I need some expert advice. I would like to know where you start when you want to show? Whats the first thing you need to do?

Kat

Well, the first thing you need is a suitable dog, :D  which you take to ringcraft classes.  You can obtain a list of these for your county from the kennel club.

Then you probably need to get a copy of Our Dogs or Dog World and send for some schedules for the shows advertised in the back of the papers (once you dog is over 6 months).

Fill in and send the scheules back and attend the show, not forgetting to take your dog, on the appropriate day!

See - Easy :D

Thanks, I should've said first. I am getting a mini dachshund puppy around the end of May. I have already told the breeder that I want to show. This was before the puppy was born. I have also bought Our Dogs and Dog World ( last week). Is it okay to go to any shows before I get my dog just to see what goes on there and do I have to buy tickets? Also, I will be taking him to puppy class after his vaccinations, these are run by my vet. Its mainly for socialization. After this, I get confused. There are many different types of classes around (obedience, ringcraft etc). Can you help me understand these? Which ones should I be going to to be able to show???? I know that I must sound like Mrs Stupid!!!

Kat

Yes you can go to open shows,you will not need to pay an entry fee (to watch) although you may have to at Championship shows.

You will be able to take your pup with you for socialisation from 4 calander months if you enter him as NFC (not for competition) if the show entry forms allow for this.

Ringcraft - to learn how to move and stack your dog in the ring and ring ettiquette
Obedience (pet) - to learn how to teach your dog to be a well behaved dog
Obedience (competition) - to learn how to teach your dog to compete in obedience shows - and there is no reason why you should not do this with a dachshund :D

HTH

thanks, that helps. So I'll start with puppy class, then Obedience (competition), then ringcraft. Well, I am going to check whats available in my area, thanks for your help :D

Kat

As Kerioak has mentioned - ringcraft.  Personally, as soon as your dog has had its injections I would take him to ringcraft training.  I left it until Willow was 6 months old and found it took a lot longer to show train her.  A lot of puppies are practicising from 12 weeks so by the time of their first show at 6 months, they are reasonably well behaved in the ring (as far as puppies can be).  As well as the open and champ shows, look out for companion shows which should start in the spring, they are fun shows which have pedigree and novelty classes and you turn up and pay on the day for these.  These are a good starting ground for beginners - we still have lots of fun at these in the summer. 

Hi Sarahl, do you think that I should leave out the obedience and go straight to ringcraft? Thanks for your advice, I appreciate it. I will look out for the companion shows. I have just looked at the KC site and found ringcraft classes just a short walk from me. I dont get my puppy until May, so hopefully the classes will still be there. Anyway, Im going to phone the person running these just incase its only there short term. Maybe they'll know where the next classes will be held when we are ready for them. The puppy will have had its first vacc. when I get him at 9wks. Cant remember when they get there next lot. Do you think its a good idea then to start ringcraft that young?

Kat

Kat, I think Rover has just answered one of your questions - you can do obedience and ringraft but remember that you don't want your dog sitting in the show ring.  Ringraft classes run all year, some are every week.  We belong to 3 different clubs for ringcraft training which gives us experience of people 'going over the dog'.  The next puppy I have, we'll be taking to ringcraft as early as possible.  Once a month, the ringcraft club holds a match night where all puppies under 6 months compete in a puppy walk, then there is a puppy match, then the adults compete - then the best puppy and adult compete for Best in match.  Obviously, different clubs have slightly different formats.  Ringcraft is also good for socialisation - both for you and the dog and they usually have schedules for forthcoming shows.
sarah

Thanks everyone. Just one more thing. Actually two more things. What is ring ettiquette, the rights and wrongs? and What sorts of things are you and your dog expected to do at obedience shows?

Kat

Hi Kat,  I would suggest that you be very wary of puppy parties at vets, do a search for previous posts. I personally think ringcraft is great for socialising, especially for such a small chap. I show my Labs and I never use the word sit, although I do appreciate that a well trained dog will know the difference.
I have two young pups and I'm counting the days to get them to class at 12wks :)
Debbie

Hi Debbie, I tried to do a search on puppy parties at vets and couldnt find anything. Maybe I never worded it correctly. Anyway, what happened? Aww, 2 wee puppies, bet there beautiful!!

Kat

I started at both obedience and ringcraft when my dog was 14 weeks old, both good for socialising and training. One thing to consider is the sit and stand commands. Obedience will train a dog to sit while ringcraft try to get rid of this to allow the dog to freely stand for the judge. Myself, I use both, I have trained him to know what each command means which is useful as I may be competing at obdience in the future. Some obedience class will ask if there is anyone showing and take this into account and leave the sit out for you, but it worked for me.
Looking at the different dogs in my ringcraft class and there abilities its best to start ringcraft early if you intend to show as soon as you pup is 6 months?

Anyway, the most important thing is you and your pup enjoy each class :-)

Kat just go do the ringcraft & when the time comes enter a show then go & enjoy yourself. thats what we did and got a 2nd 3rd & 4th with our puppy we also had a great day.  Remember Enjoying is the best part for you and your puppy. Take one step at a time. Good luck

Jean :-)

Ps we have never shown before either

Thanks Jean, thats exactly what Im going to do, enjoy myself. Good luck with your puppy.

Kat

Hi,

Whereabouts are you, maybe you're close to one of us and we could meet you at a show to 'show you the ropes', so to speak?

M.

Thanks M, Im way up here in Bonnie Dundee!!!!!!!!!!

Kat

Aah, not me then LOL :D

Anyone else?

M.

Kat go to scottish kennel club site you will find ringcraft class addresses there. Thats how we found ours There will be a phone number. Give them a ring

Jean

Yep,and I found one just up the road from me. So thats handy!! Also there is a dachshund show in Dumfries a week on Saturday. I spoke to my puppy breeder this afternoon and she's going to meet me there and show me what goes on. Really looking forward to it!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks everyone for all your help.

Kat

I can't find them myself now either but IMO ringcraft is plenty. If you find a showing book for idiots please let me know, as it would appear to me that the only way to learn is by your mistakes.
I practise standing my youngsters just once a day at the moment, you will stand him on a table, I use a rubber mat so they feel safe.
I can't help you either cos I'm down in Hampshire just about as far as you can possibly go but good luck and have fun.
Debbie

You can do ringcraft and obedience classes at the same time - I generally do. Just not on the same day so that the pup gets overtired  Many peple will tell you that if you are going to show your dog then don't teach it to sit.  Dogs have much more intelligence than this and mine at least know when I am showing them or working obedience with them - the movements and commands are quite different. 

In obedience the dogs are taught, sit, stand and down, in showing they have only one static position - stand

Peggy Grayson has written a couple of books "Good Showing" and "Good Judgment" that you may find useful

Hi, I think with something as tiny as a 12 - 14 week old mini dachs. obedience training might be a bit too much.  My advice, if you are wanting to show, is stick with the ringcraft.  Just learning one new discipline at a time, with it being first time for you as a teacher for the pup, will be enough.  Also, with ringcraft, your tiny baby will be unlikely to meet any unruly  "off lead" dogs, not being quite as obedient as they should be.  A couple of the ringcraft classes near me run in conjunction with obedience classes, and both of these obedience classes have lots and lots of barking and shouting.  Not always ideal for introducing a babe into the showing world.  Also, your breeder sounds as if she will steer you in the right direction, I dont think I  have ever seen a dachshund doing obedience, and remember you have to take care of that spine, nothing too taxing in the all important development/growing stages, so certainly steer clear of mini-agility!
bye
Gwen
ps  Just a thought, if you have not yet made up your mind about which discipline most appeals to you, why not pop along to some local shows before you get the pup, and see just what goes on for showing, obedience tests etc.
bye
Gwen

Hi gwen, i have a very tiny powderpuff and she goes to ringcraft and obedience and she is very very small,why should the daccies not go to obedience it is good to take them they get socialised and they can always pull out of the class if the dog gets tired,
i agree with not training mini agility at the moment until all the bones etc are more formed , but there are mini agility daccies at the moment some compete others just do it for the fun at training,
i know they are prone to back problems etc but gentle obedience should do it no harm,
Carol

Except for size what is the difference between any 14 week old puppies - small does not equate to delicate?  To my mind ALL dogs should take their owners to obedience classes.  We are heading for a society that is less and less tolerant of noise, mess etc etc and dog owners are an easy target so we should do as much as possible, whatever the breed or size, to make our dogs good citizens and give others less to grumble about.

Perhaps it is just the 2 obedience classes which I have seen are as loud and frankly scary to a pup, but I dont take any of my tinies to the ringcrafts which run in association with them until they are older, bigger, and and have more experience of life.  A lot of the mini Dachsies I know are a little timid as babes, and would be thouroughly put off by the seeming chaos around them.  Then it comes down to what you are tryinb to acheive, for a new owner, who has done no training, I think it is better to concentrate on doing 1 thing well before moving on to another, rather than trying a lot together , it confuses the handler as well as the dog.  Finally, if you have one discipline in which you want to  excell with you dogs, then you are unlikely to acheive the highrst levels by doing a bit of this and a bit of that :).  My dogs get thoroulghly socialised, wether they are destined as pets or the show-ring.  They are taken to ring craft when appropritae, when they are ready, it is only a very small part of their training, they are happy, stable, and years of trial and error have found a method which produces happy, exuberant show dogs and wonderful pets.  I would not dream of saying that someone who wants to do obedience, agility, flyball or anything else needs a grounding in ring craft as well, a well behaved dog and one who has obedience training are not necessarily synonymous!
bye
Gwen

Hi Everyone, Thanks for your advice, of course the most important thing is to look out for his back. They are prone to serious injury. I think I will choose ringcraft classes, especially with him being so young and it appeals to me anyway. I dont think it would be a good idea to do agility. Maybe im wrong of course and probably lots of people are going to say that their dach attends agility and they like it, but this is breed is new to me and I think I should stick to what I feel most comfortable doing. It feels strange discussing what classes we'll be taking together as he is only 2wks old just now!!!!!!! I am going to see him next week and me and my husband are discussing names. Also, I am going to go to my local ringcraft class on Monday to see for myself what exactly goes on.

Kat