Hi do any of you know where there are any ringcraft lessons for COMPLETE BEGINNERS near Gateshead or Chester le Stree, Co Durham.  When I say complete beginners I mean where the person running the class will show and help me stand and run my dog.

Hi, there are quite a few in this area.  For just ordinary ringcraft, with lots of frinedly people on hand, but no one specifically there to give you one to one tuition, there is a Wednesday night class in Newbottle, or a Thursday night class in Nettlesworth.  On Tuesday there is one at Triple A near Washington (now called Pet something??? forgotten what, but still inphone books etc as Triple A), and they also hold a course for complete beginners, which might be jsut what you are looking for.  they ocver everything, including filling in entry forms etc.

There is also one in Birtley, I think on Thursday evenings.

hope this helps

Yes that helps thank you very much I only live a stones throw from Triple A so I will give them a ring.

My friend lives at C Durham, I will check where she goes and get back to you.

If your a complete beginner all you really need to do is tell the organisers and they will endeavour to help you, as everyone starts somewhere, but most ringcrafts will have a  core of experienced exhibitors who bring their new pups so don't need any help, just the opportunity to practise.

> If your a complete beginner all you really need to do is tell the organisers and they will endeavour to help you,

With the ringcrafts I mentioned, they are pretty much set up for the more experienced exhibitor, I am afraid, and novices will pick up tips from helpful onlookers, but may be very confused by the conflicting advice given!  The advantage of the course I mentioned seems to be that they are all beginers together, and are helped with things they would not even know to ask about.  They can also take time to learn, rather than being hurried along by people impatient to have their turns.  Don't know if ringcraft all over is quite as competitive as it seems to be round here, but long hold ups in the queues while people ask questions or are shown techniques would get an adverse reaction from many waiting for a turn.  It may be because the sessions can get incredibly busy, and sadly lots of folk have a "me, me, me " attitude.

Hi I have just been onto Triple A, they do hold a course for complete beginners but it is really pricey and also she recommends I do a puppy training course first which is more money and then they have the ringcraft sessions on after the course for beginners.  I suppose it is the only way I am going to learn properly, but very pricey:-(

It does cost more than the regular ringcraft there (which is £3 per session)  I don't think that the puppy class is necessarily helpful, and might even be a problem for a potential show puppy, as they do sits and things.  IF you want to go along to one of the ordinary ringcraft sessions, and would feel happier to have someone to talk to, I am more than happy to meet up with you and talk you through it - i ma afraid I can't go tomorrow, but could go next Tuesday.  That way you could get a feel of the place, and decide if you want to fork out for the full ringcraft package.  How old is your puppy, and what breed?
bye
Gwen

Hi Gwen that would be lovely, she is a weimaraner and she is 10 weeks so she is getting her second vac this week then can start going out next week.  That does sound better as the puppy course is about £30 and the ringcraft course is £70 so just going to the ringcraft course would be better.

In Response to gwen
Around here there is often too few people to keep ring craft going, and I think there is only two in Bristol.

Several have had to close down as they didn't have enough people regularly to pay the hall rental.

> Around here there is often too few people to keep ring craft going,

I think we must have a thriving dog show population round here. Within 20 miles of where I used to live, I think I could have gone to ringcraft every night of the week if I had wanted to, with a choice of 2 on at least 2 or 3 evenings.  With the exception of 1, which is rather quiet, the others tend to be almost bursting at the seams most of the time, especially on the run up to Crufts, and the start fo the outside showing season.  I don't think anyone woudl be deliberatly offputting to a newbie, but when the classes are so busy, and the people going over the dogs are members taking turns, rather than trainers, you would have to be a very determined, not to say pushy, novice to get the attention I think someone needs to train their first puppy.

That's why I recomended Triple A (now My Petstop) it is one of the big Pedigree "Pet Resorts", and whilst a bit more expensive than the dog club ringcrafts, it  has dedicated trainers, great flooring to give pups confidence, and the advantage of the proper novice course, aimed at people with absolutely no knowledge of showing.  People can then move on to Ringcraft, either at the centre or one of the other local ones, having already mastered the basics.

It is one of my bugbears (as a search of some previous posts will show) that there is not enough opportunity for the novice to learn technique.  So many try to learn simply by copying what they see, without knowing what is actually happening, or being able to judge if they are copying a good or bad handler.  I think this is one of the reasons we see lots of very poor handlers, misunderstanding such techniques as stringing up for instance, to the detriment of the dog.

Hi Peaches 123,
OK, she is probably a bit young for a week or 2, when you are ready let me know - you can PM me here or my email is in my profile, and I will meet you there, then you will have a friendly face or two to chat with, and Puppy can come in and have a look around without any expectations.
bye
Gwen

Gwen, Thats so lovely of you, wish i lived near you!

Good luck Peaches123.

Lois. :-)

Yep wish we had such good ring training around here.

Maybe it is because we are in easy reach of a lot of Open shows that people don't bother so much with the ring craft????

Okay Gwen thank you I will email you in a couple of weeks to arrange to meet you.  Can't wait.