Is there such a thing?  I have seen an advert in my local paper advertising a Companian Dog Show at a large town park near me in aid of Rottweiler Welfare.  I'm assuming this is more of a local dog show.  It says Pedigree & Novelty Classes, Rosettes to 6th.

Now I'm not going to get into the whole showing thing, my dog is my pet, and I wouldn't have the time, patience nor inclination for getting into showing properly, however going to a small dog show for fun sounds like a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

How formal would you expect this to be?  We've taken Millie to puppy classes only so far, still in debate as to whether we take her to more formal training.  One of my views is that as lovely as it is to watch a dog that heels perfectly, walks in step with its owner on the left hand side etc, its not what we want.  When we take Millie for a walk, its for her enjoyment not ours, so she tends to zig zag over the pavement sniffing all the lovely sniffs and that's how we like it really (obviously making sure she doesn't get under passing people's feet as best we can!).  However on the final night at puppy class, when we had to demonstrate what we'd learnt, even though we must have missed the class on walking to heel, she walked lovely in and out of the plastic lemonade bottles, on my left hand side, in time with me virtually and was the only puppy that actually 'stayed' when told at the end of the exercise, so maybe when the pressure is on, she can act like she has had training!

Anyway, I'm wondering whether or not to take her to this show on Sunday - do you think it would be full of beautifully behaved dogs strutting their stuff, or will there be plenty of bouncy, excitable puppies like Millie, who don't actually understand how to walk to heel and the last time was probably a fluke!  Maybe I should just go to watch, but my thinking was, that as its a local companion show, with novelty classes that I may as well enter her in something puppyfied for the giggle, but at the same time I don't want to make a complete fool of myself, having never been to a show before and not knowing what to do.  I was just thinking of copying the person in front of me each time!

Also, would they do all the formal examining of the dogs, or would it just be a 'walk round in a circle, ok you're the winner' type thing, and if the former, would a 7 1/2 month old be expected to have her tail up, standing in the proper pose and all that?  Coz if so, we're stuffed.

Hmmm. I think I've just talked myself out of it.  Maybe I'll just go and watch!

(very upset to see in the local paper last week that there was a Scruffs type dog show nearby, which comprised of categories such as naughtiest dog, prettiest dog etc.  That would have been right up my street!  Oh well, I'll know to look out for it next year!)

You'll be fine - go along and enjoy it!  There might not even be any obedience classes with heelwork -  there will be Pedigree classes and Novelty classes - like Prettiest Bitch, Handsomest Dog, Dog the Judge would like to take home, Best Six Legs, etc.  Loads of pet dogs go to companion shows, so nobody expects perfect show behaviour - it's just a fun day out for owners and dogs!!  With the pedigree classes, you do get some that also go to Open shows, but it's more informal.
  With both pedigree & novelty classes, the judge usually goes over the dog, then all you do is a quick run/walk up and down the ring.  I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
  Hilda

Yeah, no I wasn't thinking of obedience classes, more of having to walk round the ring in the general classes, (or running up and down like you say) and Millie going haywire, left to right, ooh this is fun, what's over there....YANK! type thing.  (for a Scottie puppy, she's EXTREMELY strong!).

But I have renewed confidence now thanks to you! If they have prettiest bitch and dog the Judge would most like to take home, then I'm definately going along to enter her!  I can just watch the rest and enter those ones, if they have them.  We went on the bus today (woke up realising Millie hasn't been on a bus yet so we got on, went two stops, got off and walked over and got the bus home again! :-D) and this cry went up as we got on the bus "oh look, isn't it beautiful" type cries, and when we got to the town stop where everyone gets off, it took ages for the bus to unload as everyone had to stop to pet her as they passed!  If they have classes like that, Millie has them in the bag! :-D

oooh I'm dead excited now!  Red velvet diamante collar is being unpacked as we speak!

And as its England's first game on Sunday, me and her may well go along in matching England footie tops :-D

Companion Shows are totally informal, the only requirement is that your dog is not sick and is well mannered and you can pay the entrance fee. Go and enjoy the day and you may well make some new friends.

Hmmm....well mannered.....oh well!

(joke ;-) )

Go and enjoy your day - the show will have lots of bouncy wriggly pups just like yours - and the novelty classess are great fun too. Just a word of warning - you may enjoy it so much that you'll want to show her again and again and agin .... ( it's how we all started !)

Yvonne W

Go and enjoy yourself, they usually enjoy the mad dogs more than the ones that you can tell are shown!!

They are really good fun, best six legs, dog most like its owner etc.  I love them.

Companion shows are great and no one expects the dogs to behave perfectly. You might even find that your dog behaves better than you expect, mine always does!! Pedigree classes are ok and tend to be a relaxed version of formal classes but in the novelty its more a case of anything goes!! My bullmastiff does well in prettiest bitch which seems to be one of the most popular classes but this is, according to spectators, because she is so ugly, she's cute!!!! Have a go and enjoy. Sam.

Thank you all for the encouragement, I'm really looking forward to it now.  And by hook or by crook, we WILL come home with a rosette, even a 6th place one, or I shall jolly well stamp my feet!  Loudly! :-D

I have a friend who's mum shows Bearded Collies and he said a few months ago, that he would take me with him to a show and he would show one of his mum's dogs, and I'm tempted to phone him and tell him about this as its local to him, but I don't want his mum to know its on and turn up and do the proper show malarky and ruin my chances, ha ha!

Get me, in a few years time, I will be a show addict and I will be like the people in that American film on recently, scuppering everyone else's chances and being a real show b*tch! :-D

Yay, 3rd Place Prettiest Bitch!  I'm very pleased because there was about 30-40 dogs starting off in that class, and the Judge was picking 10 for the shortlist and by the time he got to 9 he was umming and ahhing and going backward and forwarding and finally picked us at the 10th.  So I didn't expect anything after that so to get a 3rd, especially as the rest all seemed like adult bitches (to my very untrained eye lol), was very chuffing indeed!  :-D

Nothing in the 'Dog the Judge would most like to take home'.:-(

And in Best Pedigree Bitch, she was picked for the 7 shortlisted dogs, but was the only one not to get a place :-(.  However, we were up against the pros - dogs standing properly with their legs out, heads up, on show chains etc, and they were all HUGE, none of them actually looked like puppies to me!  And Millie, naturally, refused to stand at all when there was a perfectly good bum to sit on, sat facing the wrong way, and when running, as predicted, she did indeed trip me up, stopped for a chat with another dog, and sat down to eat some grass so all in all, to get down to the final 7 was pretty good going!

But who cares, first show and she got a 3rd :-D

Horribly long day though, they never expected such a turn out - we waited 3 hours for her first class, then a further hour for her other two which came up at the same time.  All in all we were there five hours and it was a horribly hot day (normally I'd say lovely sunny day) but with all those poor hot dogs it was a horribly hot day!

Well done!  At least you didn't come away with nothing, and now that you know what you're doing you'll be looking forward to the next show!  Shame you had to wait so long for your classes - I've been to lots of companion shows, and luckily haven't come across that (yet!).  We went to one on Sat, and all the pedigree & novelty were finished with by 2 pm, though some of the classes were big - most handsome dog had over 40 entries - they almost didn't fit in the ring together!
Anyway, good luck at your next show....!
  Hilda

hi jessthepest,  dont worry you did just fine and you will find the more shows you do the better you and your dog get, you now have plenty of time to practice as the next show that the rottweiler rescue are doing at danson park is on the 25th sept.

Oh excellent!  You're a handy person to know! :-D Funnily enough, guess what me and Millie were practising in the kitchen yesterday - STAND!  LOL  We will be ready for September!

Also, my sister was dead gutted that we had won a rosette, her Westie has never won anything because he's a 'big lad' and doesn't get a look in, but when I told her there were novelty veteran classes that only had a couple of entries, in fact one class just had one entrant, she was disappointed as Max could have come home with something after all, so she'll be pleased to know they're doing it again!

I was just going to ask the same question about entering a companion show this coming sunday,as Ebony is a pet i was wondering should i have a go,and after reading this thread yes i am.

Can i show her in a normal leather collar? I dont think i would go to the expense of buying a show collar and lead just for maybe once a year.

Ella.x. 

Yep..just show her in her normal collar and lead.
Archer

Do have a go :) We entered our dog last summer - first and probably last time and won the class :)

Daisy

Hi, just in case anyone lives near, The Kennel Club are running a Companion Dog Show & Family Fun Day on Sunday 27th June, at Aylesbury Rugby Club, Weston Turville, Bucks, from 11.00am to 5.00pm.  Other events on the day include, The Pug Display Team, Hearing Dogs for The Deaf Display, Wolves, Whippet Line Dancing, (need I go on!).  This would be the ideal opportunity for you to enter and have great fun!  You can enter the dog show on the day, but if you need anymore info. call The KC on 0870 6066750.

Jumping in on  your post ..sorry

There is also a campanion show in Beacon Park Lichfield Staffs
on Saturday,this in inconjuction with Chase Wakes dog show
so is an ideal time to show in 2 shows at once.
All money to rottie rescue

Ella - I took Millie in her diamante collar - obviously she doesn't wear it all the time but I always put it on if we are going somewhere 'special' otherwise people ALWAYS think she is a boy.  Probably because she has a beard.  The funny thing is, this doesn't even work.  People say, "oh look at the lovely collar.  He's lovely.  It is a boy, isn't it...." LOL

I think i will take your advise and get Ebony a new collar as the one she wears everyday is just a plain black leather one . if it wasnt for the brass buckle you wouldn't know she had a collar on

Lets hope they notice shes a girl . Im getting nervous already.

Ella.x.