Zucker

How many of you attend confirmation shows with your dobes? Do you show them personally or do you have a professional handling your dog? How often do you show your dog?

Since I'll be getting the pup from a breeder, I'm considering doing some showing with the pup. I'm not all that interested in confirmation shows, so I wouldn't really care how succesful my puppy is at it. However I'm thinkin that this might be a good socializing opportunity for the pup, being around all those people, all the different dogs, all that noise, etc. Plus it would be a great way to meet people.

Murreydobe

I use a pro handler with my dogs..handling is something I've never had the slightest interest in doing. LOL, good thing, because its something in which I have not a shred of talent.

How often the dog is shown depends on their age for the most part. Very few dobermans are competitive as puppies-the puppy classes are primarily used for training. Plus I think you have to be careful about burning young dogs out by putting too much pressure on them.

In the past, I've shown youngsters one weekend per month at local shows while they were in the puppy classes. The young bitch I have now (14 months) was shown 3 weekends in the puppy classes-her handler lives in another state so I've had to travel to show her most of the time. She's done well, with multiple Best Puppy in Specialty placements and also a 3 point major.

Once the dog is trained and mature, they're shown more often..with the goal being to finish them in as few shows as possible.

It's good socialization for puppies-but even if you don't use a hander, it can be an expensive form of socialization. Entries, gas and other expenses can add up quickly. Also, if your puppy is purchased with limited registration through the AKC, it's ineligible to be shown in conformation.

BTW..I dont normally obsess on spelling errors-but its conFORMation, you show dogs to see how well they conform to the written breed standard.

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CH. Birchrun Who's On First, aka Razzle
Foxfire N KO Simply Madness WAC, aka Connor

MaryAndDobes

My dogs show in conformation here in Ontario until they are finished their championships, and then I usually don't bother with it anymore. Occasionally, I will bring a champion to a specialty show, and I definitely support the veterans classes.

My husband or I may show a youngster a few times to start, and then we hire a handler to finish. The handler just does a much better job than we do, and we get the benefit of actually being able to watch our dog. I was in the ring 2 weeks ago handling a veteran myself. The same weekend found me in obedience putting a CD on another.

velmadobe

I show in conformation also. Velma showed for awhile and I tried handling her myself - money was a big issue. I tripped over her when she veered in front of me while gaiting and I shattered my left foot. Wish I had gone to a pro-handler right from the start - LOL!

I did use a semi pro handler after that, but Velma was a reserve queen so I retired her from conformation and we do obedience.

Louise is showing with a top handler. I have on occasion taken her in myself. I do like to practice by going to match shows when they are local, and I recommend match shows to anyone who would like to try handling - it is a good place to learn without pressure.

Louise is currently in 12-18 month puppy class. She only shows on occassion and has one point, a reserve from a specialty, and one sweepstakes win at a specialty. I don't have the money to take her out a lot so it is a little at a time until she is really ready to win............still maturing right now.

I'm fairly good at teaching my dogs to stack, but I stink at gaiting because I can no longer run very well. Dang foot!

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Dillon's Barclay Amy CD RN WAC CGC TDInc "Velma"
CH Cha-Rish A Moment Like This RN WAC CGC "Louise"
Fitzmar's Command A Minute "Harvard" (10 pts/both majors)
http://fitzmardobermans.freeservers.com/

LapDog

I know they have conformation classes...I don't show Duchess...we just have her as a pet...but I have been wondering if people think joining a class to teach them how to show...would benefit dogs for obedience competitions...perhaps learning how to stack...etc...would provide more grace and poise to when they compete in obedience? would any of you guys recommend that? I don't know what they learn in the conformation classes...but in my opinion show dogs combined with obedience training would be pretty impressive to the eye.
...like Duchess will do a stand stay for obedience but its just a solid standing stay...she isnt standing too pretty...lol but she stands her self up and stays put...
so do you guys think its a good idea to take a conformation class without intentions of showing your dog in conformation...but only since it may help with poise, posture, and balance during obedience?....lol might be a silly question

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gatehouse

We show our dobes in conformation too in Ontario and I started with using a pro. I wouldn't hesitate to say the Dobe ring is one of the most competitive out there. I have taken handling classes, gone to an all day seminar, and just basically "stalked" the handlers that I see at the top every time. We purchased a video recorder so now I can RELIVE the mistakes I make LOL. One of the trade offs I made with my husband was a trailer - we purchased a trailer and I'm "not allowed" to use a pro handler ...

One thing that helped tremendously is my dane puppy. She's been a real confidence booster for me, and I've managed 8 points on her (she's ten months old now) and two puppy group placements; she's half way to her UKC championship with two group 3 placements too). My goal is to do it myself from here on in. Everyone starts of at the beginning. So I'm sucking it up and forging ahead

If you decide to show though, make sure your breeder knows this so that you pick the right pup for you

micdobe

You can take Duchess to handling classes for fun, because it can be fun for both you and her. I don't know how much it might help with obedience. Conformation Dobermans are taught to move on a leash without pulling, but so are obedience dogs. In the stand for examination you are allowed to stack the dog by hand if you want to. So you can do that in obedience class, if you want her to stand in a more attractive way, you can position her once she has stood up. OTOH going to handling class would be helpful in teaching you "how" to stack her.

Murreydobe

Yeah, between waiting for Razzle to grow up a bit and the yucky judging lineups we have in the near future, it probably will be November-December before she shows again.

LOL..sitting around waiting for a really good one to grow up is really HARD to do, the lure of the ring is hard to resist. But besides being the most cost effective way to do it, I just refuse to enter under bad judges, hoping I might get lucky. Too much aggravation involved in that.

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CH. Birchrun Who's On First, aka Razzle
Foxfire N KO Simply Madness WAC, aka Connor

velmadobe

I wish I knew more about the judges - just have not been around long enough to know much about them. I know a few and some I would be iffy with. Now with Gwen calling the shots, I just have to trust that she will do right by her. I've been lucky so far that the handler taking Louise back in for winners has been Ashley - and Louise loves Ashley as that is who showed her in 6-9 & 9-12.

If I had the money, we would be out more. I just can't afford to show all the time. I love going to shows....... there are some coming up locally in a couple of weeks. We are not entered, but I will go just to watch.

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Dillon's Barclay Amy CD RN WAC CGC TDInc "Velma"
CH Cha-Rish A Moment Like This RN WAC CGC "Louise"
Fitzmar's Command A Minute "Harvard" (10 pts/both majors)
http://fitzmardobermans.freeservers.com/

Zucker

No, thanks for pointing that out! Now I will (or should) remember! I think I was thinking "confirm" as in to confirm that the dog is according to standard.


It hadn't occured to me that showing a dog could get expensive. Just what sort of money are we talking about? I don't think I would want to hire a professional to show my dog, that would beat the point of doing this for fun and as something to do with my dog. Do you think it would be a futile attempt for me to do this by myself? Obviously skills go into this as I'm reading your replies, but at the risk of sounding naive, just how hard could it be to run a dog around the ring a few times? I'm assuming you would need to be very familliar with the breed's standard as well as have a grasp on what are your dog's strengths and weakneses.

I'll have to go out to some dog shows and watch these people at work! I know a guy who's a vizsla handler and he loves this stuff, he's the one who suggested I should give it a try.