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Originally Posted by patesmom05  To make a long story short (or hey, keep it long!)... How did you guys get into showing dogs? Where did it all begin? How did you learn? What were the early days like?
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I got started in showing yorkies back in the early 80s - in my 20s. Ahhh... to be young again!! Well, I got my first yorkie in 79 and quickly adopted two more since their first mom was moving and could not take them with her. I worked as a vet tech, so she knew me through the vet office. So now I had three. Well, one of my girls was going into heat and I had been learning all about yorkies for awhile, studing lines, the standard, etc... So I knew I wanted to make sure it was a good match. Well, I contacted this breeder that showed and had some really nice champion yorkies. Infact they were also good friends with Connie Hutchin of Progresso. Wow! They got me into showing and becoming a member of our local Yorkshire Terrier Club. I made some more really good friends and learned so much from them all. I learned and got better and my dogs got better, and I started winning. It was all their help the members gave me so unselfishly that helped me learn so much. I was very lucky and I truly appreciate all the help (Knowledge) they all shared. I watched carefully and listened a lot. And I am still learning to this very day.
The early days was amazing, so many people that knew so much. Yorkie people that are now mentioned in books. Wow! I was just in a really good hot spot. I did take a break to raise my own family and returned to showing a few years ago. Once you get the bug - it has you. I love it!
Most of our yorkies back then had a lot of Wildweir lines in them. Topknots were not so fancy - never puffed liked today - and was so much easier to put up. Bows were a lot simplier too back then. No fabric stiffner or fancy stones.
Here are a few photos of the old days when I was much younger.