SHOWING DOGS

Introduction

You have now been told either by your breeder or by someone in the circle of dog showing enthusiasts you have a very nice looking dog why don’t you show him/her?

Where do you start? Your breeder may not be close to hand to start you of on the path.

Dog showing can be daunting the first time you step inside that ring. No matter how much you look forward to showing off your dog.

There is much preparation before hand as a novice. This page is I hope a little help to get you on your path to a very enjoyable hobby.

A very expensive hobby as dog showing is not a penny a show.

The first thing to do, where are ring craft classes held? Now the name says it all, it is a CRAFT.

The best places to look for that information would be your local vet, or maybe your breeder will recommend a ring craft class in your area. Breeders all over will know of a ring craft class near you, or you may have to travel a little for your lessons. It could be your Rottweiler club may hold classes.

Dog showing is also a great way to meet people in your breed and many other breeds.

Your classes maybe held in midweek usually around 6.30pm-8.30pm

They will charge a few pence from everyone at the entrance to cover there expense of having these classes. It could be a local community hall or church hall.

You arrive at your ring craft even this is a little nerve racking. Just remember you’re not the only novice! You could look at this situation in a couple of ways.

1. All these people except a few could be well known breeders or exhibitors and I will make a complete fool of myself.

2. Some novices as yourself with some experts.

You have the knowledge and wisdom of the experienced or you have great fun with your dog learning, after all we all started somewhere.

Rottweilers are normally shown using bait. This could be boiled ox liver cut into bite size bits or your dog’s favourite treat. Now there is a lesson in this part alone.

Don’t be cutting them into bite size bits literarily! lets not have our dog chomping away when we need him to look like he/she is a champion when the judge arrives to you for inspection.

When baiting we use either a bum bag or pockets of our jacket (A little plastic bag might come in handy here inside your pocket.)

There will be many other breeds at your ring craft classes. There maybe other Rottweiler owners able to give you help and advice how to get the best out of your dog.

Remember your dog must see this as fun. A game if you start off like that you will get ten times back from your dog.

Rottweilers are easy to learn making things into a game and lots of praise that comes with it you shouldn’t look back.

Starting with a puppy it’s a great way to socialise with other dogs and people.

LEARNING

The ring craft class you join maybe a hall with long rubber mat.  This maybe in a format of one mat straight up and down the hall or it may look like a triangle.

Everyone with there dogs will be standing around this mat and at the top will be your judge. Everyone will take it in turn to arrive at the judge you will stand your dog in the rottie pose for the judge to have a good look at your dogs conformation and to gently rub there hands over your dogs body, looking for the construction. And also ask to see the dogs teeth if they are all there etc.

Don’t worry if at this point your puppy is playing around and doesn’t like the idea of some stranger or even you wanting to open his/her mouth never force the issue.

It must remain fun.

Both sides of the mouth will need to be shown to the judge

What would be in the puppy’s mind at this point?  Who is this?

Why open my mouth?

Just a gentle rub over by the judge will be fine.

The judge will then ask you to move your dog. You will keep your dog on your left side and at a trotting pace move up the mat to the end and then back again. This will be done twice. Talk to your puppy with words of encouragement don’t worry that people will be listening we all do it at sometime.

On your return to the judge have a quick look to see where the judge is standing and place your dog in the pose again using your little bit of bait to attract your puppy’s attention.

 Your puppy can be standing with feet all over the place at this point the first lesson is learning your puppy to stand still. The command used at this point is usually wait or stand you choose.

A Rottweiler trained to show will  pose more naturally

Once this has been done on many occasions your puppy will learn to enjoy the attention from this person and learn that they are not in anyway a threat and this can be quite a pleasant experience. Always praise your dog after the judge has done there examination giving a little titbit for a reward.

You may find

 after a few weeks of doing this your puppy will start to pay more and more attention to where your hands are. When put your hand into the bum bag or pocket its treat time. There attention will be focussed on you and the judge in the background will be ignored.

This is when refinement of your Rottie pose can be achieved. This will be more detailed in the pictures trying to put that into words is daunting for me!

YOUR FIRST SHOW

Always start with an open show. This supports your local dog clubs and is great practice for you, your dog and the up and coming judges to the dog world. These shows are also cheaper to enter than your championship shows.

The best papers to find out the information where any open or championship shows are held is the Dog world or Our dogs. These are available from your big newsagents or can be ordered through your local newsagent.

There will be advertisements for dog show society’s up and coming open/championship show. Call the secretary for a schedule this will be posted to you.

It will contain a list of your judge’s who will judge the various breeds. These will be placed into groups. The Rottweiler will be under the working group. It will also contain rules and regulations for the show. Don’t get flustered about these they can look quite confusing you will learn about these as you go on showing.

copy of entry form click to enlarge

There will also contain an entry form where all your dogs’ details will have to complete. Those are your dogs registered details from his/her registration form.

You will pay a fee for entering  your class along with a catalogue. a closing date for the entry and of you go and post it.

Keep up with the lessons and attend your first show.

Show day has arrived.

When you arrive at your show on entry you will see a club official at the door giving out catalogues ect. Pick yours up and look in there for your ring that your dog will be exhibited in. Look for the working group and then Rottweilers. Your dog will have been entered as a number in the catalogue. This can be found along side where your name appears in the catalogue. Look for your class also, You will see your dogs name alongside  others your competing against. Memorise this number, as you will be required to ask your ring steward for your number. You will be given this and you will clip it to your ring clip that by this time you should have or bought on the day of the show.

This day is what you have been practising for.

You may come away with a placing or you may not but don’t let that get you down.

I have always told new owners who have decided to go on the show path.

There may have been one judge in the ring but there are many others who are on the outside looking in. who will disagree with that judge’s decision!

This lesson you will learn as you become more involved in showing. You will yourself become one of those looking in and making your own decision on what you thought was the best.

Good luck.

  Remember you took the best dog home!

Baby to best puppy in show

This free script provided by
Dynamic Drive

By kind permission of Jimeva Rottweilers

The Open show is a great way to practice for the championship show scene. Treat your open shows as ring craft. These shows are valuable to up and coming judges who wish to take there judging to another level of championship show judging. So remember they are learning too. Don't be disheartened that your pride and joy never got a rosette. Your taking the best dog home!

These shows are a great way to socialise your puppy  and for you to meet new friends and breeders of Rottweilers.

Open shows are very competitive to some across all breeds and we also have some in Rottweilers.

I have enjoyed the experience and the love of owing this wonderful breed since 1984.

I can remember  my first show and winning my first rosette and going on to winning many more.

I think I travelled the whole of Scotland! to all the open shows.

I won't bother blowing my own trumpet as this page was created to give you some insight into showing.

              In all things we do as a hobby some people take it to another level and can spoil it for the many.

              You will come across these people also in Rottweilers I am sorry to say. As I have said I have been owned

              by Rottweilers since 1984 and I am still learning. So don't be taken in by anybody who can list a hundred wins at open

              Shows it doesn't make them the best.

              When you can list a hundred wins at championship level then I'll say your one of the best!