Showing dog question
 

So i have read on here about a few of you all that show your dogs...now are these dogs pets or are they just show dogs that you are just trying to get to champion status so you can breed them? I am just curious as i have met some people that look at them as a hobby instead of the beloved pet they should be.

showdogs
 

I think you will find most are beloved pets..they may be one of a houseful, but they are loved as pets.
Of course, to some it is a business. They only count the titles and their ranking in the numbers...but you find that everywhere.

Glad to see i am not the only one curious about this ? It is something i have always wanted to do so i try and gather as much info as possible

I use to show years ago and now returning since my human kids are grown. But my show babies are and have always been my pets too. They are well loved and in the house. You do have to watch out for their coat. Some I had in wrapes and some not and just in oil. I hated it when my handler went on the circuit and they would be gone for awhile, but their wins made up for it.
Pat is right - it does depend on the person. Some have them as pets others they keep at arms length. Some said it would ruin their show attitude and coat if they had them as pets. I didn't agree with this.
T.

I have 3 girls that I am showing and 2 not for show . All my girls are leaving in the house with me .

Showing dog
 

My kids are my pets first and showing or breeding stock second. Buster will look oh so pretty when groomed and ready the day of the show. Check him out at home- he is in the back yard chasing the birds- leaves in his hair and his topnot in his face.

I have tried a new groming method- I am not wrapping or oiling the coat. His coat is down all the time- it is still growing and we are winning in the ring. It makes for a happy dog.

I think the pet/show dog has a happier attititude then a straight show dog. I want my dogs to want to show-if they don't then- we stop. It is like being a parent and trying to force a child in to sports for your own gratification.

I have tried a new groming method- I am not wrapping or oiling the coat. His coat is down all the time- it is still growing and we are winning in the ring. It makes for a happy dog.



What is the new grooming method that you use ?

showing
 

I have shown and even finished a few champions..like T, I am starting again. I took a long break, got burnt out and needed to do other things for awhile. Now that I have retired from grooming I have time to think about showing.

It is hard to allow a show prospect to have as much freedom as a companion in pet coat outdoors. It does depend on the dog...I have had some who could not walk across the grass, they had to roll around, wet dirt was perferred. Some would lay on the concrete patio on their backs or rub their butts against the fence..so they had to play indoors.

Not wrapping or oiling
 

Buster and Dixie are not wrapped- and go in and out just like the kids that are cut down. They play in the grass- nothing is different. Dixie has a coat that drags the ground and Buster (13 months old) is just touching the floor and is filling in. I have not wrapped or oiled either one of them. They have full run of the house.

coats
 

What the standard says and what goes in the ring are two different things.
Many champions are soft. Some judges are not coat judges, they look for structure or a pretty head.
Some judges will put up a really good structured, showman with a soft coat over a silk coat with poor movement, tail down or poor structure etc.

Look at all the Brazlian champions people are buying...many are very soft.

There are many Brazilian yorkies also with silky coats. See photos! I think no matter where you go - US, Brazil, Europe, etc... you will find the cotton and the silky coat. That is just life. :animal36
Many of the dogs in Brazil and across the world came from the US and many from our top US kennels/lines. And many of our US yorkies - lines came from England.
T.

coat
 

I hope I did not sound like I was putting down the Brazilian dogs. Being here in south Florida I see many and most are soft....BUT these are the ones the breeders are selling. Like any breeder they tend to keep the best.

Pat, I agree with you about breeders wanting to keep the best. But wouldn't we all! If I had a litter - I would want the best and keep the best. That is just how it is.
I use to live in Florida - we had silky coats and some soft coated, but this was back in the 80's. I think people tend to go with what is winning. If you have judges give wins to the soft coated then that is what is popular or it seems to be. But many of the soft coated I have seen - usually have dead level toplines and great bone structure. You can correct the coat texture a lot faster than the bones. That is just my opinion and what I have noticed and share this opinion with many top winners across breeds.Bone structure is your base - your fondation. I have seen a lot of the lighter color yourkies with terrible toplines - they end up roached back. But again not all light color yorkies have this problem. You have some that are that way, the same as you have ones with cotton coats.
You just need to look at a lot of yorkies, study the lines, know the standard and judge each yorkie on its own merit. :)
T.

Sorry for spelling errors in last post - it is getting late.
Yes, you just need to look at each yorkie as an individual and deside for yourself. It is hard to have that perfect yorkie - matching each standard stran to the t. I wish I had that perfect dog. :D
T.

Show dogs
 

My yorkies that I show live in my home just like my other beloved pets!! They are all part of my family.. I do oil and wrap coat, but they still have full roam of my home.. I also cover my furniture and they are all couch potatoes! I honestly believe when you are showing you and your dog needs to have a great trusting relationship and I have a hard time believing you can have that without them being in your home and a part of your family! My yorkies are such a big part of my life that I no longer work outside the home.. My husband and I decided that our dogs would not be caged all day while both of us worked.. My life is my dogs and I honestly believe that have fulfilled my life in so many wonderful ways! ;)

Melanie

Standard
 

There is one AKC Yorkshire Terrier Standard, but there is NOT one perfect yorkie! I have always said if could take this and put with that I would have the perfect dog.. When I am at a show I have noticed alot of yorkies that have certain characteristics that do not meet the standard.. From Cotton/Soft to modified coats, bad toplines, bad tail sets, bad ears sets and bad bites! I have also been told that some show yorkies have their coats colored, ears tied and so forth.. You also have to remember that in the show ring it is not always the nicest yorkie that wins, as alot of it is very political! Sometimes it is the human holding the lead that wins not the dog they are showing! :( JMO

Melanie

Showing
 

We live out in the country. We have lots of grass/ burrs/sticks/leaves and the dogs are exposed to all of it. The more you brush a dry coat the more hair breakage you will have.

Melanie, what are modified coats? What does it mean to have the ears tied? Sylvia

.Ok I have a question for you show ladies ;) I am in the process of training my girl Whisper. I plan on showing her later this year but she hates the lead. How on earth do you get a dog to like the lead lol. Also she walks with her tail up really nicely off the lead but as soon as I put the lead on her she tucks it down. ok one more question I have heard of teaching a dog to free stack, how is that done?? thanks in advance I need as much advice as I can get!!! :) On one of the pics you can see what I mean when I say tail tucked lol...

Smiles, :)
Myra

To get them to like the lead - you have to practice, practice, practice. You can also use liver bait as a reward, if you like. Never pull on the lead or jerk it. When they are young, I place the lead on then, drop my end of the lead and let them just get use to the weight and feel of the lead. Just make sure you are there to watch the lead and make sure it does not get caught. I only use it this way when practicing to walk next to me. From there you can pick up your end and practice walking.
Tail will come up once they feel comfortable and that is if he does lift his tail up when not on the lead.
There are confirmation classes offered often by your all-breed and speciality clubs.
Do you know the different types of shapes judges will have you walk your dog in the ring - triangle, straight up and back, etc.. Get a book that will tell you all this. Do you know what to do once in the ring and when you have to go back in if you have won your class? Make sure you do.
Stacking - practice, practice, and practice. Make it an enjoyable task for them. Never jerk them or yell at them. They do make stacking stands, so that they will learn feet positions and after awhile - they will automatically do it themselves. You can reward them, I would, with praise and bait if you like.
And then there are some dogs that hate to do ring stuff. And no matter how long you practice or make it enjoyable for them - they won't do it right ever. I had a gorgeous male - perfect coat, texture, color, gait, bite, etc... Well, he hated the ring. He was a shy dog and didn't like to be in the ring. It spooked him - all the sounds and people. I kept entering him in, thinking he would get use to it, but never did. I finally just stopped and just kept him at home. One person here - I think wnalegria, said that attitude is half of it - to get them to show and win those points. She is right!
Remember, there is not that perfect yorkie or dog. They all have their faults and your job is to know what they are as well as their best features and allow their best features to show more than the faults. I would never dye my dog or tie their ears up, but you know what I mean.
Best of luck! :D
T.

Lady of Yorkies - good questions. Tieing the ears up means that one would take the hair stands near the ear base and pull these hairs into their topknot or tieing the strands of hair so that it make the ears go up more. This helps to correct a wide earset and makes the ears go up more (closer). Check your standard - you do not want a wide earset. Tieing the ears or a big no no! But there are some people that do it - everywhere - US and abroad. :eek:
T.

Showing dog
 

Adjusting the topknot to catch a few of those little fine ear hairs to help correct ear set has been done for many years. There are also ointments that can be used under a dog's tail as an encouragement to hold it up. Some will enhance the dogs color with additives. Some also will stuff a dog before being shown to help fill out a thin body. Folks will bring a bitch in season and set up or have it walked around the other male dog competitiors. Will cause some males to not behave correctly in the ring. The list goes on and on.



Talk to an old breder or handler there are a lot of tricks to the trade that have been used over the years to help win. It isn't always the best dog that wins.

I used a clicker to train my last little girl. You click and then treat when they are moving correctly (at first just moving:)). My girl caught on to this very quickly and now moving on a leash is one of her favorite games. I also used the clicker to teach her to watch my finger which has evolved into a beautiful free stack on the table as well as the floor.

CJ

leads
 

When I see a puppy with show potential I start getting them use to a lead.. I will usually at first get them use to a collar (having something around their neck), although I NEVER leave the collar on all the time! Sometimes I will take the lead and put it on them and let them drag it around only under supervision!! It also always help if they have a favorite toy that they love as you can use it also to train them to walk on a lead.. I use liver bait also! I have recently started ordering my bait from "www.greatbait.com" my dogs love the liver bait they sale!!

I can honestly tell you with my Tegan I actually crawled on the driveway with chicken in my mouth to get him to start walking on a lead, LOL!! No kidding!!

Melanie