Shows and Showing For You and Dog

Showing your Brittany can mean a whole new world of exciting experiences and new friends with common inter­ests. But first, go to a dog show. Watch the judging and the procedure in the ring. Don't let it confuse you. A dog show is simply an elimination contest which proceeds in orderly fashion until one dog stands alone as "Best-in-Show." First is the breed competition. The best of each breed enters the group competition. There are six groups: Sporting (which is the Brittany's group), Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy and Non-Sporting. The dog selected as the winner of its particu­lar group then competes for Best-in-Show, so that it boils down to six dogs which appear in the final judging.

If your dog has never seen anyone else but your own family group, never heard the rumble of a train or the backfire of a truck, don't expect him to strut proudly into his first show ring. He may. Some dogs are born with such assurance, but he is more likely to collapse like a soft­boiled egg. So, before you enter your Brittany in a show accustom him to the confusion and crowds he will meet there. Take him among people for walks on busy thorough­fares.

Practice walking him on a light show leash or "lead," as it is called, in your yard. Encourage him by tidbits and praise to keep up his naturally brisk pace. Try to keep him on your left side which is the show position while "gaiting" or "moving" a dog in the ring. Pose him so that he is standing squarely on all four feet, with leash off, holding his jaw with one hand and the tip of his tail with the other. Use a tidbit to train him to "stay." Find a way to attract his at­tention with a tidbit, squeaking device or whispering his pet name to induce him to lift his ears in that typical Brittany expression. When he has learned to stay in position, have someone, preferably a stranger "go over him" as a judge will do in the ring, running his hands over the back and pressing firmly but not heavily on the hindquarters. All this won't be accomplished in one day, of course, but a little at a time.

You may hear of a sanctioned match show being held in your community. That is a good place to begin. Match shows are informal events in which you can enter your dog on the day of the show and where you will find many other novices in the same boat as you are. Don't worry if your dog acts either like a hoodlum or a shrinking violet. No one ex­pects beginners to be perfect. A handler can do a number of things to show off a dog to best advantage and the "per­sonality" dog with a sense of showmanship often has an advantage, but the basis of judging is your dog's physical beauty and structural soundness in conformance with the standard for the breed. Be confident and you will transmit that feeling to your dog. Forget about yourself. The judge is looking at your dog, not you; so always keep your dog between yourself and the judge. Puppy matches are some­times held where there are classes for puppies from two to nine months. Puppies must be at least six months old to be entered in the regulation championship point shows. A match show when available is a good place to gain experi­ence for greater things to come, for you will no sooner win your first ribbon in a match than you will be thinking of more important competition.