Nepal: Grand dog show in Lalitpur draws range of breeds

Lalitpur [Nepal], February 12 : Varieties of dog breeds kept by families gathered in an open ground of Jawalakhel in the Lalitpur district of Nepal as they took part in the 13th edition of the Grand Dog Show.
This year, around three dozen dogs participated in the dog show. Different breeds of dogs ranging from exotic breeds like Dachshund, Husky, and German shepherd to Labrador Retriever participated in the event.


The Kathmandu Valley hosts a multitude of community dogs inhabiting the streets and squares. The ground next to the Central Zoo also echoed with varieties of woofs and barks as people thronged the space with leashes.
Speaking to ANI, Prabin Bajracharya, the organiser of the Grand Dog Show, said, "The dogs are judged on the basis of the breed standard. There is separate category for the puppies and the dogs compete within their breed as well. In the final round, all the winners of the categories would compete for the winner's title."
The dog show in Nepal started from 2005 when four friends came together with the concept and launched the event. It slowly and gradually attracted more and more dog lovers and caretakers, with the show being termed a grand one.
Speaking to ANI, Rupesh Khadka, a participating dog handler, said, "The dogs brought up inside the four walls don't get time to meet other pets. While attending these kinds of events, the pets also would get exposure to similar breeds and types. We are a bit cynical while taking our pets back home but here they would get more exposure. We also aren't too stressed about their safety and bonding."
On how such shows help in taking care of dogs, Aarati Hada, a dog handler participant, told ANI, "Such shows are really helpful and must be held in every city as now it is only confined to Kathmandu Valley."