Entering A Dog Show
www.canuckdogs.com This is a website dedicated to the dog fancy world. Canuck Dogs has a list of all the upcoming shows by providence. You can click on a show Premium List and get all the show information. This website is 100% volunteer. This blog is there. They not only have all the shows listed, but they keep up with the show results and list that information. You should spend some time browsing through Canuck Dogs to see what all you can learn.
www.entryline.com This is a website that is used for online dog show entry. When you go to their website you can read how to register and how to use the site. If you like you can also enter by telephone if you aren't comfortable with a computer. There is a nominal fee for using this service, but believe me, it is worth the fee. Also, I have made a mistake a time or two and they are terrific at contacting me to get it fixed. Very good customer service.
http://www.ckc.ca/ This is the Canadian Kennel Club website. If you go to their home page you will find The Calendar of Events at the bottom of the middle column. You can look up under various event types such as Conformation then by Province, etc.
Now, let's start at the beginning. You have successfully completed many weeks of handling class and your instructor tells you its time to enter a show. After the panic subsides, you will want to determine which show to enter. Normally your instructor or your classmates will know about upcoming shows. You should probably start with a small show. (Unlike Lyle and me. We did the Purina National as our first show. A huge show can be done if you are really adventurist).
Finding the show...use one of the 3 websites listed above. I prefer Canuck Dogs for finding my shows. It is just easy. Once I find the show I want to enter, I go to The Entry Line to actually enter.
Premium Lists is what they call the flyer or information sheets about the show. It will tell you on the cover Who is sponsoring the show (Kennel Club) the location of the Show and the dates. A show can be from Wednesday through Sunday or it could just be Friday through Sunday. Also interesting, each day is a totally different show. For instance, on Friday could be hosted Ancaster Kennel Club, Saturday is hosted by Hamilton Kennel Club and Sunday by Oakville Kennel Club.
The Premium List will tell you if there is limited entries and the closing date to get entered. It will also give you the entry fee, typically $29 or $30 dollars per show. You must decide which class you will show in. That is broken down in Baby Puppy (not all shows offer this class). This is for puppies between 3 month and 6 months of age. Junior Puppy is 6 months to 9 months. Senior puppy is 9 months to 12 months. 12 months to 18 months is next. Canadian Bred is for all dogs and bitches born in Canada and not a champion in any other country. Bred by Exhibitor class is for dogs which are owned and handled in the ring by the breeder. The handler must be the owner/co-owner and breeder/co-breeder of the dog. The owner/breeder must handle the dog in this class, but need not handle the dog for further awards. Usually the older and more experienced show dogs are to be seen in Open class. Specials Only Dogs are those which have a recorded CKC registration, Event Registration Number (ERN) or Miscellaneous Certification Number (MCN) and have attained the required number of points for Championship status. Dogs entered in this class will compete for Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex and Best Puppy if eligible. There are a few more classes but you won't have to worry about those for a while.
Typically you will enter in one of the Puppy classes or Open to start. If you have a Junior or Senior puppy, I would prefer to enter that class because you will be competing with the same age group and not with the older more experienced dogs. If you win in that class you will have an opportunity to compete with the more experienced dogs for Best of Breed, Best of Winners and Best of Opposite.
Now you have decided which show, which class and it's time to make your entry. You go online to The Entry Line or you phone them to make your entry. It's pretty easy at this point.
Let's assume you have made your entry and you have got your confirmation of entry. Once the show entry has closed, you will get another email with your entry information and this time it will show your Catalog number. This is the number that has been assigned to your dog. Interesting fact.....Bitches are always even numbers and dogs are odd numbers. That number will be printed on your armband that you wear while showing your dog. You can order a catalog when you enter the show.
What do you need at the Show depends on what breed you have. If you have a dog that will be examined on a table or requires a lot of grooming, you may want to take a grooming table to the show. If you are like me and have a breed that required trimming, stripping or fluffing, you will want to bring a toolbox with your brushes, combs and grooming potions, lotions and doodads and a blow dryer. If you require a blow dryer then you will want to bring a 15 to 20 foot extension cord. You will need a crate for your dog to rest in. Remember to bring water from home or bottled water. Water that is out of a foreign tap can give your dog an upset tummy. Remember to bring bait or a squeaky toy to use in the ring.
Grooming Space is normally designated at indoor shows. Claim your space. Don't be intimidated by the more experienced people. The grooming space is for everyone. The only exception is if the prime grooming locations may require a reservation and has a fee that must be paid. Outdoor shows sometimes have space available, otherwise you can buy an "Easy Up". That is the tent type structure that you can set up under off to the side of the rings. No electricity available normally. Look for all the details about grooming areas in the Premium List.
Arm Bands are picked up at the Show Superintendent's Table. At your first show, just ask someone to point you in the direction to their table. When you get there, give them your name and your arm band number. Also, this is where you will pick up your catalog if you reserved one when you entered, or you can buy one at this time. REMEMBER to pick up a half dozen rubber bands. You will need one to hold your arm band on. Always have extras in case one breaks.
Catalog and/or Show Schedule will tell you what ring you are showing in and at what time. The catalog has a lot of information. It will list all dogs entered by breed under the group. For example, we show in the Hound Group which is Group #2. We show Standard Wirehaired Dachshunds so our breed will be listed with all the dogs and what class they are entered in. Dogs are listed first and then bitches.
Timing your arrival to the ring is important. If you arrive too early your dog can get bored and unruly. If you arrive just in the nick of time, your rushed excitement may run down the lead to your dog and they may get hyper and unruly. Get to the ring too late and you may be marked absent and not get the chance to compete that day. So, you should know how many dogs are ahead of you and give 2 minutes for each on average. Example: We are entered and there are 5 breeds ahead of us for a total of 28 dogs. We are under the 9:00 am time. 28 x 2 = 56 minutes so I won't enter the ring until around 9:50 am. So I will plan to be ringside by 9:45 at least. That will give me time to watch the judge to see what his procedures are. Is he requiring all the dogs to do the down and back then go around. At your first show, be sure and tell the Ring Steward that you are new and ask for their help. They will be more than happy to make sure you know what to do.
Good Luck and remember to have fun no matter what!
Dr. Joanne Fagervik
on Your Dog's Health
Vaccinations. Controversial? You Bet!
Fact: Vaccinations are an aid in the prevention
of disease. Fact: Vaccinations can cause adverse reactions.
So, do we stop vaccinating our pets/companions/show dogs out of fear of adverse
reactions? I think not. Vaccinations do not promise to completely
prevent or eradicate disease. They are meant to reduce morbidity (the
number of the population of interest (in our case dogs) that get sick when
exposed to a pathogen or disease causing organism) and mortality ( the number
of dogs that die when exposed to a pathogen). This they do very
effectively. I have been in practice for 25 years and see fewer and fewer
cases of parvo and other diseases that we routinely vaccinate against every
year. We all know people that proudly state that they never vaccinate
their dogs and their dogs never get sick. Since we see fewer cases of
disease and pets that don’t get vaccinated don’t get sick, does that mean we
don’t need to vaccinate? Again, I think not.
In
areas where it has become fashionable not to vaccinate, we are seeing outbreaks
of these deadly diseases again. Why does this happen? We go back to
what vaccines purport to do. They reduce morbidity and mortality, they do
not eradicate disease. When the percentage of the population which is
vaccinated falls below a certain critical number we see outbreaks of disease
because the vaccinated population is insufficient to protect the
unvaccinated. There is no longer a buffer between unvaccinated
individuals and when contact between them increases, they get sick.
Anybody who has ever seen dogs suffer and/or die from parvovirus, distemper,
leptospirosis or rabies would not wish it on anyone. In the case of
breeders or owners of quality purebred dogs, why would you risk losing your
precious genetics or substantial investment – not to mention that invaluable
life – by not vaccinating it?
We come back to fear. Fear of adverse reactions specifically. From
my standpoint as a veterinarian in private practice for 25+ years, I feel that fear is an over-reaction, fueled by hype, often through the
internet. Similar to the type of knee-jerk reaction that led to a breed
ban that as “dog people” we all agree is totally misguided. Yes,
adverse reactions do occur. However, serious, life-threatening reactions
are extremely rare. I have administered over 100,000 doses of
vaccine in my career. I have yet to see one of those reactions – I hope I
never do. I have seen occasional swollen faces and hives but that, too,
is uncommon and is easily controlled. Further post-vaccinal reactions are
also easily controlled. In some cases, I have pre-treated with
antihistamine those individuals who have not themselves suffered adverse
reactions but who have had multiple close family members react to vaccines.
Another strategy is to stage vaccinations out over two 6 or 8 weeks in sensitive
individuals. There are ways around vaccine reactions that do not
necessitate lack of protection.
The bottom line is that vaccines save far more lives than they take (think seat belts .
If you are one of those people who proudly don’t vaccinate, thank your
neighbours who do – they are saving your dogs from disease and you had better
hope they keep on doing it. And, by the way, keep your sick dogs home and
away from dog shows!
If you have a dog health question you would like to submit to Dr. Fagervik, please send your question to djenkins@shaw.ca .
Please remember that Dr. Fagervik can not diagnose your animal with the limited information you provide in your question and without the benefit of having examined your dog and diagnostic tests. Dr. Fagervik and I encourage you to use our blog information only as a point of reference and to please seek your veterinary's care and treatment for any issues your dog may be having.
I like to see people do nice things for others. If someone does something nice for you at a show or you see or hear about something nice being done, please send me an email at djenkins@shaw.ca. Be sure to put in the subject: Nice
We will mention that person by name in the blog.
This week the spotlight is on
Sue Coghlan, Owner of Canuck Dogs
Sue is probably going to be embarrassed that I am spotlighting her. Sue leads the team at Canuck Dogs. She gives endless hours keeping the information current and managing ad space to keep Canuck Dogs the fabulous website it is. I really don't know what Dog people would do without this site. She would be the first person to say she doesn't do it alone. She has volunteers across Canada that report show results so the site stays up-to-date. We will be "Spotlighting" those volunteers in the coming weeks.
So on behalf of all the Canuck Dogs fans, Thank you Sue!
Remember to watch for "Nice Deeds". They are happening all around us. Let's talk about the people helping others.
Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats. You should bookmark it. That's where you will find my blog.
XXXOOO
Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats. You should bookmark it. That's where you will find my blog.
XXXOOO
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