A few questions

[bjh]

I would love to have some input from the show people on the following:

1. In selecting a show prospect bitch, which do you prefer if all other things are equal: A leggier tall bitch or one with a cobby body (balanced but shorter in leg). Which do you think does better in the show ring?

2. What kind is diet are your show dogs on.

3. I have hear that you should not use flea treatment (like Advantage) on show dogs because it harms the coat; what do you do to control fleas.

Your feedback would greatly be appreciated.

[YorkieRose]

I used to love as much leg as possible...but the tide has turned back to the less leggier Yorkie. I would look for a medium leg...

Mine eat Merrick, canned and kibble, and I cook a lot of human food for them. I have found it helps prevent pancreatic problems to vary the diet with fruits, veggies, cheeses, meats and kibble..
When I kept mine on a strict, no human food diet, many would get a bite of chicken or turkey and have gastric upsets that needed the vet...

You can give oral flea meds if needed...I prefer to keep the enviroment flea free....but do use oral meds in summer...

[bjh]

Originally Posted by YorkieRose

I used to love as much leg as possible...but the tide has turned back to the less leggier Yorkie. I would look for a medium leg...

Mine eat Merrick, canned and kibble, and I cook a lot of human food for them. I have found it helps prevent pancreatic problems to vary the diet with fruits, veggies, cheeses, meats and kibble..
When I kept mine on a strict, no human food diet, many would get a bite of chicken or turkey and have gastric upsets that needed the vet...

You can give oral flea meds if needed...I prefer to keep the enviroment flea free....but do use oral meds in summer...

Thank you for your input. I prefer the medium leg too but there are so many different looks in the show ring it is hard to know what is proper. Actually, I like them all, tall or medium if the soundness and balance is there.

I have never fed Merrick. Right now mine are on Chicken Soup and Canidae and I try to give them healthy treats. I do have a weight problem with a few of mine but that is my fault and we are going to have to work on that issue.

I use the Advantage on my Yorkies but not on my show boy. I have never tried the oral fleas treatment so I will have to check them out. We live out in the country and even though mine do not go outside, I still get fleas every now and then. We have a lot of feral cats around and they are great for keeping the mouse and snake population down but they do bring fleas to the yard. I try to keep the area around the house treated but it seems like an endless battle. It never gets cold enough here in Texas to totally get rid of the fleas in the winter so we are battling them year round.

[Ladyhawk]

I love the movement on the leggier bitch but I have noticed that they (judges) seem to be picking them small and dark lately. For a pup I go with a bit more leg because it seems safer than a shorter pup who may end up way too long at maturity.
I feed Nutro and have had excellent luck with it though my mentor is pushing me to try Eucanuba.
Fleas are a problem here in Va and I have been using Frontline but would love to find an alternative. I absolutley hate giving heartworm pills.

[YorkieRose]

Since we moved to south Florida..I give oral fleas meds all year and of course, heartworm is a big problem here...mine never got fleas in MD, no clue why???

[bjh]

Originally Posted by Ladyhawk

I love the movement on the leggier bitch but I have noticed that they (judges) seem to be picking them small and dark lately. For a pup I go with a bit more leg because it seems safer than a shorter pup who may end up way too long at maturity.
I feed Nutro and have had excellent luck with it though my mentor is pushing me to try Eucanuba.
Fleas are a problem here in Va and I have been using Frontline but would love to find an alternative. I absolutley hate giving heartworm pills.

I do not get to many big shows other than those here in southeast Texas so I really don't know what judges are really picking in other parts of the country. I have a couple of young females that I am watching and hoping I might get a show prospect. I do think leggy Yorkies look so much more elegant in their movement.

I have tried Eukanuba several times in the past and I alway go back to Canidae or Chicken Soup. The Eukanuba has corn in it and my Yorkies always have more stool and it is definitely smellier when they are on it.

[Ladyhawk]

I'm happy with Nutro but I would like to try a good suppliment for coat. Connor doesn't have a ton of coat so every hair is precious. I would like something to support hair growth and prevent it from being brittle. I have him in oil and wraps but thought working on his coat from within might be a good idea. Any suggestions?

[bjh]

Originally Posted by Ladyhawk

I'm happy with Nutro but I would like to try a good suppliment for coat. Connor doesn't have a ton of coat so every hair is precious. I would like something to support hair growth and prevent it from being brittle. I have him in oil and wraps but thought working on his coat from within might be a good idea. Any suggestions?

Have you tried any other dog foods. The Nutro has a lot of corn and grains and really not enough meat. I don't use any supplements so I can't help there. Maybe someone else can give us some good suggestions.

[Bravo916]

Originally Posted by Ladyhawk

I love the movement on the leggier bitch but I have noticed that they (judges) seem to be picking them small and dark lately. For a pup I go with a bit more leg because it seems safer than a shorter pup who may end up way too long at maturity.
I feed Nutro and have had excellent luck with it though my mentor is pushing me to try Eucanuba.
Fleas are a problem here in Va and I have been using Frontline but would love to find an alternative. I absolutley hate giving heartworm pills.

I have noticed that same trend out here. The smaller darker dogs usually finish faster compared to leggier dogs of the same age. Leggier dogs look more lanky and gangly because their coat looks so much shorter compared to a smaller dog (even though in acutallity it is the same length). My dog is definitely on the leggy side--he just turned 17mos old and his coat is still a half inch from the ground!!

For a bitch, I would pick one who is middle of the road. I am saying this based on the premise that you do not intend on specialing her. With a medium stature bitch you will probably have coat to the ground at 12-14 mos (and could very likely have her finished by then) and there is less worry of her blowing coat each time she goes into season while she is still in show coat.

Another trend I have witnessed happening out here is that the judges are witholding placement of soft-coated/black dogs--even puppies. They arent being disqualified but they are not awarded ribbons either. This happened at the last 2 shows out here so it will be interesting to see what happens this weekend with the same dogs.

[Brooklynn]

Originally Posted by Bravo916

I have noticed that same trend out here. The smaller darker dogs usually finish faster compared to leggier dogs of the same age. Leggier dogs look more lanky and gangly because their coat looks so much shorter compared to a smaller dog (even though in acutallity it is the same length). My dog is definitely on the leggy side--he just turned 17mos old and his coat is still a half inch from the ground!!

For a bitch, I would pick one who is middle of the road. I am saying this based on the premise that you do not intend on specialing her. With a medium stature bitch you will probably have coat to the ground at 12-14 mos (and could very likely have her finished by then) and there is less worry of her blowing coat each time she goes into season while she is still in show coat.

Another trend I have witnessed happening out here is that the judges are witholding placement of soft-coated/black dogs--even puppies. They arent being disqualified but they are not awarded ribbons either. This happened at the last 2 shows out here so it will be interesting to see what happens this weekend with the same dogs.

I like a leggier yorkie but has to be be balanced equal height, equal length. I've never had a bitch blow coat while I specialed one actually I've never had a yorkie to blow coat hmmm that is a new one on me....I guess it can happen if they are what I call a modified silk. I've never had my true silk coated yorkies blow coat nor my cotton coated bitches....I've had yorkies now for about 9 years but of course I haven't been showing or breeding that long but have never came across a yorkie blowing a coat. LOL

[Bravo916]

Originally Posted by Brooklynn

I like a leggier yorkie but has to be be balanced equal height, equal length. I've never had a bitch blow coat while I specialed one actually I've never had a yorkie to blow coat hmmm that is a new one on me....I guess it can happen if they are what I call a modified silk. I've never had my true silk coated yorkies blow coat nor my cotton coated bitches....I've had yorkies now for about 9 years but of course I haven't been showing or breeding that long but have never came across a yorkie blowing a coat. LOL

Having a dog I dont have to worry about seasons but I keep hearing people with bitches complain about they "blow" coat (aka lighten) each time they go into season. Gullible me believes everything they tell me lol Is this something that actually happens or is it just an excuse for a bitch going light?

Thanks!

[Brooklynn]

Originally Posted by Bravo916

Having a dog I dont have to worry about seasons but I keep hearing people with bitches complain about they "blow" coat (aka lighten) each time they go into season. Gullible me believes everything they tell me lol Is this something that actually happens or is it just an excuse for a bitch going light?

Thanks!

Actually "blowing" coat means "losing" coat as in hair coming out...in a double coated breed they do blow coat but a yorkie being single coated they don't normally blow coat....now some bitches do lighten with a season, that's common. My specials bitch would lighten up in the rear during season like she had running gold but as soon as she was finished it was back to normal. Now over the years she has lightened up but that's also in the genetics. I hope this made sense
Donna

[bjh]

I have never had a bitch blow her coat but I know of a couple Yorkies that were owned by others where the bitches actually lost all the coat on their hindends. I think it is a hormonal thing that can happen.

[Ladyhawk]

Some of my gals coats get thinner after they whelp. I think it is like with a human, the loss rate slows down during pregnancy and than plays catch up after the baby is born. All is due to hormonal changes of course.

[Bravo916]

Heehhe...I guess "Blowing coat" is the West Coast version of "lighten" as it pertains to Yorkies. I always thought it was weird hearing it called that, especially since I have a friend with a Malamute that litterally blows coat in the spring (it looks like you could assemble a whole sled team with all of the hair that dog loses).

Sorry for the confusion guys!