Time to give up?

[tofu pup]

Porbably a stupid question, but I gotta know. How do you trim whiskers off a sheltie? Just with regular grooming scissors?

How fast do they grow back?

I just use a small pair of straight-edge scissors, the sort you get at Sally's for $10. You don't want to use the big long shears!

The trick is to trim ONLY the whisker, not the surrounding fur. So: hold your Sheltie's muzzle in your non-dominant hand, and use that thumb to pull or push the nose away from the side where the whiskers you're trimming are. This helps the whiskers to pop out a little. Then use just the tips of the scissors (open just a little, little bit) to trim an individual whisker, as close to the root as possible. The eyebrow whiskers get trimmed all at once, and the throat whiskers (down under the jawbone) are trimmed individually, like the ones around the nose.

There's noticeable "stubble" poking out within the week. They do grow back quicker than you might hope! (But that just means you get extra practice trimming whiskers. )

 

[Smudge]

I just use a small pair of straight-edge scissors, the sort you get at Sally's for $10. You don't want to use the big long shears!

The trick is to trim ONLY the whisker, not the surrounding fur. So: hold your Sheltie's muzzle in your non-dominant hand, and use that thumb to pull or push the nose away from the side where the whiskers you're trimming are. This helps the whiskers to pop out a little. Then use just the tips of the scissors (open just a little, little bit) to trim an individual whisker, as close to the root as possible. The eyebrow whiskers get trimmed all at once, and the throat whiskers (down under the jawbone) are trimmed individually, like the ones around the nose.

There's noticeable "stubble" poking out within the week. They do grow back quicker than you might hope! (But that just means you get extra practice trimming whiskers. )

Thanks! I have some scissors already, but they are too long for that. I think I might actually pick some up Thursday and give it a whirl.

She'll either be horrified or proud of me.

 

[Strider]

If that's the case, we need to improve our judges' education programs, and fast! Yikes!

Prick ears are a listed fault in the Standard. The ears are to be "three-fourths erect, with tips breaking forward". I'm not sure how a judge could misinterpret that. Besides - expression is the essence of breed type! And the conformationally-correct, per-the-Standard Sheltie expression does not exist with prick (or bat, or low-set, or hound) ears.

To Strider: whether or not you decide to keep showing Deja in conformation depends on a few factors.

1) How competitive is she, not just in her class, but in Winners? If she's getting Reserves, or at least being considered, that's something to think about. If you think she could improve and become competitive for the points, that's something, too.

2) How much time and money are you willing to spend in this endeavor? Only you know this one.

3) How much, emotionally, are you invested in this? That sounds like a silly question, but you could get to a point where she wins her classes every weekend, and just keeps walking out of the ring in Winners. It can be very draining.

Talking about competitiveness in the conformation ring can be hard. You need to make a hard, objective evaluation of her overall quality/competitiveness/faults per the Standard (not just her ears, but the total dog). You'll need to do the same if you are thinking of breeding her. Fortunately, Deja won't care one way or the other about the outcome of this evaluation - and you'll still love her just as much as you do now.

awesome insights

#1) we got Deja as a family companion dog. we never even considered showing her until folk in the local sheltie comunity said she should be shown. Other than her ears, she has a slight fault in her bridge and her back end is slightly up. We have been watching this to see if she grows out of it and she still might. The local experts thought she could compete when she fully matured.

#2) Money is an issue to consider. I don't think I'd go hog wild. We've never planned on taking her to the level of flying around to shows. We planned on showing her locally and in Whitehorse, FBX etc. I don't have a set budget but it's more of a hobby than a passion. as I mentioned above, we got her for our family, not as a show dog

#3) Emotionally, it's a bit of a struggle atm to realize that she doesn't meet the standard to the point that she shouldn't show. I see her as perfect and I think she's an amazing example of shetland sheep dog standard. i see other dogs that have many other flaws but because they are not as visible as the ears, they get over looked.

In the end, to show her or not isn't a huge issue with me but I do see conformation in my future. If we decide to not breed her and keep a show quality pup, we'll probably come chat with one of you fine breeders here that are looking for a good home for one of your champions

 

[Strider]

I've always wondered about the whiskers myself. I like the cleaner look, but I wonder if it would really be worth the trouble for me since Smuff is just...well. Smuff.

Something else Jennifer gets to teach me how to do. Hehehehe. I have thought about doing it once just to see how both of my dogs would look like without them.

Deja is a great looking dog either way, and I'm kind of jealous that you get to do flyball.

Deja's whiskers are all grown out but we will be trimming them again.. it's like plucking eyebrows honestly. Very smooth and such!

No need to jealous on the F-Ball! come join our team!! We need more players!

 

[Smudge]

No need to jealous on the F-Ball! come join our team!! We need more players!

Ok. Let me get my private yacht ready and I'll be right over.

 

[Lightplum]

awesome insights

#1) we got Deja as a family companion dog. we never even considered showing her until folk in the local sheltie comunity said she should be shown. Other than her ears, she has a slight fault in her bridge and her back end is slightly up. We have been watching this to see if she grows out of it and she still might. The local experts thought she could compete when she fully matured.

#2) Money is an issue to consider. I don't think I'd go hog wild. We've never planned on taking her to the level of flying around to shows. We planned on showing her locally and in Whitehorse, FBX etc. I don't have a set budget but it's more of a hobby than a passion. as I mentioned above, we got her for our family, not as a show dog

#3) Emotionally, it's a bit of a struggle atm to realize that she doesn't meet the standard to the point that she shouldn't show. I see her as perfect and I think she's an amazing example of shetland sheep dog standard. i see other dogs that have many other flaws but because they are not as visible as the ears, they get over looked.

In the end, to show her or not isn't a huge issue with me but I do see conformation in my future. If we decide to not breed her and keep a show quality pup, we'll probably come chat with one of you fine breeders here that are looking for a good home for one of your champions

I completely understand what your saying, my first show girl was a learning experience to say the least, and while she has her faults I wouldnt trade her for anything nor the experiences we had with her! I have an engraved name plate in my tack box so she is at every show with me even if shes not showing. Since her every dog I've got has been better and you build on the previous one, you learn what you like, what you can live with and tolerate and what you absolutely wont!
Like myself its a hobby more than anything else and I wont be jet-setting to the shows either!
I guess what im saying is you'll get there it may take a few years but keep on persevering and moving forward with what you like and you'll have the CH someday soon!

 

[tofu pup]

Lightplum's hit the nail on the head. We all start somewhere. Our first two girls were just not "finishable", and my poor mom bumped along until she figured it out. It didn't mean that they weren't wonderful, wonderful Shelties - they were the best companions we could have asked for - but Mom needed to be completely honest with herself about what they could and could not do. They lived out their long and happy lives with us as beloved pets, because we just couldn't bear to place them.

Hearing an honest critique of your dog can be extremely hard, because as Strider says, you love your dog and think he/she is perfect. I don't think anyone can be 100% objective, especially when it comes to the hard decision of whether or not to place a dog in a loving companion home. (I wouldn't ever want to be 100% objective about anything involving sentient beings.) But decisions about showing - and ultimately, more importantly, breeding - require honesty and objectivity.

Deja has a forever home with you (and a job as a flyball dog that looks WAY more fun than trotting around a ring!), so you have leeway in the decision whether or not to keep showing. Taking a little time to let her mature (and keep those ears in tapes!) might be a great idea.

 

[Smudge]

I see her as perfect and I think she's an amazing example of shetland sheep dog standard. i see other dogs that have many other flaws but because they are not as visible as the ears, they get over looked.

I know what you mean. Jennifer's mom had a sheltie (that now belongs to Jennifer) named Rose. Rose was good in every way, except for her teeth. However, her teeth were spaced to where it wasn't as obvious that they weren't perfect. I don't think she was ever finished. Rose is still a very good family pet.

 

[Caro]

I must say the initial decision not to continue showing Tully was tough (as was the decision not to get a litter from her) - but doing flyball and agility competitions now I see Tully is much better off, she loves to run, loves being around the other dogs and its so much easier being desexed.

You know its going to become tougher once you start competing in flyball with 2 dogs. If you are still having fun with the confirmation and learning keep going and maybe make the decision when you need to.