... children and dog shows.

My son is 5 yro and obviously lives with dogs, has his own little terrier called Mouse and has handled one of my lazy Lurchers at fun dog shows much to the amusement of the onlookers as he gave a running commentary to the DOG about the PEOPLE in the ring. Quite funny.

So here goes my question to those of you who show and have young children. I would like for him to be more involved but in a fun way. I do not show dogs but do intend to give it a try with the young bitch who recently joined my pack. I have no idea if it will work out and have the first ringcraft class this coming Sunday. Obviously, I am taking my son with me and would like for him to be involved as he already has to put up with alot due to the rescue I run. He adores dogs and I would like for it to be quality time for us, i.e. we go to the training, just him, the dog and I and afterwards to McDonald's :) etc.

How do you keep your kids interested? How do you manage for the kids not to feel like they are playing second fiddle to the dog(s)?

Any advise would be much appreciated ;). I don't want him to turn around in 10 years time and tell me that I prefer my dogs over him.

Edited to add: I obviously do have dog free quality time with him as well, just in case someone thinks it's always dogs dogs and more dogs ;).

One of the ringcrafts we go to have loads of children come too, some of them probably similar age to your son.  We have a junior handler session first and they take part in that sometimes with a bit of support from mum, otherwise they all muck in together and occupy themselves.  The other club still welcomes children and helps the junior handlers but there is neither the space or probably the tolerance to allow children to run around playing like the first does... 

I'd find out what the club offers, go and sit and watch a session before you go properly, could he take his terrier to take part when you are practising with your dog, will he sit on his own when you are training? might be a big ask of a 5 year old to be out as late as some clubs go on too..

Good luck and hope that you both enjoy it..

Hi Otterhound,

My daughter and I have just started showing, my daughter is 12years old and I am a little older. We have two dogs but I only show my younger boy.

My daughter loves dogs just like your little boy, when we got our pup, we decieded we would like to try showing him and see how we get on, we started ring craft when our boy was around 17 weeks old and from that moment my daughter has been hooked! From the sound of your son he will be the same, I wish I had started my daughter off at the same age as your son, she is so  much more relaxed with my boy than I am!

If you watch and listen to your son you will be able to see if he is enjoying showing (which I am sure he will). We have only done three shows with our boy, and the first show my daughter qualifyed for Richmond!
Our boy has also surprised us, having done two open shows he won, Best pup dog, and Best pup in his Breed at the first open, and the second open Won his A V junior class, got Best Puppy and went on to be reserve Best Puppy Gundog!

We are still very much learners, but we have alot of fun and do not take it too seriously. As long as everyone is enjoying it, including the dog make the most of it!

Hope this helps
I would also encourage your son to become a member of the young kennel club, he will get alot of tips and advice from them

to the amusement of the onlookers as he gave a running commentary to the DOG about the PEOPLE in the ring. Quite funny

Ah bless, maybe you could elaborate on this as in giving him a dictaphone to play judge. He may enjoy that for a while. 

Apart from the advice already given...........

It's difficult with children as one minute they can be interested the next they have moved on and find it boring, my eldest loved everything that I did, if mum loved it, so did he and he had a real interest for many years, my youngest was interested to start with but then became bored and restless so I didn't push it and he stopped going, I guess that is what you will have to look out for, you can't force an interest and it does have to be an interest for him too, mum's are allowed a hobby, children don't get upset about that or need to be included in it, as long as all children get plenty of one to one time then they don't care that mum loves to show and has her dogs, they really don't. :-) So don't feel for one minute that he will think it is a contest of mum and the dogs verses mum and me.

However, if later on he is made to go somewhere he doesn't really enjoy then that will feel like the dogs are more important than him, because you are making him go somewhere he would prefer not to, that would cause resentment of the dogs and you.

So, IMO if he is happy then give him the role of helping you, ask his opinion on things to involve his interest, (also this shows a real interest) he may be interested enough to show himself and you may have a star in the making, but be careful that he is just not copying mum with role play with no real interest because that will fade pretty quickly so keep an eye out for that, if he does get fed up then leave him at home and don't feel bad about it. :-)

Just a slightly different point of view as I don't have any children of my own yet but....

My mum used to work her GSD's in competition obedience from when I was 2 years old.  Most weeks mum would take me along to the obedience classes and I would sit and watch (although I am told I wanted to do everything with the dogs and have photo's to prove it lol) at the age of 3/4 on training nights I was handed a Sheltie to train (the GSD's were too big) and I absolutely loved it.  I was devastated when the old lady who owned the sheltie's died and her dogs were given to her friends. 

When my mum competed I used to go along with her and between mum and her friends I was well looked after at the shows - I was also the bacon butty go getter lol!

Due to family circumstances this stopped from around the age of 10 but started up again when we introduced a new Rottie to house when I was 13...and I started up the obedience and agility with her.

I started taking my niece to the shows from around a year old and she absolutely loves  it.  She did always think every Rottie was was hers and they all had the same names as ours and anything hairy was our GSD's lol!

So it never did me any harm and now at the age of 26 i'm running my own training school with my mum and show my dogs regularly.

Any shared interest between the generations is some thing to be nurtured IMO

Sounds like you alll have a great time ;-)

> I don't want him to turn around in 10 years time and tell me that I prefer my dogs over him.
>

My daughter always says this so I bought the dog a T shirt saying favourite child- She laughed so hard as she hugged me.
My youngest helps me dry the dogs at bathtimes and I would be lost drying without her. They both do Junior handling although only at Open and Breed Club shows as they like to stay close by me.We read the Dog press together and they find interesting cuttings for their teachers at times- As a result they have a real love of science and genetics ( Aged 11 and 14).
Sometimes though they slope off to the park at a show or to eat too many bacon rolls but that makes the day fun too.

Good Luck

My children have no doubt.... but they pop in at home"only" to see the dogs too!!

Thank you for all your comments and info - much appreciated!

Hello Otterhound
My kids are probably nearer your lad's age (5 & just 7).  I have to say that I am a mean mummy & my kids had to save up for the dreaded NintendoDS game thingy, which they are only allowed at dogshows.  This keeps them occupied for quite a time.  Also once they get to know other children (normally older & more clued up than my kids) they go off & I spend my time worrying that they're not be kidnapped etc.  I tried sticker books, colouring etc. but they don't really want to sit still.  

Normally there is another adult who indulges them or keeps an eye to them.  I've kept to Open shows for now as we live a long way from any Ch. Shows.  My son tends to stay at home with his dad but DD is back with me this weekend after a 4 month break (the dog had pups!)  Not sure if DS will do JH or not, he's too young at the moment.

Good luck & enjoy. :-)

ETA I was originally hoping that DD got bored quickly of JH so that I had my "day off" but secretly I'm pleased as punch that there might be a 3rd generation of our dogs in her capable & very bossy hands :-D