I've finally plucked up enough courage to let you all know that I've decided to enter Dyna in her first show this coming May 7th. She'll be entered in the Puppy Class as she will have just turned 7 months then. I'm nervous as hell, but we've got alot of work to do! My breeder has been extremely supportive of all these, he's agreed to cover the grooming costs and help with part of the handling fees!!

Here's Dyna in my amateurish attempt to teach her to "stack"


Anybody has any idea how to teach her NOT TO DROOL at the bait?? :rofl: Are show dogs allowed to drool??

Moley, she is lovely! what a lady she is becoming, she will do wonderfully Im sure, dont be nervous, she will be great!

Oh Mole! You are sooo funny! If drooling wasn't allowed in the show ring then all Newfoundlands would be out of the ring! :laughingsmile

Boy, what a pretty lady Dyna is becomming! They grow soooo fast, don't they.

A few ring tips: practice, practice, practice until all the nervousness goes away. Remember, your attitude goes right down the lead to Dyna. If you're nervous then she will be too!

Everyone in the ring with you is a puppy too. Judges don't expect puppies to be perfect. They just want to see them move, so practice that and they want the puppy to hold still long enough so they can go over it with their hands.

Hold your bait down a little so Dyna isn't extending her neck upwards. Her head should be straight forward - not down or up. This way the judge can feel her shoulders. The dog should be standing almost naturally.

Her left back leg looks good - you could move her right back leg back a little to get more extension.

Front legs look pretty good. The foot should be placed straight down from the shoulder.

Go for it! You and Dyna will do great! :clap

GoldenMom

She's looking lovely!

I personally don't practice much with my pups as I find that you can easily cause them to be ring sour. I teach mine to stand still for a few seconds and thats about it. I want them to have fun in the ring and show animation. One thing you can start practicing is to place bait around the room in various places and trot her around like you would in the ring. In the show ring there is usually bait all over the place left from other handlers. Goldens tend to surf the floor for treats and so when you are trotting they have their head down to find whatever people have left behind. Use the leave it command and a little "pop" on the lead.

Another thing I would do with her is never give her a treat unless she free stacks for you. Whenever you want to give her a treat, make her do an attempt at a free stack. It doesn't have to be perfect at the start but as long as she makes an attempt. Later on when she is more experienced you can expect more from them.

The one thing I always try to do with my dogs is to have fun in the ring. This will make them want to please you in there as they find it fun! Good luck!

Oh and by the way, the drooling is normal! I always carry a towel with me to the ring to dry up any last bits of drool. You can carry a small cloth in the ring too!

Oh she looks wonderful!! I am sure she will do well. Good luck & just enjoy it!! :clap

""DYNAMITE"" WHAT A GIRL :clap SHE IS LOOKING WONDERFUL,, SO JUST GO AND HAVE A GREAT TIME AND BE SUPER PROUD!!!!! :thumbsupsmiley

GOLDENMOM AND SID GAVE WONDERFUL ADVICE, :clap

IM SOOOOOO EXCITED FOR YOU :jumpingsmiley1 NOW GO AND HAVE FUN AND REPORT BACK TO US ALL AS SOON AS THE SHOW IS OVER :thumbsupsmiley

OMG... how did i miss this!!

Mole!!! How cool! You must be so excited!

It is amazing how fast they grow up. WHen I did the trial with Sophie I was stunned that she was actually old enough to do it.

Dyna looks great!

As far as the nerves...after the first showing, the nerves calm down a lot...

You should have seen me the first agility trial. LOL... I was a wreck.

The most important thing is to have fun! If you do that Dyna will surely look her best.

Goodluck!
Chris

So its all systems go for tomorrow!! I'm so stressed....

So the professional handler that will be handling Dyna is from Thailand (whom my breeder had flown in to show his Doby) and he had a final evaluation of Dyna's readiness to show yesterday. This afternoon we brought her to let him work with her so that he familiarises himself with her good points and faults. He is instructing Dyna's breeder on specific touch ups that he want, etc... GOSH!!! I truly appreciate all the efforts going into showing a dog now!!! :shocked:

For the umpteenth time I've been told that Dyna is FAT and that is why her topline is sloping... :bangheadsmiley He commented that Dyna has great lines, great looks and great overall structure BUT I HAVE TO WATCH HER WEIGHT!! He launches into instructions on how to take care of a pup, training, etc... I felt really really stupid but I guess he means well... :kicksmiley2 So I'll make myself as meek as a mouse and absorb everything that he has to teach.

Oh yes, he even instructed that tomorrow, when he is in the ring with her, I'm to stay out of her sight!!! Its because she gets distracted by me, she always want to run back to mommy!! Shoot... how am I going to see how she does now? :blues:

Oh Mole --- that brings back memories of when we had Dakota being campaigned by a professional handler! I said the same thing --- "how am I going to see him in the ring???" This is what we did..........

If the show was outside then we would place ourselves somewhere around the ring but well back from it and upwind so he couldn't get our smell. One time we stood in some kind of pig trough just to see the ring!! :laughingsmile

If the show was indoors it was a bit easier. We would just hide behind the bleachers everytime he was gaited around the ring and stand pretty well back from the ring. It was hard to see sometimes but at least we were there. I remember one show where he went Best of Opposite Sex. Our granddaughter was with us and everytime Dakota came around our side of the ring Marissa dove UNDER the bleachers so he wouldn't see her. We just ducked down behind them.

He was always sooooo excited after he was in the ring to see us there. His big butt would just wiggle off!

Don't worry - Dyna will show beautifully I am sure.

GoldenMom

GOOD LUCK Moley and Dyna!! She will be a star, Im sure of it! So is she getting all bathed, pruned and pampered for the big day??

Your gonna have to get close enough to take pics to show us all!...have you got a good zoom??! (You will be like the paparazzi!) 

Go Dyna!! Good luck honey!! Oh Mole I bet you are so nervous, it must be better having a handler, I doubt they get so nervous as its a job to them. Keeping everything crossed for Dyna tomorrow!! :thumbsupsmiley She is beautiful!