Family fun dog shows? Um, help?

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Pix

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We're off to a local (but quite large) country fair on Saturday, and of course Loki is coming along as it's a great opportunity to socialise and to be honest, I'd feel pretty bad if he was left out of this kind of day trip.

The problem is.... I may have, last night, in a moment of wine-fuelled merriment, accepted the 'challenge' to take him into one of the fun dog classes (cutest puppy, or something along those lines).

Now the problem is I know nothing of dog shows, even fun ones. I've never even really stopped and watched a class at events like this, especially in recent years as I haven't had a horse of my own so I'm drawn to the horse events like a moth to the raging flames of hades.

I know I'm going to have to go through with it unless I get a great excuse on the day, as if I don't my arthritic and senile old man has threatened to take over and do it himself. Which would frankly just bring shame on us all :p So what should I expect? Will we have to go around the ring on our own? Or a group? Or just line up? If he decides he fascinated by another pup/crisp packet/somebodies funny hat or simply just won't behave will I be banished or made to wear a dunce cap? Should I try to get him a smart collar for the day? :confused: He's in a cheapo one at the moment that's a fraction too big as he's growing like a weed and I didn't want to get him a good leather job for walkies until he was done with his weed impressions.

Sorry, it's turned into quite a ramble with a lot of questions :( Anybody who reads this far may share my wine. If you have some advice (this includes excellent excuses for chickening out :p) you're welcome to the bottle!
 
How old is he now, because even for fun shows they have to be 6 months. Assuming he is old enough (and you can't use his age as an excuse), if you got in the pedigree classes, which are usually the first 4 or 5, he would be eligible for puppy and depending how the classes are split, non-sporting or pastoral. In those classes you would probably have to stand him and move him individually, and maybe show his teeth depending how efficient the judge is. In the novelty classes usually all the entrants line up round the edge fo the ring and the judge walks round and looks them over, if its best condition or similar they may check teeth, ears etc for cleanliness. Unless they are too up themselves no one should take it seriously and be bothered if Loki decides to treat it as a big game. Good luck and we will of course expect loads of photos..
 
Thanks Flamehead! I'd need either luck or large amounts of booze to get through it unscathed :p

Murphysminder- I was hoping it wouldn't be at all that formal in a family dog show :( But! He is only 4 months, so it sounds like I may have a good excuse for being a wuss! The website doesn't have the normal 6 months+ restriction on the puppy class like I've seen on adverts for companion/KC events, it just mentions a novelty cute puppy class type thing, so will have to see and hope it's not some sort of 'open to all ages' thing on the day. It sounds quite informal in that you just pay at the ringside, but I've only ever competed at horse shows and dressage so I have nowt to compare it to :(
 
Aah, well if its not a kc companion show you may have lost your excuse. I just presumed it was a kc one as they seem to be quite heavy handed about shows having licences. The rules may have changed but at one time kc reg dogs were not supposed to be shown at unlicensed shows, though not sure how the powers that be at the kc would find out.
 
Oh I had no idea KC dogs couldn't/shouldn't take part in fun/novelty classes :o I had assumed that pure breeds and cross breeds entered these kinds of classes together, and the judge awarded on the day to the one that suited the class title regardless of breed standards and that sort of thing (I'm thinking classes like cutest pup, handsomest dog, best 6 legs etc). I had thought it was nice that it was open to everyone, and that somebodies pet with show breeding etc. had no greater chance than a cross with an incredibly wagging tail :D

If it isn't the done thing though I wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes, we can always watch after all :)
 
Stop wussing out and take him in to any of the classes they will let you enter!:) if its like the family dog shows round here everything enters - all ages, pedigrees etc The classes are usually named The waggiest tail, Veteran class, best rescue, most handsome dog etc etc :D:D

St Sweep won the Handsomest dog!!:cool::D
 
I really ought to be less of a wuss :o I'm sure I must have felt this kind of a resigned dread before competing with horses the first time, I just don't remember it because I was so small. And these are meant to just be fun classes as well! I should hang my head in shame for utter wussness!

ETS- St Sweep would should win that one, he's a gent :D
 
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The classes will be fun and if they are puppy classes they won't care if he is being a little bit perky!!:D In fact the cheeky ones normally do better then the ones who appear to be behaving!!:eek::D If they are puppies they will cut them slack.:D

Besides he is soooooooooo cute he is bound to win something other then attention!!:D:D:D
 
I fear we've left cute behind! Sad times! Hard to be cute the size he is, last time I weighed him at the vets (he was stung by a wasp, pretended he was dying, I raced him to the vet and essentially ended up paying nearly £50 for him to eat biscuits and lick the lovely vet lady :mad: ) was over 3 weeks ago, and he was 16.5 kilos then :( we've had several growth spurts since. At the moment I'm having to substitute 'cute' with 'who's a handsome little alligator then?! You are! Yes you are!' :o
 
Pix said:
Oh I had no idea KC dogs couldn't/shouldn't take part in fun/novelty classes :o I had assumed that pure breeds and cross breeds entered these kinds of classes together, and the judge awarded on the day to the one that suited the class title regardless of breed standards and that sort of thing (I'm thinking classes like cutest pup, handsomest dog, best 6 legs etc). I had thought it was nice that it was open to everyone, and that somebodies pet with show breeding etc. had no greater chance than a cross with an incredibly wagging tail :D

If it isn't the done thing though I wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes, we can always watch after all :)
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I'm obviously not explaining myself well, they can take part in fun novelty classes at kc reg shows, but technically not at unlicensed shows . As I said this may have changed, it is a long time since I ran an exemption show, as they were called then. You will find plenty of kc reg dogs at companion shows, in fact I am sure I am not the only one disgusted by the "pot hunters" who take ch show winning dogs, and even those with res tickets to companion shows, can't see what satisfaction they get to be honest. They do tend to go only in the pedigree classes though, won't lower themselves to the fun ones!:( At an unlicensed fun show you can probably blag your way into a class with Loki, so I really wouldn't worry about it.
 
Is it Chatsworth by any chance? Its great fun. :)

When we entered a couple of years back, it was all in the ring, walk around together, walk around on your own, and then judge looked over the dogs, asked questions about them but it was all very informal and the format was slightly different for some of the classes like Waggiest Tail :D

This year we're sticking to the terrier racing though as I'm at Burghley on Saturday. :(
 
Sorry MM just read back and I was being dense/not understanding the basics. I see what you mean now :)

I take it pot hunters are a kind of doggy equivalent of those with top class BSJA ponies that nevertheless trawl the 9 nearest counties for local shows where they can get away with entering every class going for the sake of a rosette?

Yeah it's Chatsworth Tinkerbee, I'll probably miss the terrorist racing on Sat as it's in the morning :( Though secretly I'm only really going for the have-a-go archery. I like sticking arrows into things.
 
I love Chatsworth Fair *whispers* I actually find it better than the CLA! Good luck in the dog show :) last time I went it seemed to be genuine "have a goers" winning most of the rosettes! And enjoy sticking arrows into things as well :p
 
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