Hi

I have my first show on saturday with my 8 month old leo. Do I need to take his KC Certificate? Getting a little nervous now, has anybody got any tips for a first show?

Gemma

Leave in plenty of time and get there early. Find your ring early. When you know where everything is, go outside and encourage poop and wee. You don't need to take anything other than a couple of brushes and the lead with dog attached :-)
I always over prepare, I take 30,000 brushes, 3 leads incase of emergency etc, but I have learnt to take 1 slicker brush, 1 comb and 1 small pair of scizzors. This is all I ever use, the worst bit about showing is all the stuff you have to cart about. I put it in a rucksack with a bottle of water and collapsable bowl for the critter, and money for a bacon cob :-) then I always have 1 hand free.

When in the ring, use the whole ring for moving

Good luck, where you at, who's judging

Just wanted to wish you the best of luck! x

sorry no tips for you as my first show is very soon too and im nervous,i just wanted to say have fun and good luck where is it?

Good luck!! enjoy the day,relax and make the most of atmosphere, and just let your baby get used to the showing enviroment.

Very little to add except, no matter what -  remember that the judge is entitled to their opinion and the next judge may have the same, or entirely different one.
That is how it goes in dog showing....enjoy :-)

I would add a number holder (or safetypin if you do not have one) & Towel for the dog to lay on.
I have been to few open shows with not so nice ground(sandy,woodenchip etc).
Helps to have something to put your dog on if this is the case instead of trying to keep them clean or not laying down.
Relax and have fun, use the opportunity and walk around, training him to behave in such situation (e.g. he does not have to say hello to every dog he passes)
Be brave & go and say hello to the other Leo people there too :)

Good luck and just enjoy yourself, i still get nervous now VERY, 6 years down the line.
Remember you always take the best dog home.

Hi

Thank you for all your advice. We are showing  at the West Torrington and District Canine Club open show at Newark and the judge is Mike Window.

Noora - If we ever manage to teach Kinder not to want to say hello to other dogs/people/cats/birds etc it will be a miracle! he is an extremely friendly fellow!

Gemma

I think the MOST important thing to remember to take is a good supply of really nice treats! :) The dog needs to learn that nice things happen at shows, so make it extra special treats.

Kinder i am there as well under the same judge but different breed so i may get to watch you :)

Leave plenty of time for your journey so that you arrive with time to spare. Go to the Secretary's table and the catalogues are usually there. Find your entry so that you know what ring you are in and what your ring number is. Try to relax while you are waiting for your class. Ensure you have all the things for your dogs needs, water, food/titbits, lead, ring clip or safety pin. If there is judging going on before your class then watch what everyone else is doing and ring procedure. When you go in the ring the steward will come in the ring with the ring number cards, tell him your number, clip it on your ring clip and set your dog up for judging. Just enjoy, if you get a placing then even better.
Hope you have a great day.

Just to wish you good luck...We are new to showing, be prepared to get hooked :) have fun

If it is on a surface the dog is not used to then try and find a spare ring and practice. My puppy thought he was in doggy heaven when we took him to an equestrian centre, he was really focused on trying to find the nice smell :) We are having another outing to an agricultural venue soon, I view it all as practice, hopefully he will get used to it!!!

Think about whether you are going to feed him before travelling, we never do as he gets an upset tum so he is always keen and looking for treats. We feed slightly later the night before.

Make it fun, you take the best dog home and remember your pup is a baby, you can't expect them to know what to do and always get it right.

The next day you may find they sleep more than normal.

Having said all this I will admit to only ever handling twice, it's not my thing, hubby much better at it, my nerves travelled down the lead and I came out of the ring and was sick :(

Enjoy!!

Relax and make sure your boy has fun - don't worry if he acts up, he has time to settle and learn what's expected. But you want to make sure it's a positive experience - for both of you! :-)

Typical, he has tripped in the garden and now has a slight limp! Its really annoying for me but of course he comes first! Unless a miracle happens over night we will be staying at home tomorrow!:-(

never mind there's always the next show, happens all the time with big dogs.
missed a few shows myself for silly things they have done or got up too.!!!  LOL.

Hi

Did you end up going, if not hope your lad is ok now?

Aww poor thing. Big leo hugs coming his way

Hi

No, we didn't go! He now has a really bad limp and will hardly weight bare at all on his front leg. He has been to the vets this evening and is on metacam for a week. We hope he just knocked it but we concerned that it is something more serious! X-rays next week if no better and lots of rest until then!

Did you see him knock it? I thought my boy had broke his leg at 8 months. £500 later it turned out to be growing pains :rolleyes:

no, we didn't see him bang it and he usually cries out if he so much as bends a whisker! His leg is definately not broken and the vet moved his leg in all directions and he showed no pain. He doesn't seem out of sorts at all which makes it even harder to keep him quiet!

I would think it was Pano. Especially considering how quick it has come on, combined with his age and the degree of lameness. Give it 2 weeks and he'll be fine, lameness will probably even move to another leg.
McCartney is exactly the same regarding pain, I once accidently trapped the hair of his tail with my foot, nowhere near the skin, he looked at me as he'd obviously felt my disturbance and went to gently wag his tail... well SCREAM! It was a blood curdling scream like he'd been shot or something :rolleyes:.
McCartney came hopping down the garden on 3 legs at 8 months screaming his head off, so naturally I thought the boys had been rough and had hurt him. Rushed him to the vets like a panicked mother, the vet examined him but couldn't find a physical problem except he would yelp when his stifle was flexed. Recommended an xray asap, so he had one. Showed absolutely nothing apart from the bone was glowing like a bulb. £500 and a dose of metacam and tramadol later, combined with steady exercise and he was fine :rolleyes:

thank you for that! It has made me relax a little. Could do without the £500 bill but just as long as he ok!

I'm sure he'll be fine. It took McCartney about 2 weeks to get over it completely, then it reoccured again at 11 months. No vets this time though. I just spoke to one over the phone and asked them to write a prescription for metacam again

My boy had pano for about 8 months on and off it would rotate round all his legs but he did grow out of it, he would act like the ground was hot to stand on and didn't want to put his foot down, then few weeks later a different leg, this did come on all of a sudden and when i think back it just went. He had rymadil from the vets for his.