# Conformation & Puppies



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

This is just my opinion: It really helps to let a show puppy get his/her paws wet in the ring, but with the expectation being to have a blast and create good associations with the whole routine of shows. There are specific judges that will put up a beautiful puppy, and certain puppies that win at first but then fade if they become overdone, too big etc. Some shows will make it fun to bring a puppy- like specialties with Sweeps- sweepstakes classes that give a little cash prize and let the pup get some extra ring time/experience. There are some shows that offer Best Puppy In Show etc. The obvious drawback to showing a young puppy is the expense in a ratio to how likely he/she is to actually win points. For a novice owner, it is extra good bc it gives time to learn the pressures, equipment, systems, and routines that you will need to be successful.

One more thing. Once in a while, an extra nice puppy on the right day does win points, but often when you hear that a puppy won, people mean his/her class( like when I posted Lush won 6-9 bitch puppies). This is fun, but it doesnt mean a whole lot more than pure experience for the puppy sometimes, as maybe there were only 1 or 2 babies in the class at small shows. Obviously, at a specialty or with a big entry, it means more. I have been showing Copley as an older puppy very sparsely to get him road experience and get that for myself too. He has won now and then, and gone RWD way too many times lol, but I will not try and seriously buckle down for his CH until he is over two. Too expensive if he is not in bloom as a mature adult.


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## KatieBlue'sMidnightSky (Feb 22, 2011)

So, Lily, would you not worry too much about the puppy not looking all that "perfect" at the time, since it is going through funky growth spurts and development? High rear for example. The point is really to gain experience in the ring and for the pup to associate it with being a great time?


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Iagree with Ljilly. Puppies do need ring time for the experience, but it really needs to be fun for them.
Sweeps are a great place for novice handlers - I love them because we often get to see breeders who usually use handlers getting into (or back into...) the ring and it can be a LOT of fun to watch  It's a good place for newbies, too, because there is less pressure, and everyone is in the same boat - new, silly puppies, and not so many pros in the ring, so it's less intimidating for some.
As for puppies winning - fun, yes, but I don't usually put much stock in it. Very often a "hot" puppy is a flash in the pan. One can't truly predict what a 6-9, or even 9-12 puppy is going to look like when mature, and often puppies finishing young once mature end up being dogs that wouldn't be all that competitive as adults. It's fun, but realistically I'd prefer to see them winning/finishing when old enough to really see what we have. I don't push puppies any more for that reason. I do show them, and it is fun when they do well, but never expect it.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

KatieBlue'sMidnightSky said:


> So, Lily, would you not worry too much about the puppy not looking all that "perfect" at the time, since it is going through funky growth spurts and development? High rear for example. The point is really to gain experience in the ring and for the pup to associate it with being a great time?


 
True enough, but even still, that "funky, less than perfect" puppy should be groomed beautifully and presented as best as possible. (Practice makes perfect!)


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

KatieBlue'sMidnightSky said:


> So, Lily, would you not worry too much about the puppy not looking all that "perfect" at the time, since it is going through funky growth spurts and development? High rear for example. The point is really to gain experience in the ring and for the pup to associate it with being a great time?


To me, this is a question of degree in which a pup's breeder or a professional handler or mentor can be very helpful. Mainly, it is fine to take a youngster in the ring if they are growing through a silly phase but are basically promising& nice. I would not take a very easty westy pup etc in the ring just bc people can be mean and remember. If a good breeder selected your baby as a show prospect, and you have every reason to think you will show her as an adult, put the emphasis on fun and learning how to present the puppy very nicely and go for it!


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> True enough, but even still, that "funky, less than perfect" puppy should be groomed beautifully and presented as best as possible. (Practice makes perfect!)


This is so true. A few weekends ago, a woman showed a cute golden bitch pup, but without really grooming, trimming, or drying her and on a flat pet dog collar. It was like going to the prom in blue jeans, and she was so flustered to see all the other dogs looking so nice.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

I like to get mine out as pups to get them exposed. Matches are good if you can find them. Also, AKC offers a 4-6 month puppy class at some shows. And I can't say enough about UKC shows for experience. I find them very laid back and low stress...


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Results

If you take a look at this link, you can see a show where there is a good sized Open Dog class for a Thursday, but really just one puppy in most of the age groupings. If a show is close enough geographically, it can be fun to take your 6 month old puppy on the weekdays, when the show is tamer. Sometimes Wednesday and Thursday will be really dooable, but then Fri, Sat, and Sun are more bustling.


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## KatieBlue'sMidnightSky (Feb 22, 2011)

Thank you Jill & PointGold! 

~ groom well!
~ have fun!
~ proper show equipment!
~ I get the easie/westie comment, I think, which means to say, don't show a pup with faults they are likely not going to grow out of. High ends are common to grow out of, but eastie/westie usually stay eastie/westie, no??
~ don't go with expectations of winning
~ look for Sweeps events, because they are more fun, laid back & less intimidating to a newbie.

This all sounds great to me! I was thinking of going to Nationals, because some of my friends are taking their 6 month olds.....so a bit of my competitive side kicked in. Also, I heard it was a great place to meet all sorts of breeders and get to know each other - get more connected. I think I'd probably pass out in the ring! LOL! Or sweat so bad they'd have to excuse me from the ring!


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## KatieBlue'sMidnightSky (Feb 22, 2011)

Janice --

UKC, ha? I'll have to check into that. A forum friend of mine had also mentioned matches -- I've not seen any matches being held, at least not recently or in the near future. I don't even know how to find stuff like that. Learning, learning, learning!


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## KatieBlue'sMidnightSky (Feb 22, 2011)

Lily ~

Thanks for the additional info in your last post! Really great suggestions and pointers! 

Thanks!

BTW, how do I find events? I've done the usual Google searches, AKC website search. Are there any other, or better ways of finding out what shows are going on near me? There just doesn't seem to be much going on, but I wonder if I am missing something or not looking in the right places.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

KatieBlue'sMidnightSky said:


> ~ I get the easie/westie comment, I think, which means to say, don't show a pup with faults they are likely not going to grow out of. High ends are common to grow out of, but eastie/westie usually stay eastie/westie, no??


No, actually. I have been told that eastie/westie can correct itself. When the dog's ribs spring it can twist the front feet straight. The other side of that coin is if a young dog has a straight front and then it later develops rib spring it can become pigeon toed. This happened to a friend of mine. One of my mentors said she likes to see east/west in young pups for this reason.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

You can find upcoming shows at infodog.com and then search by state. Remember, shows close 1.5 weeks prior to the show date.

I didn't show my puppy at 6 months, he was very leggy, dumbo eared, and all around awkward looking.  At 9 months, he looked much more proportioned and was RWD at his second show beating handlers, breeder-owners, and much older dogs. So, waiting a few month did pay off...but we still don't have any points!  At 7 months he started conformation class taught by a local professional handler. I learned a LOT and felt so much more comfortable in the ring. You can read all that you want, but actually doing it means more (at least to me!). Toward the end of class we ran a mock show and it definitely helped calm my nerves. I would certainly recommend finding a class and getting busy.

Re: costs. We've spent about $1000 on just entries, gas, tolls/parking, and one overnight stay. That is about 6 weekends of showing and 15 total entries. Not including our supplies like a dryer, table w/arm, shampoo, thinning shears, scissors, other tools, booster bath, and on and on. So, getting your feet wet isn't cheap!


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

You can find matches on www.infodog.com. You can look up UKC shows on the UKC website. And I suscribe to The Match/Show Bulletin...


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Also if you have local kennel clubs, you can contact them to see if they are having matches.


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## Shalva (Jul 16, 2008)

I agree wtih the others.... 

while I do go into the ring at 6 mos and throughout the puppy classes... my goal is for the pup to have fun and enjoy the experience... get some practice and learn what they need to do... 

I don't expect to win (and in goldens puppies hardly ever do) but in flat coats two of my dogs have picked up points in their first shows at 6 mos. old... I have a really cute picture of Cuinn in his first show picking up two points... but I don't expect it... 

I agree with the others... puppies can look great.... and be well presented and well groomed and not perfectly behaved... and thats ok as long as the expectations are reasonable and the pup has fun.... 

I have a geeky gawky wolfhound going into the ring at 6 mos... that ought to be interesting... 

but here is cuinn... in his first win at 6 mos. and a day... you should have seen the look on my husbands face (he was handling) when the judge pointed at him .... even the judge started laughing.... don't ask me why he held the skinny scrawny tail out... I think he was so dumbfounded.... 








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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

You can see that the judging is done now for the above show. Each of the pups has a recorded win, which is fun and encouraging even if no one else was in the class, lol!( Congrats to the big winner of the points- a dog bred by GRF member Sunkissed Goldens:Results http://www.infodog.com/results/2011103002/201110300212800.htm


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