Who feeds what and baths in what to keep a dog in good show condition.

When we were actively showing, mine had nothing different to what they always had.   I'd bath, using one of the Ring 5 shampoos according to their main colour, a couple of days before a show, if absolutely necessary, but thankfully with my short-coated breed, a good daily grooming kept them in the kind of condition I'd be more than happy to take into the ring in any case.   I would probably clean teeth (scraping) and clean ears properly (inside).   Thankfully I never had a breed that needed more than 'normal'.   Intentionally!!   Well sort of, because I always wanted a hound.

To me good condition u should have on any pet is the same as show condition I don't do anything special when I have a show coming up.
A good diet that suits he dog, plenty of exersize and what ever grooming the breed normaly needs will keep any dog in top condition.

I'm currently feeding my girl lupo sensitive (the one with more meat out of the two), I use to feed CSJ no grainer and she never looked better on it but have changed as by time we got to the end of the sack she had started chewing her feet so I thought it may be the food. But it's been weeks and she is still doing it allthough not as much so I'm not sure if it is the food now.
She gets off lead walks normaly twice every day with running about with her best friend. We also do swimming and lead walks into town when I have time or if she puts on weight (she puts it on so.easy)

Jo, might it be harvest mites?

there's a discussion thread on CD that might shed some light, or at least, give food for thought :-)

My dogs have mostly been fed on CSJ, either champ, That'll do, or Herbie rings/Nuts  - whichever seems to suit them most.

Apart from that good exercise and for my breed, some careful clipping/trimming, and a shampoo when dirty/smelly - usually one for white terriers so it doesn't soften the coat and stops the pale bits yellowing. 

Before a show,  I would shampoo about a week before with a non softening shampoo for terriers, followed by a careful scissor trim 3 days later.   then hope the dogs don't get too dirty when given a blast in the field :-)

It all depends on what suits each individual dog all of mine will eat anything but one of them is better on a land of holistic pets steeped food it just suits her better, coat is better condition has less fatulance and maintains her weight and condition better, so there is no magic answer

Thanks Dill Ill check it out

might it be harvest mites?

Oh don't!!   When we lived up East with fields of crops all around, we had these crittas in spades, some years worse than others.   And they made me itch like mad too.   If this started, I only had to look between the toes, and at the base of whiskers with mine to find clusters of red there!!   And we had this until the first frosts.   Nightmare.   I have to say they bothered me more than my hounds.   Moving West here, with animals not crops, we don't get them, but we do get ticks.   At least ticks don't make me itch.

Depends on the breed. I feed all mine on raw. Start with the cockers about a week before a show. Bichons about a month before as all my dogs love the surrounding muddy fields and streams. I use a whitening shampoo for the bichons (fairy liquid works as well) and I use a non detergent shampoo and conditioner for the others.

I show Papillons so mine need a little bit more attention than other peoples breeds on here seem to... Still don't need much though tbh!

I feed mine nutriment raw food and purizon dry food (show or pet, as I think they are perfect on this diet).

I tend to use Chris Christensen spectrum ten shampoo, Christensen's spectrum ten conditioner and use plush puppy reviva coat mousse before drying. If they aren't been shown I'll usually put some oil into their fringing so they don't get damaged day-to-day. The night before a show I also trim hairy feet/hocks, file nails and anything else they might benefit from (e.g. ear clean).

That's it for me.

Ours are fed a mix of raw and home prepared foods (fish, veg, occasional fruit, offal etc) plus gluten free kibble from time to time, and shampooed with Doreen Paige products. But I think show condition also means appropriate exercise to keep the dog in optimum shape--diet give you the building blocks you need, and bathing keeps them looking  and smelling nice, but condition comes with the right mix of exercise.

> but condition comes with the right mix of exercise.

Totally.  Remember when the Flattie won BIS at Cruft's?  Rumour had it that the actual body condition was just superb.  When all else is equal etc etc  :-)

Not just rumour, you just needed to look at him and read his critiques for back up. Not bad for a 9 year old dog. RIP Jet.

Tried Raw it doesn't agree with him.

Mine are wire haired gundogs - show condition for me is two parts exercise and one part diet with a dollop of fresh air thrown in for good measure!

Raw feeding gives mine the best coat and skin condition.  Regular exercise keeps them fit and healthy and means that they are willing to put up with the odd day at a show.  They always show and move better outside on grass: they don't care about the weather and, as their coats are so easy, neither do I :)

>Not just rumour

Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound as if I doubted it!

I wasn't there on the day, but watched it at home on TV.  Let's face it, even when it's not your breed, you can still feel admiration for a bloody good dog.  I do remember watching BIS on TV and realised that I was really smiling to see Jet move.  You would have thought that I'd awarded BIS when I jumped from my seat with a cheer.  :-)

Me too!