when it states that a breed should be shown natural does that just mean you will be less likely to do well in the ring or will it actually be frowned upon and the judges would be cross? my girl is just over a year and her hair is lovely and long but slightly trimmed around feet and about inch in front of eyes and a lot trimmed off underneath where it cant be seen! this was done for her comfort at grooming time but now I am thinking maybe I would like to show her and wonder if we are allowed?
thanks
emma

There is nothing to stop you showing the dog shaved and dyed pink but you will not win. Most beadies coats wear where they touch the floor and are show like that. However I think at an open show your having removed a little from the lower edge may be forgiven. The judge will not be 'cross' they may not place you as far up the line as you may otherwise have managed or they may have a quite word in your ear. Let it grow and in the mean time do some showing to get used to it.

The breed standard does state that the coat must not be trimmed in any way & when judging I would never consider a trimmed dog as IMHO the dog has been prepared by the owner against the KC standard. There are lots of trimmed beardies that are shown & are successful, because trimming the feet & face is fashionable(I know of one top winner whose coat was excessively long(again not allowed for in the breed standard)but on his face between the eyes it was less than 1 cm in length-obviously clipped), but that is down to the judges who turn a blind eye & judge the dog against fashion & not the breed standard.. You will see good judges of Beardies lifting the feet to check the coat under the feet

Beardies coats should not be floor length either

>Coat

>Double with soft, furry, and close undercoat. Outer coat flat, harsh, strong and shaggy, free from woolliness and curl, though slight wave permissible. Length and density of hair sufficient to provide a protective coat and to enhance shape of dog, but not enough to obscure natural lines of body. Coat must not be trimmed in any way. Bridge of nose sparsely covered with hair slightly longer on side just to cover lips. From cheeks, lower lips and under chin, coat increases in length towards chest, forming typical beard.

Long gone are the days when the bearded collie looked like some of these!!

> when judging I would never consider a trimmed dog as IMHO the dog has been prepared by the owner against the KC standard

They'd love that in the Bichon ring! :-)

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The Bichon Breed standard does not state "the coat must not be trimmed in any way " as the Beardie breed standard does, instead it reads

>Coat
>Fine, silky with soft corkscrew curls. Neither flat nor corded, and measuring 7-10 cms (3-4 ins) in length. The dog may be presented untrimmed or have muzzle and feet slightly tidied up.

ergo Bichons can be trimmed or untrimmed

If the bichon standard says "The dog may be presented untrimmed or have muzzle and feet slightly tidied up." that means that they should not be trimmed anywhere else ... and that's certainly not what we see in the ring!!!!

As the breed standard states "may" be presented untrimmed the exhibitors take it as unread that they can be sculpted(which is how one Beardie exhibitor excuses their obvious trimming of their dogs !)

Thanks everyone. I think I should let her hair grow back by the sound of it!!

I agree JG:
Unless you have an ' Ice Sculpture' in the Bichon ring you have as much chance of winning as being struck by lightning.