They say every dog has its day and for the pampered pooches at the All Breeds Championship Show, yesterday was it.
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Among the 500 dogs and well equipped groomers jostling for position at Exhibition Park were a handful of pomeranians, belonging to dog show veteran Dot Williams.
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With husband Danny by her side, Mrs Williams has spent the past 28 years travelling throughout Australia to camp at and compete in dog shows.
It's a way of life that draws in all sorts from those in pantsuits and pearls to battered jeans and Akubras, with the Harden couple notching up more than 30 shows a year.
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''It's a lifestyle,'' Mrs Williams said.
''It is very expensive, you don't make any money out of it ... And once you decide to do it, you've got to be totally committed to it 24 hours a day. You can't just take a day off.''
It has been described as a labour of love, with owners dedicating thousands of hours grooming breeds ranging from tiny Chihuahuas to towering deerhounds.
Mrs Williams showed three of her 14 Pomeranians throughout the weekend, having previously put in days of work getting dogs like seven-month-old Ruma ready.
The pint-sized fluff ball required hours of individual preparation including a 60-minute haircut, repeated baths and blow drying, as well as intensive grooming on the day.
''She's had 20 minutes today, but it should have been much longer,'' she said. Despite the significant effort, the judging has little to do with Ruma's excessive hair.
The prizes are instead awarded on an animal's ''construction'', be it a well-shaped head, perfect bite or correctly sized feet.
But according to Mrs Williams, even a flawless jaw alignment is not enough to take home a blue rosette.
''A lot of it is political,'' she said.
Despite such frustrations, Mrs Williams will return to Canberra this weekend for another round of shows hosted by the ACT Ladies Kennel Club.
For further information on the club visit www.actca.asn.au