Hello, I've just joined and would welcome any advice on showing.  At the moment I have a Patterdale terrier bitch pup who i have just started doing Working Terrier shows with ( I know Patterdales can't be KC registered) and an elderly staffiexborder collie.  I have decided that when our oldie passes away I will look for a small breed to do some showing with and possibly agility, the Patterdale is also destined for agility.  So, based on my research and what I'm looking for size/coat wise I'm going to be looking to acquiring a Boston Terrier.  Would anyone have any advice for me on how to go about finding out more about the breed ( I do have a couple of books on them) joining the breed society etc?  I will be attending the SKC show next Sunday to watch the Bostons and to see what goes on at shows etc.  I'm more accustomed to showing ponies and the dogs are totally different!

Hi Jelly, not so very different in the dog show ring the judge will be looking for conformation and movement as they would with horses.

Border Terriers are a nice sensible breed with no exaggeration to worry about the main problem being the preparation of the coat and if you buy from a showing breeder I would ask them to show you how to do this.

Think your ideas of joining a club and visiting as many shows as possible is the right way to go, a good choice of breed they are used for and enjoy doing agility. Unless you have a very laid back Patterdale you will find the Border far more easy going and biddable. Good luck.

Think the poster wants a BOSTON terrier, not a Border?.!!!!

And getting a show quality Boston is a whole different matter!!

> And getting a show quality Boston is a whole different matter!!

That can be quite difficult as the markings have to be right.

So going to shows and getting to know the breeders and lines that appeal and then get on a waiting list from a litter planned would be the way to go.

Most breeders will often be planning several years ahead so ti is never to early to get in on the ground floor so to speak for the chance fo a show quality puppy.

> So going to shows and getting to know the breeders and lines that appeal

It might be worth clarifying what this means, for anyone who isn't into showing (any type of animal). Broadly speaking, pedigree animals aren't necessarily carbon copies of one another - they all have minor diffrrences within the breed standard. In Breed X, lets say, small ears are called for and some breeders' dogs will have this, but Breeder A's dogs will have a better coat but slightly larger ears, while Breeder B's dogs have good ears but the colour of their dogs is not as good as Breeder C's. Breeder D may have dogs that have average ears, colour and coat but the temperament of thier dogs is gentler/more lively/quiet/noisy or whatever. You might personally prefer small ears or a deep rich colour or a good coat, or particularly want a very lively or quieter example of the breed - you'll learn by looking at the dogs at shows which have the features you prefer.

Also where there is more than one accepted colour for the breed, you might need to go along and see who is breeding good examples of that particular colour, if for instance you decide that's what you want. Really though colour shouldn't play a huge part as it's what the dog is underneath (structurally and temperament-wise) that counts!

Think the poster wants a BOSTON terrier, not a Border?.!!!!

Good grief I am dafter than I though I was, ignore me I may go away.

Jackie, I read it as Border first time too, so not just you ;-) It was only when others mentioned Boston that I went back to read it again. But then our brains do just glide over words and we see what we want to see, don't we :-)

Thank you all for replies.  My plan atm is to go to shows and see the dogs, and as suggested see which ones I like.  Would it be useful to join the breed society, I'm assuming they have newsletters etc like the pony breed societies do?  I have a million questions, sorry!  Also, are there any magazines worth buying on showing?

Yes msot breed clubs have club publications and newsletters.