Dog Shows

[elyrachel]

 Hi

I have 2 young cocker spaniels one who will soon be a year old and I have been stopped inthe street saying I should show Byron.  I recently saw the breeders who said he is a stunning dog and they regularly show their dogs in Wales and said I should seriously think about it.  The problem Im having is I really dont know where to start, apart from that he needs to go to Open Shows first.  I am living in Hertfordshire and although I have searched on the Internet I am finding it hard to find any Open Shows I could take Byron to and wondered if you could help me on this.

Thanks
Rachel                    

[Jane S]

Hi Rachel

The first thing you should do before thinking about entering any shows is to find a ringcraft class near you. Ringcraft clubs run classes to help train you & your dog for the show ring - they are good fun & there will be plenty of experienced show people there who can give you advice etc. If you ring the Kennel Club (http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/kennelcl...tent.asp?ID=110), they should be able to give you contact numbers for ringcraft classes in Hertfordshire. You should also think about buying one of the weekly dog papers such as Dog World (http://www.dogworld.co.uk/)or Our Dogs (http://www.ourdogs.co.uk/)- both these papers contain adverts for up & coming shows of all kinds from Companion Dog Shows (fun, informal events) through to Open Shows & Championship Shows. You can usually get both dog papers from bigger newsagents or you can subscribe & have them delivered straight to you.

You will also have to learn the art of trimming & grooming for the show ring. Normally I would advise you get your breeder to teach you but this may not be possible as they live in Wales Don't worry though, you'll find plenty of advice on this forum or perhaps you could find a local Cocker exhibitor to teach you.

Good luck & feel free to ask any questions you might have - we have quite a few members who show their Cockers on here so you'll not go short of advice