Can you tell me...

Anything about shows I should know?

My puppy is only a month old and I've obviously not got her yet but I would like to show her in some way (only lightly as a hobby) when she's old enough.

I don't do anything at the moment as I used to dance a lot but had to stop because of health problems so this will be my hobby.

I am just wondering.

How often are shows on?
Where are they usually as I live in the North?
Do you have to pay for the smaller shows too?
Can you just go and hang around just to meet others etc.?
What sort of shows are there and what do they mean? ie. companion, breed... etc.

Just any information about shows, I'd be glad to know, it'd be nice to have something to do with her as a hobby!

Lottie

I have only been to companion shows with mine, they are fun and they are on all over so they will be some near you. You enter them on the day, and you can find when they are on in dog papers and magazines.

Lottie, there is so much to know about shows and showing that I couldn't possibly cover everything here and now.

It is possible, that wherever you live, you could be at a show each day on a weekend and also on a Bank Holiday Monday when they arise. Showing is one of those things that you don't know exist until you begin to participate.
Shows are divided into categories.

Companion Shows:- enter on the day, fun shows that include classes for cross breed dogs as well as pedigree dogs.
Limited Shows:- confined to the members of the particular canine society, no CC winners allowed.
Open Shows:- open to all, even champions, but you can't make up a champion there.
Championship Shows:- open to all, and it is possible to gain Challenge Certificates for the very lucky few to make your dog into a champion. CCs are not available at all Championship shows for all breeds. CCs are scattered around the country and each breed has a differing number available depending upon the registration figures for the breed. The more pups registered the more CCs that are available.
Breed Club Show are for a single breed, and they can be Limited , Open or Championship.

There is always a charge to enter, it varies from a pound or so, to over twenty pounds for a Champ show.

There is loads more to learn, rules and regulations take some getting your head around for example.

Feel free to ask more.

Dawn R.

http://dogweb.co.uk/talkdogs/so-you-...dog_13537.html

hope this helps

Lottie here is an article on showing by Archer...
You need to get your puppy used to being handled by people first, get a friend to look in the puppies mouth and to run their hands over her body, very gently so as not to scare her then check out ring craft classes in your area, and start with the little local limited shows first

snap Archer!!!

Also if your serious about showing your best buying from a kennel who show too, as theyll have more idea about whats needed, you may hit on lucky buying from non show but if the breeders are breeding from pets then it would be pure luck.

Please discuss your interest in showing as even in the best bred litters some wont make whats needed for the ring, and the breeders wont expect a puppy sold as pet to be shown, hope this helps

Thanks all lots of info!

I am just about to read Archer's article.

Dizzy, I have already told the breeder that I would like to show lightly and the sire of this litter is a show dog and has won awards in both championship and open shows.
They choose not to show the dam so I don't know whether she's not show quality or purely just their choice.

They do know that I want to show though.

Thanks again!

Archers article will help a good deal but just to give a quick answer to your questions.

It would be fair to say that there are some shows every weekend and a few mid week.
You have to pay to enter a dog at smaller shows but not to go as a spectator.
Yes you can go and look at any show and talk to who you like, just ask first if the person has time to talk to you in case they are a bit up tight waiting to go into the ring, take care not to undo hours of grooming when petting the dogs.
Companion Show - Usually has breed classes for KC recognised breeds, the dogs do not need to be registered, and fun classes for any dog of any breed or mix.
Limited Shows limited by the number of classes and either membership of a club of resident in an area.
General Open For recognised breeds only, there will be classes for specified breeds and also a AV (any variety) class or classes for breed that do not have specified classes.
Group Open As open but confined to one or more of the groups.
Breed Open As open but for one breed or sometimes a set of breeds (ie dachshunds) usually run by breed clubs.
Special Open This is not a KC recognised definition but I know of at least one show that is for Spitz and there may be others that are for a group of dogs but not one of the KC official groups.
General Championship Shows Simular to Open shows but on a larger scale, more expensive and usually benched. It is at these shows that CC (challenge certificates) are awarded to some of the breeds.
Breed Championship Shows These are usually held by a breed club and are confined to one breed or a set of breeds as in dachshunds or the 3 different sizes of poodle.

Apart from the above there are Matches that are usually held by ringcraft clubs and sometimes breed clubs. Some of these matches are open to all others are by invitation or are qualified for.

Crufts This is a General Championship show but the only one you have to qualify for.

I've been trying to find shows near me and when they're on but I can't find anything online that will tell me.

My local shop doesn't stock the dogs magazine you said it would be in, and won't order it in which means I have to travel into town (this isn't hard but I haven't had chance)

Does anyone know of a regularly updated webpage that has all the upcoming open shows etc. on it?

I am looking for any types of show (just small cheapo ones at first) just to go to with Takara and watch how it's done in my area. I live in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

Unless it's for a big show or I am likely to meet friends from here or other dog owning friends I know, I'd rather not travel too far (the petrol costs you know!) so anywhere in or around South Yorkshire preferably!
There must be some in the dales or whatever... surely?

If you don't know of a page, do you know of a show? If you do - can you either post details of shows in the showing section in your own thread, reply to my thread with them, or pm me please?? Thankyou!

If it's grouped I'm in utility!

You can get the papers delivered directly, some companion shows are listed on the KC site here a few are listed on the calendar on this site and on the events page of other dog related forums. If you take the dog to ring craft, which you should do first anyway, they will have schedules of all sorts of shows that will take place both in your area and elsewhere and they will probably hold matches themself.

There are printers who have the details of the forthcoming shows that they print for Highampress, Fossedata, and CID

These are link to the websites of the two papers Our Dogs and Dog World

Hope that helps.