Showing Meg.. Im Getting Confused!

Hey,

So, as some of you know, i've been having a go at showing my pups for about 3 months now. I've not had any experience of showing dogs so wasn't really sure what was going on, but have really enjoyed it

Anyway, we went along to a new Ringcraft class tonight to see what their opinions of the dogs were as the one we currently go to is mainly small dogs. Anyway, tonight they said that Riley was nice, but would be better in 3-4 months as he's growing and is looking a bit too tall and 'leggy' So we're going to do what we've entered then leave him for a few months until he's grown, and see what he looks like then

But Meg they said was perfect. The woman was actually telling people that there was not a single thing wrong with Meg and that she was the most stunning and perfect example of a lab. She said that her movement was amazing and that she WILL be a very good show dog.. So, if all this is true, why is she not doing well showing?

She has won one class, and has been getting some lower placings, but not at the higher levels (champ shows) although she consistently shows well. She's a lovely little dog and incredibly easy to show. She always shows herself off and moves nicely.

Several people who know labs have agreed with the woman at the ringcraft about her being a very nice lab who should be doing better than she is. Even people at shows, when we've not done well have come up and said that she should have been place, or higher placed.. But she's just not..

Im sure people will say its just the judges personal opinion on the day.. But how can it be if its fairly consistent that she's not getting placed? It does make me wonder what would happen if she was being handled by someone who was 'known' to the judge.. I just find it a bit disheartening when dogs that are obviously not as nice as Meg get placed wjhen we get kicked out!! And the general opinion is that im right to be

Anyway, just felt like a rant as this lab showing is getting annoying now. But we will persevere with Meg as she deserves better than she's getting now!!

Showing really isnt my thing Jess, but you got to remember one persons treasure is anothers junk, not really the right way to put it, but certain judges prefer certain looks, it just depends who your judge is on the day and whether they like your type.

Dont give up, you have 2 beautiful dogs there, show them off!

Hi Jessica there is a big difference between ringcraft with a mix of dogs and Meg being among her peers at a show ..maybe compared with other puppies she was not 'quite ready' in the opinion of the judges, don't give up keep watching and learning ...the top winners all had to start somewhere.

Well, the reason we went to that ringcraft is because the person there has experience with gundogs and labs in particular so we thought we'd get more idea of whether its worth carrying on with them. I just dont understand why these people who are involved in showing (so should know what they're talking about) are saying that Meg is good enough to be showing and doing well and the judges at the shows disagree!!

I do still think, with labs at least, that it does depend a lot of who you are, maybe more so that what the dogs like! Judging on some of the dogs that have been winning and getting placed that looks like the case anyway! Maybe i just prefer the 'old fashioned' lab that isn't short and stumpy and very overweight.. But one judge liked Meg enough to place her first so maybe another will be brave enough to place her as well!

Jess....I'm guessing this person is not a judge since no judge would say a dog was perfect!Our dogsa re all the best in the eyes of theirowners but one day you will be able to look at your dogs and see their faults.I know one of my dogs has ears too large,another is lacking in bone and another is too long in the loin....to mention a few faults they have.yet they still do ok in the ring
Forget what people say...enjoy your days out at shows and accept that you will have good and bad days.

I know that no dog is 'perfect'. I think the womans exact words were that meg was 'the most stunning and most perfect example of a lab that she had ever seen', which i guess she meant as being the closest to the breed standard she'd seen, thats how i took it anyway.

Its just getting a bit annoying that people are saying that she's so nice, but we're not getting the results. I'd prefer it if people were telling us her faults so we could understand why she's not doing so well, as we are very much amateurs with the showing. We did ask the woman to be honest as we dont want to be showing her if she's not good enough, but she seemed to genuinely like Meg.

Its just very confusing when so many people (including the people at the shows, in classes with us!!) tell us that she is a lovely lab who deserves to get placed, and she just isn't..

Jess look at it this way, if you were judging a lot of lovely young women and there was one who was also lovely but still a bit 'little girly' you may say to yourself she is not quite there yet but will be a stunner when she matures a little more, I will give the prize to the slighty more mature one for now..the other ones day will come'

If Meg is very good (it is difficult to tell from photographs but remember when I first saw your puppies I said I thought they were lovely and I meant it ) she will win eventually...

No it isn't always who the judge knows. I remember once when very young taking a bitch with 14 CCs into the ring..(we were showing as many of the breed as possible to get the entry numbers up for the breed in the hope of increasing class numbers, I was not known to the judge..my boss was showing another breed and she was up for a 3rd CC ) The judge looked at me a funny little girl with pigtails ..then at Fran the bitch ..and yes I got the CC ..I bet the Judge was relieved when he looked in the catalogue later and saw who the bitch was..

As Archer says just go to enjoy the day good or bad
.and keep looking and learning

Stick with it...the critiques will come with the placings at shows.At open shows if you have lab classes then you can always approach the judge when finished and ask for an honest opinion.Tell the judge you are a novice and would very much appreciate their opinion ...good or bad as you are trying to learn.Anyone who only gives you the good is being nice.....when I asked my boys breeder what she thought of him I got the bad bits....I can now look at the 'bad' bits and compare to other dogs and see what she meant.
Above all ...GIVE IT TIME!!!! A dog that wins everything as a pup is often overdone and finished by the age of 2!