Western NY Specialty in Albion
- Thread starter Herd4fun
- Start date
tofu pup
Moderator
Honestly, don't put too much pressure on your puppy (or on yourself!). Both of you are learning, and the judges understand that puppies are puppies. As long as she can move a few paces correctly (to show that she can, and that any weirdness is just her acting up), a baby puppy gets a lot of forgiveness in the ring.
I can't tell you how many times I've shown puppies who have decided that they are going to do it "their way" on a given day. I had one who decided that she was going to bark and play-growl and do flips every time I brushed her... in the ring at the National. Another who one day started to "punch" me in the stomach if he thought I wasn't making with the cookies fast enough. Tansy, mom's current puppy, can move beautifully, unless she doesn't want to, in which case she shows the judge that she can jump, grasshopper-style, around the ring. It's delightfully embarrassing.
These are just regular puppy antics (and everyone ringside LOVES them, the more mortifying the better). Each of these puppies grew up (in Tansy's case, is growing up... slowly) and started taking things more seriously. This is your pup's time to be a little naughty, a little silly. Both you and she are still learning - and everyone at the show, including the judge, should be supportive of that. As long as you're polite and do your best to (gently) get her on-track, it's not a problem.
Honestly, don't put too much pressure on your puppy (or on yourself!). Both of you are learning, and the judges understand that puppies are puppies. As long as she can move a few paces correctly (to show that she can, and that any weirdness is just her acting up), a baby puppy gets a lot of forgiveness in the ring.
I can't tell you how many times I've shown puppies who have decided that they are going to do it "their way" on a given day. I had one who decided that she was going to bark and play-growl and do flips every time I brushed her... in the ring at the National. Another who one day started to "punch" me in the stomach if he thought I wasn't making with the cookies fast enough. Tansy, mom's current puppy, can move beautifully, unless she doesn't want to, in which case she shows the judge that she can jump, grasshopper-style, around the ring. It's delightfully embarrassing.
These are just regular puppy antics (and everyone ringside LOVES them, the more mortifying the better). Each of these puppies grew up (in Tansy's case, is growing up... slowly) and started taking things more seriously. This is your pup's time to be a little naughty, a little silly. Both you and she are still learning - and everyone at the show, including the judge, should be supportive of that. As long as you're polite and do your best to (gently) get her on-track, it's not a problem.
exactly!! You want to make it a fun and happy experience. Try not to stress too much!
I know its easier said than done but puppies will be puppies...and I've found judges to be VERY forgiving of the puppy antics and usually smile and chuckle!! 
And ps Tansy is just soo cute in the ring being her puppy self
ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
I find that my Evil-Evie does much better showing for someone else. When I show her, she wants to bite my pants leg and bark and throw her front all over and bounce and ... But when someone else shows her, she is a perfect little dog. I had an old Sheltie breeder/handler (old meaning she isn't in Shelties anymore, not old as in age) handle Miss Evie at some UKC shows, and both of them did a fantastic job. Evie acted like a little angel, stacked herself, walked in a straight line, etc.
That's going to make it more difficult to finish her from bred-by. She is going to be 4 years old before I can show her.
That's going to make it more difficult to finish her from bred-by. She is going to be 4 years old before I can show her.
Justicemom
Forums Celebrity
Diva had a similar style. She liked to jump on the mat steams with both front feet. Why I don't know. Fortunately she outgrew that. Caused many a chuckle as a 6 month old puppy. She learned the ring was a happy, non scary place and that was our goal in showing her that young.
I find that my Evil-Evie does much better showing for someone else. When I show her, she wants to bite my pants leg and bark and throw her front all over and bounce and ... But when someone else shows her, she is a perfect little dog. I had an old Sheltie breeder/handler (old meaning she isn't in Shelties anymore, not old as in age) handle Miss Evie at some UKC shows, and both of them did a fantastic job. Evie acted like a little angel, stacked herself, walked in a straight line, etc.
That's going to make it more difficult to finish her from bred-by. She is going to be 4 years old before I can show her.
I thought in UKC only owner/handler could show them.
Justicemom
Forums Celebrity
From the UKC Conformation rulebook: allowance for someone who is not the owner/co own or breeder of the dog to handle it. I have had a junior(friends child) take in my dogs,they didn't own them but didn't have their own dog to show. A handler did give my breeder a buiness card(why I don't know) at a UKC show once(no kidding). My breeder is an UKC obedience judge, she didn't turn them it that day(she could have) but told them she would if they were handling dogs she didn't own again(2 of the 6 dogs were not hers). One time benefit of the doubt.
c. Designated handler. Any individual who
has been given permission to do so by a registered
owner or co-owner of a UKC Registered
dog may enter and exhibit that dog in UKC
events, provided that the designated handler is
not a professional handler as defined in para-
41
Conformation Rules
graph 3 below.
3. Professional Handler. A professional handler
is a person who exhibits dogs for compensation.
This category includes any person who
accepts any pay, gift, or remuneration of any sort
in return for exhibiting a dog.
a. Remuneration. Remuneration includes,
but is not limited to:
i. Payment for exhibiting a dog in a UKC
licensed event;
ii. Reimbursement for lodging, mileage, travel,
meals, other travel expenses, or any other
expenses incurred at or traveling to or from a
UKC licensed event.
iii. Payment of entry fees by another exhibitor
for dogs owned by the professional handler in
return for handling services.
b. Factors that may be considered in
determining whether a handler is a
professional. An individual may be a professional
handler regardless of whether or not handling
dogs is his/her primary source of income.
Among the factors that may be considered in
determining whether a handler is a professional
handler are:
i. Business cards indicating that the person in
question is a professional handler;
ii. Advertising professional handling services
on a vehicle, in a publication, or in any other
dog-related venue;
iii. Offering professional handling services
through a training facility;
iv. Acting as a professional handler at events
offered by other organizations;
v. Exhibiting multiple dogs, particularly those
that the handler neither owns nor co-owns;
vi. Exhibiting multiple breeds of dogs, particularly
those that the handler neither owns nor
co-owns.
ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
We entered Evie at the last minute, and I had another dog entered in the same class. I wandered around the showsite and actually had suckered someone else into showing her before I found the Sheltie lady. I chose to have someone who knows shelties show her, rather than someone who has never put a dog on a table (my other handler option).
I co-own my landlords Standard Poodle in UKC so that I can show her. My landlord claims she can't move fast enough, but she has put a UKC Best in Show on her, so I think she lies. : )
I co-own my landlords Standard Poodle in UKC so that I can show her. My landlord claims she can't move fast enough, but she has put a UKC Best in Show on her, so I think she lies. : )