I have decided to retire my dog after Crufts this year......He is 7 yrs old this year..and I feel that enough is enough.  We have shown for the last 4 years and he has a very big coat that obviously is  necessary for the ring.I have a mixture of thoughts, some sad etc. I know he is fed up of the grooming, I can just tell and am looking forward to clipping him off. It has been a great roller coaster ride, ups and downs etc.Even if he wins BOB! (yeah right) I am sticking to my guns.But to you,my wonderful little man, a big thank you for everything.x x

If you and/or your dog are no longer enjoying it then I think you are very wise to pack it in - for now ;-) I've found that after a while I start to get the jitters, and need to get back into the ring :-D

One of my girls hated it that much I retired her early (when she wanted to show she would win her class, and maybe get even higher, but that was a very rare occasion LOL) Her grandson, on the other hand, just loves it, and you see him start to preen the minute I put the shower on :-)

Enjoy your dog for what he is, not the piece of card that he could give you. Good luck.

Same thing with Alice.  Decided that crufts will be her last show and when she comes home will trim her coat.  "What if she does well" says OH.  Oh dear decisions maybe the occasionally veteran class.

CarolW

That is what is so nice about having a breed which is shown as it comes,mien are never truly retired, I rotate them and the oldest ones tend to come out with the rest at club shows.

Yes they do sometimes look  awful after a heavy moult and wors after a litter, but teh rest of teh tem they are pretty showable, and competitive well into veteran years, often not at their best until 6 years of age.

Also with a low number of CC's for the breed I think it is easier not to overshow them.

Same here Brainless :)

We have seen several dogs in our breed win BOB from the veteran classes :) 

My dogs are 8 years and 3 years, and I've lost count of the number of times I've been told "I thought they were puppies!"  LOL

ETA - IMO the time to stop is when you or the dog (or both) no longer enjoy it.  I retired my oldest bitch after she made Ch.  Not because she doesn't enjoy it, but she gets so excited going to a show that she screams non-stop in the car, which makes it very stressful for us :(  Now tho, she gets miffed when we leave her at home (we really need the rolling eyes)

My boy is nearly retired and he's 6 this year. Having said that I've entered him in a few shows this spring, whereas last year he only did Crufts and one or two open shows. He has 19 BOB so I admit I'd quite like to reach 20! :-D He often does get beaten by the up and coming youngsters, but he got his 19th BOB only 3 weeks ago, so he's not quite past it yet. As long as he enjoys it and doesn't look bad next to the youngsters, we'll have a few more tries. And fingers crossed he will have fun in veteran next year!

My Friends boy got his first CC at 6 and then another 6 months later,a nd at Windsor last year the RCC behind the breeds top winner of the last two years, and is regularly placed in the first three or four in Open in classes in double figures (he is 9 now). 

Of course I wish he could have that 3rd CC, but we are pleased with this late bloomer who is as hard as nails, and only betrays any age by having grey on his muzzle.

A word of warning.  Having recently had to clip off one of my boys (pre amputation) its easier said than done.  I know my circumstances were different, but it broke my heart to clip him off.  Its easier said than done!  If you've got a coated breed, you spend soo much time looking after it, it really is hard when you've clipped off all that coat that for years you've looked after and pampered!!

Jill

I know where you are coming from. I think I will need sedating to go through with it! Having said that I have had big coats clipped off before and the dogs seem happier. I know it will definately be better on those really hot days......having said that I havent booked him in yet, that is definately a glass of whiskey job!

I've retired my Cavaliers & although I haven't clipped them off I have trimmed their feet & thinned Loukars coat

OMG, have just looked at your profile ponk and that is some coat!  I have a smooth coated breed because I don't have the patience to deal with a coated breed.  Good luck.

I had to laugh at the OMG bit! Yes looking after that coat has been a labour of love! LOL  

LOL I have enough trouble dealing with my own hair in the morning without having to deal with the dogs bad hair days too.  I salute you for having the commitment to do it!

good for you. I made a promise to Generous, who hates general champ shows, that once he got his 3rd ticket he could retire!!! Now hes a ch. he just does working trials which he loves....and the odd breed ch. show which he tolerates as its only our breed there and not horrid barking other breeds! (which he hates!)

Aw, that's lovely, and it may yet come. Unfortunately in my breed these days it's always the youngsters that get picked, it's a rare dog that gets a top placing after about 4 years old, and if you haven't made a dog up by about 2 or 3 it will probably never happen.