Starting showing for first time with cockers

[yorkshirelass]

HI there,  we are new to cockers, but have shown our 11 year Weimaraner when she was younger. We also have a 4 year old Border Collie.

I have taken ownership of my mother in laws 12 month old Cocker spaniel bitch, as she has been taken ill and can no longer exercise and care for her as she needs.  She is full KC reg, and we wanted to hopefully have some fun showing her at open shows at first.  However, she is not from a major breeder and as to date has not had any righcraft training.  However, as soon as she comes to us in a couple of days and has settled in I intend on taking her to ringcraft classes.

My questions are :  At 12 months old is it too late to get her used to t he idea of showing ?
2) could I post some photos of her and ask your honest opinion of whether or not she is suitable.

She has correct scrissor bite, fantastic outgoing temparament.  She is Orange Roan and has a full tail.

I have a picture of a head shot to start with and will take a photo of her standing for you to have a look at. 

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/Colley1275/DSC00148.jpg

My daughter is wanting to perhaps start with the junior KC cluib with her and also do her good citizens too. 

Many thanks so much in advance for you help.

Regards Rachel

[Jane S]

12 months certainly isn't too old to start showing - your MIL's Cocker is still young and definitely not too old to learn new tricks It's not always easy to assess whether a dog is good enough to show from a photo but even if she doesn't turn out to be a big winner, you can still enjoy showing her at Companion Shows & Open Shows. Our first Cocker wasn't top quality by any means (she was an orange with hardly any feathering at all ) but we still had fun showing her at the smaller shows and even managed a 5th place at a Championship Show once(though I'm not sure how that happened )

[yorkshirelass]

HI Jane,

Thanks for your reply. 

Most of all Sally will be a much loved member of our family, but having a go at showing her would be fun :-)

I am hoping that by taking her to ringcraft classes it will also be good for her also, I remember taking our Weimaraner when she was a pup and she loved going and meeting all the other dogs.

I will post a picture of her standing tommorrow and see what you think ?  However I appreciate that its difficult to tell from a photo :-)

Thanks again

bye for now x

[sportsmonki]

YKC (junior kennel club) has a lot of different activities to offer.  If your daughter does join I hope she finds a discipline/disciplines she enjoys  .

[yorkshirelass]

Hello, there.  I have recently posted on here because my mother in law was wanting to re-home one of her young Cockers, and there was a possibility of us having one of then and I wanted to ask about showing.

She had done the silly thing that I advised her not to and bought two pups at the same time, with the ensuing chaos.

She is now unable to cope with both dogs as her back is bad...... sigh...

Anyway, she has decided to part with Rosie and at the moment Rosie is living with us.

My daughter and I dearly want to start her in ringcraft classes and take her to some excemption and open shows, however I really dont want to look stupid and take her to ringrcraft if its a no starter.

So I know that its difficult from photos, and also please bear in mind that she has just dropped most of the coat as she has just finished her first season.  But here is a feeble first attempt at a stack - however, its probably done Weimaraner style as that is all I have ever shown !!! lol

Thanks in advance for your help

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/Colley1275/SANY0052.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/Colley1275/SANY0056.jpg

Bye the way, before you ask why they were taken in the bathroom - my daughter took them !!!!

[Gilly]

I've merged your new thread with the original thread which was about the same subject 

[yorkshirelass]

Ahh,  Thanks very much Gilly :-)

[jann]

Hi and welcome to COL, I don't have any experience in showing so can't comment other than that Sally looks gorgeous whatever you decide to do with her.
As Jane said you can have fun showing at all levels anyway, so I would think Ringcraft would certainly be of benefit to Sally

To look at an example of a  young bitch that is currently doing wonderfully well in the show ring have a look at Chelsea's gorgeous Ribbon  ( Look in Photos, Shows, then Ribbon) sorry can't do a linky thing 

Good luck with Sally and  good on you for taking her on, she is lovely   
Jann and Flo

[Jane S]

Sally is a lovely colour but as she is such a finely coated orange, you may find it hard showing her in the very competitive shows (been there and got the T shirt many years ago ). As I said before though, there's nothing to stop you going to ringcraft for some practice and then having some fun at Companion Shows and the smaller Open Shows.

Is her pedigree all show breeding? I was just wondering whether she has any Working Cocker lines at all as her ears don't look as long as some show Cockers.

[yorkshirelass]

Hi there Jane, Many thanks for your reply. 

My mother in law has the 5 generation pedigree and hasn't forwarded it on as yet.  However, I have a feeling from reading it when I did some months ago, that on her mums side three generations back there were two FT CH which I would imagine translates to Field Champion but am not sure.

Would this prevent us from showing her do you think? 

Took some more photos of her head.

This is a head shot - licking her lips :-)
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/Colley1275/DSC00280.jpg

and a side shot

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/Colley1275/DSC00281.jpg

Thanks again.

[Jane S]

She's a pretty girl Yes FT CH means Field Trial Champions meaning there is Working Cocker breeding behind Sally. I think you can see this influence in the head shots (specially the side profile one) which would probably hinder Sally's chances at the bigger formal shows but wouldn't stop you from showing at Companion shows, especially if your daughter is interested in entering handling classes with her.

[chelsea]

To look at an example of a  young bitch that is currently doing wonderfully well in the show ring have a look at Chelsea's gorgeous Ribbon  ( Look in Photos, Shows, then Ribbon) sorry can't do a linky thing 

Aww thanks!! here's linky: http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=28596.msg381809;boardseen#new

As the others have said, nothing is stopping you going to companion shows, they are really fun and a great day out, especially for the kids! I know I loved them when i was younger! Good luck with whatever you decide to do and let us know how you get on!

[yorkshirelass]

HI Chelsea, Jane and everyone,

I am so glad to have found COL, its seems such a breath fresh of air to have really nice people giving helpful advice :-)

Me and Molly are going to do some hunting around now for some local excemption shows and are going to try these out.   

We are due to start working trials with our Border Collie with Wakefield Dog Club and as such are going to ask them if we could also bring Rosie along.  She has an absolutely fantastic nose and today when we went out to the woods she was pointing !! there were lots of grouse - she has fallen in love with Amber my old Weimaraner !! 

Heres a last couple of photos and then I shall leave you all in peace.....

Amber and Rose
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/Colley1275/amberandrose.jpg

and lastly - who said Cockers were energetic ?? lol

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/Colley1275/flakedout.jpg

bye for now

[Jan/Billy]

Heres a last couple of photos and then I shall leave you all in peace.....

we love photos 

They are gorgeous by the way 

[Annette]

Don't you dare stop!