Originally Posted by bjh (Post 1713683)

If a dog does not have the right personality for show then you have a nice pet. Yorkies that are shy or out of control do not make good show dogs. Yorkies are terriers and should have that terrier attitude. When evaluating puppies you want to see them in their natural environment. The puppy should be confident and trotting around with his tail up. Just about all Yorkie pups get scared at first when they are taken to a strange environment. It is important to socialize a puppy and get it used to traveling, being petted by strangers and walking in noisy places. It takes a lot of time and commitment to train a dog for show, not to mention all the time spent caring for the coat. Unfortunately, you cannot tell personality until they get a bit older.

Originally Posted by bjh (Post 1714020)

I am glad I am able to help. I have only been showing Yorkies for less than two years but in my younger days I was involved in showing and we had one St. Bernard that we finished.
First you want to make sure your puppy has had all of it's puppy shots. Some kennel clubs offer 'fun match' for puppies 3 to 6 months. Much of the work in the beginning can be done at home. The puppy needs to get used to being 'stacked' and walking on a lead. I would get the puppy lead trained first and then see if you can find some puppy training classes. For showing conformation your puppy just need to learn how to move on a lead with head up, stand for examination, and stand still in a stacked position. Obedience training is a whole other story. It is hard to find anyone that offer conformation classes unless you are near a big city. Sometimes someone that does obedience training will let you come to the classes just for the socialization. Of course it is great if you dog and be trained for both but I have never got into obedience training....that takes more time and lots of commitment. I would wait until the puppy is at least 4 months old before I would start taking it to any classes. If there are no classes offered in your area then maybe you could find some other Yorkie or small breed dog owners that would be interested in getting together somewhere. Maybe a park where there is a pavilion. There are all kinds of great videos available on Yorkies that can teach you everything you need to know. I have a dear friend that I go to shows with and she has ordered every kind of video imaginable on Yorkies and showing. I think she gets them from www.sweetyblue.com/. Your best experience will be from just going to several dog shows, observing, and talking to show breeders.

Originally Posted by txshopper73 (Post 1714050)

Welcome! where are you located? I'm sure that there are some wonderful breeders in your area!

Originally Posted by Freyja (Post 1888714)

Do you believe showing can be stressful for some dogs?

Originally Posted by Freyja (Post 1888750)

What kind of lead do you need to start walking with your puppy? How do you teach your puppy stand still in a stacked position?

Originally Posted by bjh (Post 1888804)

I use a kindness show lead for my dogs.
http://www.dog-bows.com/cgi-bin/TheF...EAD&category=0

It takes practice to teach the puppy to stand in a stacked position. It is hard to explain but if you go to some shows then someone can show you.

Originally Posted by Freyja (Post 1712881)

Sadly there is not one reputable breeder around my area. The closest to one would be one or two days away. Getting a six month old puppy is something that bothers me a little. Since I will feel like I missed out on seeing him or her grow. Why would it require a strict contract stating that I will show the dog if I later change my mind and end up not showing him or her? What if you buy a puppy who's father is a champion and the mom has a champion bloodline would you think their off springs have a chance to be show quality? I really want to Yorkie however I wont buy one until I have learned what I believe I need to know first. I have already done a lot or research on the breed to the point that my friends now think I only read anything that has to do with Yorkshire Terriers and keep joking that I know more than any of them about Yorkshire Terriers without ever even owning one. I know that even though I have been reading a lot it can never give me any insight that only breeders and exhibitors would know. Which is why I joined YT in hope that I will gain more knowledge on Yorkshire Terriers. Thanks for every single word you said I don't think you rambled at all. I'm a pro when it comes to rambling on and on.

Originally Posted by kathylynch (Post 1889513)

I have a question is that the show lead you have used on yogi in the past?
was just wondering because i was wattching a video with yogi on it
and he was juming up at the judge did you change the lead you are using because I am also needing to change to a different lead and don't know
which one to choose.

Originally Posted by kathylynch (Post 1889513)

I have a question is that the show lead you have used on yogi in the past?
was just wondering because i was wattching a video with yogi on it
and he was juming up at the judge did you change the lead you are using because I am also needing to change to a different lead and don't know
which one to choose.

Originally Posted by bjh (Post 1890156)

In the beginning I was using a narrower lead and it made him choke more. That is why I changed to the kindness lead. Yogi was a wild child as a puppy.

Originally Posted by Brooklynn (Post 1889922)

Kathy I use the Resco satin padded lead on that web site :) I switched to it and has worked beautifully :)