query for people who are well up with showing. my bitch is entered in lka and she has just come into season, is she still allowed to go?

ALLOWED, yes, there is no rule saying you cannot take her. However LKA is still at least ten days away so you'd probably have a bitch at the height of her season and ready to be mated -bad idea. Male dogs would be very disturbed by it and you'd have every male dog in the building trying to jump her.

As Goldmali says, it's not against the rules to take her, but you'll be very, very unpopular with every single owner of male dogs in the place! It's very bad form in most breeds to show an in season bitch - apart from anything else, she probably wouldn't do herself justice because she'll be at the height of her season and will be flirting with every other dog and not concentrating on showing.

My advice is don't go. There are other shows. Nothing's worth losing your reputation for being a sporting exhibitor. It's one of the hazards of owning a bitch (and yes, I used to show bitches!).

I have to agree with JG you would be very unpopular, and you run the risk of ailienating yourself from the rest of your breed friends. Just not worth it.

Your bitch will also be more likly to get an infection if you take her out, especially to a dog show.

She will gain alot of attention from male dogs and will likely get grumpy with them, making her, from a distance, look like a snappy dog :(

She will not be looking her best (any female will know how she's feeling! :D )

She might be quite large in a certain area which doesn't look attractive and everyone can tell that she's in season.

You will risk your reputation

As your bitch may be in prime time, it won't take an experianced dog very long to get into the right position if he wanted to...mating on the premisis is forbiden and I'm sure you wouldn't want that to happen.

Overall the rules allow you to take her to the show (or any other) but do the pro's weigh out the cons?

we are going to give lka a miss, shame as never been before and was looking forward to a day out with the girls, 3 freinds where comming and we where going to do a spot of xmas shopping. oh well next year maybe. to all of you going best of luck.

well you could still go and do the xmas shopping and it a good time to go with out a dog and sit around the rings and watch other breeds to.watch and lean more about your own breed to.i love going to a show with out a dog.to see other breeds and have chat to oether people in your breed.when you got a dog at a show you alawys to busy so you cannot chat and shop

I agree with Briedog.  If you can get someone to look after your bitch for the day (even if it's just take her for a walk at lunch time and let her out in the garden and play with her for an hour) then there's no reason why you can't go with your friends and still do the christmas shopping.

I was hoping to get to LKA this year on the friday but due to lectures I couldn't get there by a decent time, I booked my train tickets in advance to go straight home and guess what?  I have no lecture in the morning so could have traveled down in the end to get there and meet my parents, showen one of the dogs, had a great time alking to people and only had to travel to birmingham rather then all the way to letchworth!

I'm the same I love gong to shows without the dogs as much as I enjoy taking them. It is lovely to be able to chill out, chat to people and watch whats going on!! As well as all the shopping that can be done!!!