Show Dog?
 

Anyone show or planning on showing your Yorkie?

We don't show Toto nor plan to [although we think she would win every single time!!] :rolleyes: I think we Yorkie owners all feel the same way!! The track record of her relatives is quite impressive but we signed an agreement and also have a few verbal agreements with our breeder which we take seriously. She just insists on certain things because she cares so much about every one of her pups!! We care so much about our baby we intend to abide by our agreement!! ;) Good thing there wasn't anything in the agreement about spoiling .... we'd be sunk!!! :D

Heheh, so you agreed to not show Toto when you got her? I haven't heard of that one.

Yep! One reason was that they have to weigh at least 4 lbs and we knew she never would [at least that was the educated guess] and the other reason was that we didn't know "squat" about yorkies except what we learned from the books we studied before we got her. We really weren't interested in a show dog except for pure bloodline [we figured we would have fewer health problems and so far so good]. We also weren't interested in having puppies and also agreed to spaying. So far we have been more than pleased with our decision ... she is an absolute joy!! ;)

I used to show my English Setters (or rather, my handler did), and I loved going to the shows! Still love watching dog shows on TV. HOWEVER, showing is all about POLITICS (right judge, right handler, etc.), and I also don't agree with what the AKC and showing has done to a lot of breeds. For instance, they have bred a lot of the hunting instinct out of the setters in favor of fancy, fancy coats and perfect heads. The worst thing that can happen to a breed today is for it to become a big AKC winner or popular through the movies, such as the Dalmations did. Everybody rushes to breed the newest "trendy" dogs. I think in great measure this is happening to many of the toy breeds, certainly Yorkies. Because they are marketing ever smaller dogs, they are, in many breeds, breeding big problems. Higgins is a good ol' garden variety Yorkshire, but he wins a BIG BLUE RIBBON in my heart!

I'm getting off my soapbox now.

Hugs,
Mary Ellen

Good info. Some of the show dogs I've seen (been to one whole local show in my life) don't seem all that happy. I'm sure they are well-taken care of, but Yoda just seems so much full of life compared to them... Always wanting to play, run around, etc. I'd take my Yoda anyday over a snooty show dog! Of course, Yoda's bloodline is from great show dogs...

I do fear people wanting the ultra ultra small Yorkies. A 5-7lb one is bad enough, a little one you would have to be 100x more careful around. We've accidentally tripped and stepped on Yoda a few times and he's as big as he is. If he was smaller, I'd be scared for him. Of course, we were a lot more careful when Yoda was smaller. Now he's big and TOUGH! :)

I'm not showing Otis, although he's won many blue ribbons in my heart.

I'll bet the setters were fun!! They are such gorgeous dogs ... so regal!! And you are absolutely right ... from what I have seen and read the dogs who show don't lead a happy life ... kinda like little girls in beauty pageants!! :rolleyes: And the teeny, tiny ones have been bred with relatives to achieve their tiny size. That's why we looked for one with the pure bloodline .... we wanted tiny but not like that. I think the shows are political also .... we love to watch them but just don't understand why the ones that we would choose as the winners never even make the first pick!! :p And like you ... it isn't important anyway ... we wouldn't feel any differently about Toto if she grows to 20 lbs and grows a horn in the middle of her head ... she is our joy!!! :D ... about that horn .... sometimes she is so mischevous I would swear she has two little ones sprouting out of her head!! ;) Jump on that soapbox anytime ... there are lots of shocking, behind the scenes facts ... overheard a lady proclaiming to be a "breeder" once who actually said "you always want to get rid of the things by 8 weeks while they are sooo cute or you're stuck with them!" I wanted to ask her what happens to the ones she gets stuck with but didn't dare! Didn't want to wind up in jail in Missouri!! :p I was already sitting on my hands to keep from slapping her!! :rolleyes:

In defense......
 

Now then, I MUST come to the defense of the show dog world here......The people who show their dogs really, really love them. And the dogs LOVE to show! My Rachel was an absolute HAM! She knew when to "turn it on" for the judges. Some dogs like it, and some dogs don't, and the ones who don't only last through a show or two, if they show at all. Also, those show dogs lead the BEST lives possible.....most of them sleep right in bed with their owners and are true couch potatoes at home. Hunting dogs actually HUNT, and Working dogs actually WORK when they are not showing. Many also hold obedience and field trial certifications as well as their blue ribbons for breed standard perfection.

I wasn't bashing the people/owners so much as the way the AKC hierarchy has handled a lot of issues.

I love trying to pick winners! And I'm getting pretty good at it, too! Gotta tell ya one true story.......We attended an English Setter specialty show years ago at the lovely farm of one of the top breeders. The judge was an especially stern woman who is known as a fantastic judge but one who NEVER smiles. At this beautiful farm in the country, there were some goats. Well, the daughter of the farm's owner got hold of a goat that was similar in coat color to a blue belton setter and calmly entered the ring with that goat instead of a setter. Had her number right on her arm, she did. And that judge lined them all up and all were set up and ready for her to examine in that "show dog stance" -- including the goat. Wellllll, she walked down the line, spied the goat, and NEVER cracked a smile. Then she said "Will exhibitor number 149 please step forward?" When the goat was brought out and set up, the judge said "I wish to call everyone's attention to the superb presentation of this specimen and compliment the handler and breeder on their decorum. Exhibitor 149 is now excused." SHE NEVER SMILED! DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DID IT! We were convulsed!

I may complain about the showdog world, really more about the AKC, but I still love it! We had a ball and made some wonderful friends.

So now you have the other side. I'm fair.

Wow, congratulations on all the achievements! Quite the popular Yorkies, eh? I think YorkieTalk.com has our first Yorkshire Terrier celebrities! :)

GOOD JOB!!!!! We searched the country over for our Toto and although she had all the qualities in keeping with her pure bloodline [except for her predicted tiny size], we weren't interested in getting involved in Dog Shows nor raising puppies! We wanted purebred because we felt that chances of health problems, etc. would be less likely. Now that she has indeed exceeded her expected size we believe that she could have been good in the "ring"! However, we, like you, are more than happy with her development and that she is the amazing little creature that she is! They DO touch lives and when we are out with her it's so amazing the way people will approach us wondering if they can just touch her! One lady asked me if she was "real"! Lots of people ask if she bites?!! :p We are glad that we can confidently say "No, she will not bite you but she may try to lick you to death!" My Mother [who has lots of health problems and is approaching 90!] just adores her .... she will sit on her lap or just lay there and nap and it gives Mother so much joy! She always says "I believe she likes me!" Although, with all the expense, including the price we paid for Toto, I could've had a new car this year ... :p ... my husband and I wouldn't think of making a single change in our decision! We do lots of impulsive things but we took lots of time, studied books and actually made an imformed decision when we did this and we certainly "signed on" for the long haul!! She has indeed changed our lives and we haven't had a single regret ... she is our Joy!! ;)

My Juliette was supposed to have been a show dog and her breeder was training her as such but because she didn't go up to the expected weight he sold her to me. However we did agree that if I was able to get her up to 5lbs. he would show her. She will however be attending the Delaware Valley dog show on friday, they are going to have a Yorkie rescue/therapy parade, it's going to be a really nice event. ;)

Cool fly-baby! I haven't been to a show in a few years, let us know how it goes! :)

Absolutely, I'll be sure to take lots of pic's for you guys as well.

fly-baby ... wish we could attend the Delaware Valley!! I believe, if my memory serves me correctly, that Toto's Dad, Tyava's Wyatt Earp, won some events there last year!! :) Watch for him ... maybe he will be there this time? Keep us posted ... I know you will have a blast!! ;)