Hi we have are puppy 11weeks old and want to give showing ago,
1st when do we start training ?
2nd How long should it go on for?
3rd what training is best way to go?
4th What things do we need?
5th and anything else i missied?
so any help please
thanks

1) Find a ringcraft class. Kennel club website should help.
2) As long as needed.
3) ringcraft for showing, but at the end o the day you want a well trained dog, so, if i were you I would be taking him to obedience class, so he can learn basics and mix with other dogs. DONT let anyone tell you you cant do both, perhaps THEY cant, but you can, dogs are more flexable than the owners!
4) show lead for ring craft.

take your dog to some of the companion shows just for the mixing with dogs/people, get a few folk to 'go over' him, it would be a good idea to ask someone in the breed you have to give an honest opinion of the 'quality' of your pup.

If you find showing isnt for you at least you will have a well trained dog if you have also been to obedience training classes.

1st when do we start training ?
2nd How long should it go on for?
3rd what training is best way to go?
4th What things do we need?

1. Now -you can start yourself at home getting the pup used to being touched all over (including testicles if it's a dog), having its teeth looked at, and running nicely on the lead at your side -plus of course standing still. Also doesn't hurt if you sometimes wear glasses, hats, scarves, flapping coats, a false beard even -anything that a judge might wear and that your pup isn't used to seeing.
2. Varies enormously between different dogs. Weeks to years.
3. Anything reward based is always best -the dog has to have FUN!
4. Lots and lots of treats! Nice ones, not boring pet shop treats, but hot dogs, sausages, liver, ham, chicken, that sort of thing.

Useful replies as I am in much the same position hope they have helped the op too.
I have been told that obedience and showing dont mix  and then been told the opposite so have enrolled in classes and will be going to ringcraft as well. Met a very nice lady who shows pointers and has recommended the ringcraft she goes to as they have a special interest in gunddogs and some fcr are attending too

anything that a judge might wear and that your pup isn't used to seeing.

Funny you should say that,last time I stewarded a young dog was worried about my skirt blowing in the wind, guess Mum always wears trousers and the dog had never come across a woman with legs.

Think at 11 weeks the socialising is the most important and teaching to stand, so easy at that age and so hard at 11 months also lots of grooming and lots of bathing so the pup accepts it as part of life, every one you see ask them to touch your pup all over and open it's mouth.

Go and just sit and watch at a ringcraft for a couple of weeks, ringcraft is there to teach you not the pup but the pup will get used to what is happening and then when he goes into the ring it is only a little different. I try to find several different ringcraft classes so that the pup does not just become accustomed to one place and one set of people.

I have always done obedience classes with my show dogs. However usually teach them to stand and not sit at the beginning.

Thing is the OP does not know what they are doing so the ringcraft is more for them than the pup, agree nothing wrong with doing obedience as well.

Useful thread, Please to learn that others are happy to do both. My other thoughts being that is the show ring is not for us  we could continue with obedience ( provided I get my dyslexic feet sorted out !)
Am trying to keep off teaching sit allthough the little love is natural sitter . As soon a sI get the treats out there she is sitting infornt of me as if I had taught her. Am practicing stand and good tip about others handling her especially her mouth she isnt so keen on that.
Interesting to attend more than one ringcraft, I can do that as luckily there are two nearby both come highly recommened
OOps sorry if I have taken over the thread, come on op where are you:) 

Now its the summer you can find plentyof companions shows...but find what they call 'fun dog shows'. These are not under the umbrella of the KC and the six months rule does not apply. As long as your pup is fully vaccinated you can go along to soclialise AND enter. My pups start out at these shows and the experience is invaluable.

Thank you once the hols are (3 weeks ) will start doing that as I have more time. My juggling abilities at the moment are slightly overwhelmed lol  

> Am trying to keep off teaching sit allthough the little love is natural sitter . As soon a sI get the treats out there she is sitting infornt of me as if I had taught her.

I do KC Good Citizens training AND ringcraft.  Both strengthen the bond between owner and handler and a bright dog soon differentiates between positions for obedience and those for the ring.

Pups always sit first as they have to look up at you for treats but I teach sit, stand, down etc as distinct positions and I reward them all.  I've not found it causes problems however mine is a stacked breed.  I can see it might be trickier with a free-stand depending on where you habitually put your dog for a sit, and where you stand in relation to your dog in the ring.  If you always reward a 'sit by your side', rather than a 'front on sit' then it might be clearer for your dog...

Thats a good idea. With previous dogs I have tried to teach stand after sit and it has been a disaster so will try the other way round this time As you say she is a free standing breed

all of my dogs were taught to stand for a treat. they will stand anywhere now when asked. its funny when someone has a treat and they ask the girls to sit, the dogs just stand wagging as if to say 'come on give me my treat I am standing for it'!  However if asked to sit they will sit. (for verbal praise.)

Never had a problem teaching both sit and stand the dogs understand the difference the only problem I have found is that one or two of them have done a sort of half squat and I have to not only teach a stand but stand properly and still - we are not good at still.

I can see it might be trickier with a free-stand depending on where you habitually put your dog for a sit, and where you stand in relation to your dog in the ring.  If you always reward a 'sit by your side', rather than a 'front on sit' then it might be clearer for your dog...

I always do a stand first these days -for at least a couple of months before attempting a sit. My oldest bitch wasn't meant for showing so did sit first and it has meant I am 100 % unable to show her, ever. Even all these years later (she's 11, and I last tried to handle her in April this year with the same result), if I take her inside a ring she thinks obedience so sits and heels and believe me, you don't want close heelwork in the show ring LOL -nor do you want the dog to sit as soon as you stop. Hence my husband has always had to handle her at shows as nothing else worked. I've never even seen her in the ring at Crufts (other than at a distance), didn't even see her win BOB there as I have to hide to stop her from wanting to get to me.

All the others however, once they have learnt the stand first, it is so deeply rooted in them that a show stand is what they will offer if they want a treat. We even have one dog that has never been shown (he's our problem dog), never will be shown, but was taught the show stand from a young pup. He's nearly 3 now and STILL he offers a show stand before anything else. It seems to stick much more than a sit. So sure, you can do both, but in my experience, with quite a few dogs now, it really is EASIER to teach the stand first. It's much harder to get a dog into a stand after it's already sat (and you may miss those vital few seconds of the judge's eye), than it is to get a standing dog into a sit. :)

I do teach stand first, and I have a separate command for sitting after heelwork so the dogs don't sit in the show ring, and I hardly ever have a problem. I do need to teach a 'stand at heel' as opposed to a show stand, for my rally obedience, but that's not a problem if I put some effort into it!

Ringcraft is obedience!  It just concentrates on a few simple commands but it still comes from the principle that the dog needs to focus on you.......the essence of obedience.

I start my pups off from the moment they stand to do just that...focus on me. They learn to look up, to listen, to watch me and respond.
They are handled on and off tables all the time and are very used to having their mouths ears etc looked at. Never forced, just routine caressing :-)

I hand feed one of the pups meals with all the dogs around me, calling each one forward to take a piece then step back - all standing of course.
This sharpens them up and teaches patience for their treat. My new pup is standing, waiting her turn and stepping forward consistently to her name at 5 months. All very waggy and fun...with concentration thrown in.....just what I want in the show ring...or anywhere else for that matter.
Importantly, they also learn....."Thats it" and go off and play or relax. A lovely trained dog is one you can switch on and off. The dog is happier and calmer and the handler gets the best of both worlds. :-)

It doesnt really matter what breed you have or the method with which you present the dog...if the dog knows how to enjoy and relax into standing and being handled then youve cracked it...the other stuff is just dance steps...anyone can teach you that.

I have taught all mine sit, stand, down at the same time.  Moving from one position to the other.  They are all good at distance control!  They also know that the show lead means stand.  I compete in the show ring, obedience and agility, and have had a go at rally-o, HTM, gundog work, flyball, all with the same dog.
My youngster is just starting to get the hang of heelwork, and agility, and gundog work, all very different things.  I hope to start competing soon with her. 
People find stand hard to teach, the best thing is to sit on the floor so puppy doesn't have to look up to you, and make it exciting!  You don't want a bored looking dog in the ring!