What is a dog and pony show?

I’m sorry Tycha and David, but Troy is correct. A dog and pony show is more than just being prepared in detail. The phrase is born out of the circus environment where there are often three acts going on at once.

With a dog and pony show, you are trying to WOW someone with overwhelming and needless distractions so they don’t see the flaws in what you are presenting. Instead of focusing on the real substance of the presentation, you want people to pay attention to all the dogs and ponies you brought.

It could also be that your presentation actually had merit, but because it was filled with a lot of dog and pony distractions people paid more attention to the dogs and ponies than they did to the substance of what you were trying to present.

If someone calls your presentation a dog and pony show, it is definitely NOT a complement.

I think the most common usage is this:

A dog and pony show refers to the attention to detail that you try to display when a high ranking official is visiting your place of work. You try to put forth the best possible appearance for them… especially if they are responsible for funding or financing your operation.

For instance, a visiting General or a Congressman inspecting a military establishment. Nothing is really “normal” during their visit, even though they are there to observe normal operations, everything is groomed and dressed up. That’s a “dog and pony show.”

It refers to the use of ponies and dogs in circus acts. It means putting out everything to support your idea. For example, if I were going to an office to promote our software, I wouldn’t just talk about it. I’d bring the software, some pads and pens with the software’s name, maybe a mousepad, a gorgeous demonstrator…

It’s a ” show ” that somebody might put on to mislead someone else regarding an issue between the two of them…