Show Equipment Checklist?
 

Can one of you awesome knowledgeable people that we love please please please post a note or a sticky of a good list of things you need in order to show a dog? Like a good checklist or something?? It would be much appreciated. Also, are there any good books/movies/websites to check out??? Thank you soo much!!!

oh yes i will keep for updates...

There is a difference in what you take based on whether you are going away or close to home shows.

Sections:
Grooming Supplies: shampoo, conditioner, towels, combs, brushes, etc...

Tack equipment for ring side: pin brush, comb, bows, table, wet wipes, paper towel, table cover if you use one, table arm, leads, pen, catalog, extra rubber bands, water bottle with water, tack carrier, etc...

Carry Equipment: cart to roll carriers, table, and tack box equipment on from car to grooming area and ring.

x-pen, dishes,fans, cooler, water from home, and food

Forgot chairs for ringside too.
And I always bring copies of their vaccinations, just in case someone asks.
Here is a photo of my young one at the last show.

The equipment required is great; equipment required for your hotel room and equipment for the show site.

Crates - one for travel, one for the hotel room.
Water Bottles.
Grooming Equipment
X-pens
Grooming Equipment.
Wheels
Grooming Table - arms
Ringside table
Chair
Table Cover
Crate Pads and Doggie Beds
Hair Driers - one for hotel room - a small one for show site
Paper Towels
Wipes
Pee Pads
Wheels

Dependent on the show site - if it is indoors or out - a pop up tent for shade. A generator if there is no electricity.

The list goes on and on.

This is a good start :)

I have started condensing my stuff down for hotel and set up and of course ringside I just have a brush a small comb and my table and my small bottle of anti-stat.

Donna

That is what I started to do too. I am also down to just one chair too at ringside for my hubby. I am too anxious to sit, nor can I eat till after the show.

i am assuming that most of you drive to your shows....because that is a lot of stuff to bring on to a plane...hehe....and considering the weight of some of the stuff take about the cost...goodness...i hope one day i will be able to show...heheh

Thank you guys for your posts! Are there any tables that you recommend? Also, is there a good supplier that I can get a catalog from?

Yes, driving is a norm for most of us. The only that fly is for special shows. Even for the NY Speciality, I know many top breeders/exhibitors from her drove to NY. Just easier than shipping your equipment to the hotel.

You can show - you just have to get out there.

I got mine at a show for discount (on Sunday) right before they were packing up. Here is another site that sell tables: MARDEL Grooming Tables

Petsedge also has tables: PetEdge: Alternate Images (this one is for at home).

You do have alternate equipment when you are flying to a show: However, the standard procedure is when you are flying to a show such as the National is to have your equipment shipped ahead of time. Or, if you're real lucky you have friends that live in the destination location that will provide you with equipment.

Most of the shows here on the west coast are out doors, so you don't leave your equipment set up overnight. You have a set of wheels that you place a crate on top of and on top of that crate you attach a grooming table top....Makes it kind of nice since you can move it from ring to ring, instead of having a permanent set up.

Boy, I really botched this one up. I meant to say - yes, most people drive to all their shows. Reason why some of us now have RVs. Just easier and feel like your home and stuff is with you.
Specialties - still many of us drive there, even the one in NY. If the show is far away and one has to fly they ship their stuff ahead of time. It is cheaper this way. I know people around my area that still drove to NY for the Specialty and they were showing there and at Westminster. If you saw the Merit Award Winners - two of them were from my home state. So competition is very tough around here in my neck of the woods, but we have a good time. :thumbup:

Mary, many of the shows in FL in the 80s were outside. I know Tallahassee and WPB were inside, but most all others were outside too. Now, there are mostly inside shows. I like these better, in case the weather gets bad. There was a show I went to last year in NC, it was inside - but way too hot. I thought we were all going to faint. Many did not show back up on Sunday. I was glad I was only entered in that show for Sat. and did not have to return.

Tina,

I was so spoiled in Texas with air conditioned show sites, although there are a few that have the grooming area in the barn areas.....But, the weather in California isn't as hot.....so, most show sites are outside.

Yeah! I know there are several that drive to NY, but the cost of parking sometimes exceeds the cost of your hotel room.....

I also bring an emergency first aid kit. Small cooler filled with ice and a cold pack, and of course water.

I have two pairs of shoes, one I show in and one for all the other time.

Extra show collar/lead, in case one breaks, or goes MIA

I've now started to use those Sham Wow's instead of paper towels, much more economincal, and they seem to dry overnight.

Now a question; is it really hard to show Yorkies in outdoor shows? I've never shown Razz in an outdoor show but am considering it. What do you do about the wind/breeze that often comes up out of nowhere? I know for those that have RV's they could groom inside - but don't have one of those - just the van.

Gemy,

I have a container that fits in my grooming bag, it has two sides in it One side I keep several leads on the other bows.

Yes, you have to deal with the sudden breeze that comes up....you just deal with it. What is the most difficult thing I had to do was to get the dogs use to showing on grass....

Thanks Mary. Did you practice first in a park on the show lead with your dogs?. Razz goes for walks n hikes as you know - so he is used to feel of the grass. But I've not tried to show him on the grass... Umm think I will try 2morrow. It's finally getting sunny and warm here! yipee

Last wkend even though an indoor show the breeze was blowing through and I found it very difficult to iron coat and in particular to put in the topknot. So I begged a spot out of the breeze and then things improved. I'm going to see if there is someway I could set up in my van if worse comes to worse, breeze wise.

We do have that problem with the BRT's too - how-ever I've learned to do the show cut off site... then if God is good and gives me no wind I can touch up the topline a bit prior to show. Even though lots of problems with outdoor shows, there is nothing to beat them on a grand sunny temperate day!.

Thanks again

Yes, we practiced in the grass. However, not all show sites will have their lawns mowed prior to shows.....so the grass tickles their tummy, causing them to tuck their croup, making them appear roach backed.

Oh joy... hope the grass gets cut then..

Walking in grass is hard for any yorkie, let alone wet grass. We had one show that was outside and had been raining. It let up just in time for our class. Sweet. We went on. What is that saying, through sleet or rain we shall show, show, show!! LOL
I have shown in 17 degree F weather -well I think it warmed up to about 25 by the time we went in. And has hot as 95 in a building with open doors and no AC. That was hard. I would rather have the cold. Reason you need warmers and fans, just to be prepared.

If it is windy - just remember everyone is going through the same as you. And wishing maybe just a tad we had a short hair breed at that moment. LOL Not!;)

Living in Texas...show sites are indoors so one becomes very spoiled. The only time I complained about airconditioning was the Shrevport LA show site. The airconditioning was so cold...I had to put towels around the dogs to keep them warm....I think I had icicles on my eyelashes.

And hope it gets RAKED. We have actually raked rings prior to showing.

Also for those who show outside...walmart sells a battery operated two speed fans which attached to x pens or will free stand. They are wonderful and the batteries last a long time.

Thanks I'll take a look for them next time I'm at walmart

I've purchased some fans that have an ability to attach a frozen item to add coolness to it. These fans can be attached to crates with no fear of causing harm to the dogs. I do have other fans that I take along. But, if you are at a show site, such as Ft. Worth Exhibition Center or the Denton Fair Grounds where grooming is in the horse barn, and the temp is 98-100 degrees, with 90% humidity, nothing helps.

After you groom your dog in a place that hot, you probably need a little grooming yourself. ;) It can get pretty hot here as well, but at least there is no humidity.

Audrey

I;ve not seen those. Are they at wallmart too? I do have an electric mist fan - which is most often useless here - as our norm is if we have heat,we have lots of humidity!

I have two huge black fans, bought at Canadian Tire they are the best for our Blackies, range of blower speeds, and boy they can keep their long beard dry and the rest of them cool on a hot day. Of course we need electric for them, and that is why we had to purchase a generator as some show sites either don't have electrtic, or it costs an arm and a leg to rent!.

I remember in Missouri, when we had our 2nd US National specialty the temp was 90 in the shade all weekend. We set up under some trees, started up the generator, put up the sunscreens, etc, this poor woman came in the afternoon to show a herding dog, he was just panting from the heat. She asked if she could set up by us, we said yes of course. I could tell she was so worried about the heat and her boy, I said look come closer, we can angle the fans so your dog gets cooled down. Also we had ice cubes that we used, and gave to her dog too!.

It's great when exhibitors all work together. We stayed together all weekend, and we traded off looking after our equipment, water etc, so our dogs, were never left unattended.

Those fans that you can attach to their crates, can be purchased through PetEdge, they run on batteries.

I love when there is comraderie amongst exhibitors.....in makes for such a pleasant time. I don't understand when people are so cut throat and aren't helpful.