Hi,

So we'd never shown in our lives before but decided our new pups would have a weekend job and we'd have a go at showing. 
Well Windsor was their first show and despite being very poorly prepared (they caught kennel cough 2 1/2 months ago so missed 2 months worth of ringcraft) they did their bet and had a really fun day.

Meeting and talking to the people in our breed was brilliant.  The puppies loved the fuss they got from everyone and they took walking round the busy show environment with lots of people and dogs in their stride.  After being nervous all day as to what they'd do in the show ring and what people would think of us if they misbehaved we discovered it really isn't that scary.  One of them trotted round facing behind her to look at the other pup for half the circuit which was hardly ideal but the judge and all the other competitors were so kind and shared stories of their dogs less than perfect show entrances. 

People were so supportive and chatted to us for hours gave us some excellent advice and then told us to always go with our gut instinct.... They went over our dogs and we got to talk to people who weren't bored of "you and your bloody dogs" as my work mates are....  Even friends from ringcraft and our ringcraft leader came over to offer some support

Thank you to the people who took the time to post on here and answer my very novice questions like what class to enter, what do i need to take etc. The likes of Nova and Brainless who I know have answered my questions thousands of times - your advice is invaluable and for every question I've asked I've searched 100 more and found the answers here.  

If you are thinking about showing and haven't taken the plunge yet then go along and have fun it really isn't as scary as you think.

oh and we got a 1st and 2nd for our girls and the boy we bred got the best dog puppy and Best puppy in breed - it was a small entry but the atmosphere and talking to other owners of the same breed was what made the day such fun!
off to do the next entry.....

What a lovely post! :-) I'm so glad you all enjoyed yourselves - and what a good result to boot! Well done you! :-)

Well done and all the hard work has paid off !!

Congratulations, so glad you had a great day. You have now been officially bitten by the bug. Onwards and upwards.

Dawn R.

Well done Susiebell, that is what it is all about, enjoying your breed in the company of other who also love the breed. People who do not show have some very strange ideas about what showing is about and what the dogs think of it, now you know - everyone loves it.

Did your breed have CCs? If so you have qualified them both for Crufts, was not hard was it, well done.

We didn't have CC's at Windsor but they are available at our next 2 shows - Bournemouth & National gundog.  I have well and truly been bitten by the bug and even my very un-doggy partner loved the day and spent his time in the sun walking between the bar and the trade stands - amazed by the bargains he has stocked up on treats for our girl for quite a while. 

The advice and info you get from people in your breed is just completely invaluable and everyone was so encouraging. 

I have to admit 2yrs ago I was convinced that showing was about pulling tails up and strangling dogs by running them on very tight thin leads.  My eyes have well and truly been opened and if it hadn't been for champdogs I really wouldn't have given it a go.  I'm already learning so much more about my breed and am starting to see the bigger picture. 

Most importantly our girls really really enjoyed their day - they wagged their tails all day, got to socialise with some lovely dogs and the experience could only have built their confidence.  Regardless of if they never win another thing in their life I'm going to learn so much and they just love their 2 minutes of being the centre of attention.

Thank you for continuing to encourage people to have a go at showing!!  :)

What a great start for you all, and funny how the bug bites :)...I never thought it would happen to me at all, but we have met so many people who have been nothing less than generous with advice, time and help that we really look forward to our days out--even our oldest boy who hates the ring loves to come along as mascot! Hope you have a brilliant summer out, best of luck to you all!

You know Susiebell when I read posts like yours it takes me right back to when I first started. Before I started showing I had the idea it was very light weight and not something I wanted to do at the time I did obedience with GSDs but did not like the methods of training that were in use at the time. I then went to a GSD club where training for both obedience and show went on and and listened to the obedience people laughing at the show training but I watched and thought it was a much kinder and calmer sport altogether and I started trying the show methods on my obedience dogs and found I got much quicker results.

So when I changed breeds I changed course and decided to try both agility and showing and I have never looked back, too old for agility now but love the show scene still and will be happy sitting watching or stewarding any class that I come across.

Before the obedience people start throwing things I know you no longer train with the snatch and shout method but there was a time when I did it too until I saw the show people and changed, those were the days of that dreadful TV trainer who's name always escapes me.

Lovely post and well done to you and your gang :) off to a great start :)

You did very well indeed, as did the pups. Having a good first show means everything to the pups and it sounds like they had fun! :)

Definitely infected with the 'dog showing' bug :)  Well done on such good results too.

So glad you enjoyed it, well done.

Great news - it really is such fun, I miss not having a dog to take to shows - my little girl is mismarked though I love her, and my older girl is waiting for her veteran debut in December! I might splash out on Richmond, or perhaps just an open show in the autumn though....

well done - I caught the terribly contagous bug 6months ago - as yet there is no cure! not that Im looking for one.

Enjoy

Great to hear you and the pups had a great time, well done, and the very best of luck for the future

I missed this post.. and what a lovely post it is..  Well done :-)