Hi guys,

I would like to attend a few dog shows to get an idea of some breeds I like before I buy one, where can I find out where they are? Also do serious 'showers' (sorry dont know the technical term) go to the companion shows? Are there specific shows for types of dog?

Thanks in advance

Claire

If you can give us a location we could have a look for some shows near you.  Also do you have a breed or Group in mind ie Gundog Group, Terrier, Hound etc?  The bigger shows will have these groups scheduled on different days although some are combined.

I've never done a companion show but I know others that like them for puppy experience.  I doubt that you'd see your chosen breed in big numbers though...

Sorry im in Sheffield but can travel have family that live in York and Lincoln (to drop the kids and the husband off LOL). I know as per my prev post it was kind of ruled out but I keep going back to the Basenji, they are captivating to me! So thats what im looking at first off!

Thanks
Claire

There will be 20 Basenji (s - plural ?) at Leeds show, Harewood Estate nr Leeds on Fri 22nd July.  Is that any good to you?

oooo thats so cool i will look it up thank you ;-)

Also do serious 'showers' (sorry dont know the technical term) go to the companion shows?

Not often. Dogs that have won certain awards are not allowed to enter the pedigree classes at companion shows anyway, and in my experience, the people you find at companion shows are not often those that show regularly for real -there seem to be some people that show at companion shows only -possibly because their dogs aren't good enough to win elsewhere, or they are not registered, or rescues without papers etc. The majority will be Joe Bloggs down the road with their pet dog. You'll occasionally get breeders/exhibitors  taking a pup to a companion show for practice but as the judges at those can be anyone, without any real experience, many avoid them.

Do wonder if you like Basenji you may also like Japanese Shiba Inu or one of the smaller spitz like the German or Japanese. These are on Utility day but not sure which that is. will go look and come back.

OK the Utility are on the Sunday the 24th and there are 49 J. Shiba Inu - 47 J. Spitz and the German there are 12 of the smaller ones and 15 of the larger. The Shiba Inu are (to my mind) nearest to the Basenji being about the same size and similar in shape but with a dense coat, this coat is not difficult to deal with and like most spitz breeds self cleaning.

If you really do want a hound there is the Hound show at Staffordshire on Saturday the 6th when you will see a good number of all the hound breeds including the Basenji.

> Also do serious 'showers' (sorry dont know the technical term) go to the companion shows? Are there specific shows for types of dog?
>
>

Serious 'Exhibitors' (showers) will often take new puppies to companion shows, but dogs that have won at a higher level are not eligible to compete in the pedigree section. 

I put my champions in the novelty section simply to support the charity, but expect not to do anything as the judges will mostly give the classes to the family 'bitsa', or rescue, but it's about taking part and should never be taken seriously as any assessment of a dogs real quality as often they are judge by people with little or even no experience of show points of most breeds.

> Are there specific shows for types of dog?

All breeds will have a breed club or clubs.  They will hold breed specific shows, and these are seen by the exhibitors as the most special.

I've shown at all levels and still do go to companion shows as this is where I learned my craft and got bitten by the 'bug'.
Been showing now for over 20 years not sure I'd class myself as a serious exhibitor :)
I've met and made many good friends at companion shows too. Infact I really enjoy my days out showing meeting up with friends
and having a good natter and comiserating if needed.

Dogs that have won specific awards at the higher shows (Championship) arent eligible to compete in the pedigree section classes.
These are CC's (win three and the dog is a champion) and RCC's and or JW's (junior warrant winner wins points at both championship and open shows).
Dogs that have won firsts at Championship shows aren't excluded from entering pedigree classes at companion shows :)

If you want to see specific breeds it's better to go to Championship shows or breed shows where you will see more of that breed
being exhibited. Obviously if the breeds that you like fall in different groups you may need to go more than one day to all breed championship shows :)

Good luck in your quest :)

Thanks,

Nova, I do like the Shibas and my hubby LOVES them but its the fur i cant deal with, my GSd x Akita has blown her coat twice already due to the changing weather and there is constantly dog hair EVERYWHERE, even upstairs where she doesnt go!! i am worried the shiba will be the same.

> am worried the shiba will be the same.

Oh most definitely (but much less if only considerign one, as much smaller dog).

Any double coated breed = hair. 

Don't think for a minute though a short coated one will be any better re how often they shed, just much shorter hair that can often weave into soft furnishings carpets etc.

Hair is the one thing my kids don't miss about the dogs (they have left home), imagine yours x 3 (well I have six but probably half the size of your dog).

If you get a non/nearly non shedding breed you then have extensive grooming to contend with.

I have a double coated breed and a dog with short hair. Although the longer coated dog - a Golden Retriever- seems to cover the house with his hair it is very easy to hoover or sweep up....... tumbleweeds abound but are easy to dispose of. The short haired dog doesn't seem to lose so much hair as the GR but his hair is far harder to get rid of. It sticks into things rather than drape itself over things like GR hair and works it's way deep down into the carpet and soft furnishings.

I personally think the longer hair is easier to clear up but can be viewed as adding a protective layer to the carpet and thus helping to prevent wear :-)

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">I personally think the longer hair is easier to clear up but can be viewed as adding a protective layer to the carpet and thus helping to prevent wear :-)

LOL never thought of it like that,

i really dont mind the grooming at all, its nice for dog and owner!!