other hand are a little more hesitant in the beginning. Then eventually they come around. Please remember people, that just because you belong to a dating service DOES NOT MAKE YOU DESPERATE! OMG, you don’t know how many times I have heard those words in this business. If you ask your friends or family to set you up with someone, does that make you desperate? If you meet someone at a restaurant, singles event, bookstore, etc., does that make you desperate? Of course not! It doesn’t matter how you met someone, it just matters that you met someone at all! The time has come that all single dog show people unite and stand up and be counted saying, “We’re not going to take it anymore! Even dog show people need love!!!”

I believe that if you are a single person in the show and breeding arena, it will be harder for you to meet someone. Why? Most people are not into living with lots of dogs sharing their home turf. Many people love animals and dogs in particular. They’re not against having a pet in their homes. However, the problem arises when you start dating someone and tell them that you share your life with five or more dogs and those dogs just happen to be German Shepherds! Oh yes, occasionally you can find someone that won’t object to sharing you with your dogs, but it’s rare.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could rent a “love boat” and invite all single dog show people on it for a week-end? Dog show people are the most comfortable around other dog show people. Perhaps there could be a hospitality room for single people at the Nationals!? The problem can arise that some or probably most of these arrangements would produce long distance relationships. But it would be fun coming up with ideas so our single dog show community would have ways of reaching out to other like minded people. Look…. most show/breeding people spend lots of time on the telephone or the internet communicating with other breeders already. So there are already many avenues of communication people can use to get to know one another.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be with someone that loved dogs as much as you do? Wouldn't it be fun picking up dirty "doo doo" dog runs together? Wouldn't it be fun whelping litters with one another? Wouldn’t it be fun going to the shows with this person? However, it could run into problems if the Crescent dog’s National Specialty was held the same week as the German Shepherd Dog specialty was held! Oh my!

Anyway for those who inquired about this, there you have it. I’m putting it out there and will be looking for feedback from my readers about this subject. Do you think it’s a good idea? Is it something that could be successful? Are there enough single people that would be interested in meeting other single people in the dog show community? I don’t know. I’m just putting the word out because some of my readers have approached me about it and I told them I would follow through with this. So there you have it. Are there any TDHSW men out there???? Now go ahead and try to decipher those initials and let me know what you come up with!


From the book "BECOME YOUR OWN MATCHMAKER"....If you've ever found yourself picking off your nail polish, sitting in your sweats with an empty carton of Ben & Jerry's, wondering, "Where are all the good men, and why isn't a gorgeous one standing shirtless in my kitchen mixing me up a pomegranate mojito?" I hate to tell you this, but it's your own fault. Not to worry -- I'm here to help you make that fantasy a reality, with one major addition: you'll be sipping that mojito with a big, glittering diamond ring on your left hand.

Sounds too good to be true? It isn't. As a third-generation matchmaker and the president of one of the world's most elite dating services -- the Millionaire's Club -- I've put myself in the enviable position of being friend, confi dante, and relationship counselor to men and women the world over. I know what the good guys want in a wife, and what sends them screaming into the night. Now I'm sharing their secrets with you.

I've compiled my best tried-and-true advice and I'm going to tell you the things that even your best friend doesn't have the courage to break to you. If you follow my formula, the man of your dreams will appear in your life, and you can be in a committed, monogamous relationship with him in less than a year. Get ready -- I'm about to show you how to make all your relationship dreams come true.


My rating: dog show people need love too: (4), Become Your Own Matchmaker: (4)