# I am new to showing and need some tips, help



## WinitheGSD (Sep 21, 2008)

I'm really new to showing gsd. Showing period. I am not new to gsd. i've had them all my life and been around them since i was first born. I've always wanted to show my gsd. But she is a nevous reck out of the house and her cnformation is horrible. I finally have a gsd who is good show quality. Her dad has a sch. 3 and a vd or dv(??). Any tips for me? Cause i could use some help. Any opinions, warnings or tips. What are the basics, rules and such. she is akc registered.


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## WinitheGSD (Sep 21, 2008)

pllllease


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

i did the dog show gig for a long time when i was younger and wound up wondering why anyone would want to spend money on someone else's opinion of their dog. unless you can afford to hire a professional handler you are going to spend lots of money for a few ribbons and they most probably won't be blue. my opinion here (and it is jmho), is love your dogs and don't bother getting into the world of dog shows. too expensive and too political. again, JMHO.


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## canucme278 (Apr 18, 2002)

I do not have imports but do show AKC conformation. I am very active in the breed and am more then glad to help you along if you are interested in conformation shows. I am not sure where you are located but go to http://www.infodog.com and you can look up where there are shows taking place in your state. Go to the shows check out what is going on, watch listen and learn. Join the GSDCA(www.gsdca.org) and along with your membership you will get the review a monthly GSD magazine with alot of great info. Find a local breeder in your area willing to mentor a new person along. You should find handling classes in your area and attend them.


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## denwil2007 (Apr 15, 2007)

Yes, if you want to, try it. It's like any other hobby people spend money on. So folks go out drinking every Thurs and spend $50. I go to a show every few months and spend $50, and am sober enough to remember the event. I also meet friends there. 

If you have an import though, I would go with UKC events, and not AKC, unless you dog looks and moves enough like american bred dogs to make it enjoyable.


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## WinitheGSD (Sep 21, 2008)

she is not an import, however both her parents are.


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## denwil2007 (Apr 15, 2007)

That still makes her more like an import than an american showline dog. Most of the time there is a distinct difference in body type and sometimes temperment. I have seen very few who would dog well in an AKC ring, but several who do just fine in UKC shows.

Of course, you'll never know, unless you go


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Do you have a photo of her? It really sounds like you'll have better luck in UKC and the SV-style ring. The AKC ring might really bum you out if you have a dog like most German showlines.


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## WinitheGSD (Sep 21, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: DianaMDo you have a photo of her? It really sounds like you'll have better luck in UKC and the SV-style ring. The AKC ring might really bum you out if you have a dog like most German showlines.


why would it I not do so well in the akc? Just wondering. Yeah she is pretty highly breed, her dad does have some significant titles. What is the difference with UKC and AKC? she already is kinda naturally stacking. i posted a pic of her in another post in showing(conformation) titled showing wini here it is again(i hope it works, click on the link):
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk53/balloonlagoon/winni240.jpg


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I would do UKC. For starters, no professional handlers, so the atmosphere is more conducive to owners showing their pets rather than experienced pro handlers showing show dogs. If the parents are German show lines, then you could do the SV-style conformation as well, like WDA. I plan to start my puppy in WDA b/c they can start showing at 3 months and possibly do UKC if I can train him for the ring.

You will want to enter a conformation class so you can get input on how to properly stack the dog, train the dog to stack without being restless or getting nervous (b/c the judge will look at the teeth and pet all over the dog, in UKC if the dog makes it to Best In Show, three judges examine the dog so it has to stand there for several minutes). They will show you how to properly gait the dog, and get the dog used to being in a ring with other dogs.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Welcome to the world of the German Shepherd Dog Breed Split. American lines look, move, and sometimes even act different than German showlines which in turn ditto above for some working lines.

http://www.gsdbydesign.com/Studs_Northeast.htm
Various American showline GSDs.

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/progeny_pictures/119824.html
Various German showlines (may take awhile to load, these are all descendants of one dog)

There are some small and some big differences in type. You'll also find that many judges do not like "the other line." You won't do well taking an American line to an SV ring nor would you do well with an import in the AKC ring. There are rare exceptions, but the key word here is "rare." Your pup will clearly do better in the UKC and SV rings and both will teach you lots about showing. You can also do more with your pup in UKC such as obedience and rally and in the German style you can do obedience, endurance, schutzhund, tracking, etc.


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## denwil2007 (Apr 15, 2007)

Yes. Please try it out. UKC shows are so much more relaxed.


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## BJDimock (Sep 14, 2008)

Diana, those were great links!! Now I know why everyone thought I had a different perspective when I was asking about Frodo's "unusual" saddle back color! Ha for me! Too much time spent with my dark Fidelco girls!


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

Indeed, go to UKC shows with her. There are SOME imports that could do ok for themselves in AKC (I just picked up two for this coming summer xD), but looking at her picture, she does not have near the angles she needs for the show ring. She won't have enough rear, and she's very "blocky".

I love a nice sturdy bitch and prefer dogs with the more square shaped heads, but the American judges won't appreciate that.

I do disagree on needing a professional handler. In the show world I am still pretty much a "nobody", but judges have been putting up myself and my Sable Moose (Justin) because he's a nice dog. Don't let anybody convince you you CAN'T do it yourself, just be aware that it will be HARDER.


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## FORRUGER (Jan 3, 2006)

I agree... UKC shows would be a good place to start showing unless you have supportive knowledgeable breeders willing to help you in the AKC ring with your new dog. While I'm told all breeds have their known handlers who usually get the wins, I think german shepherds are especially difficult for an amateur (esp beginners)to compete in. Getting a point here or there isn't impossible, but "finishing" a german shepherd (Championship) can be pretty diffiucult if that's your goal. 

We certainly need new competitors in the AKC breed showring, but it IS a hard place to start out especially if your dog wasn't purchased as an AKC conformation prospect. While meeting AKC conformation standards for the breed ring is important, they are also judged on their gait which is equally as important. 

Some AKC judges can be very discouraging to beginners when their dog may be the only one in a class and not the 'ideal' AKC conformation candidate...I've seen them refuse to give ribbons to sole dogs in a class considering them to be "not worthy of merit" and others get lower than 1st place ribbons with their sole dog in the class for the same reason.

I wish you the best of luck and I do hope you will persue AKC conformation if that's what you have a desire to do... but best to start with a good evaluation of your pup from an experienced exhibitor to determine if it's worth your money and effort to go that route. I'm sure she's beautiful !! I think the german bred dogs are just a beautiful for the standards they have to meet.. Good Luck!!


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## WinitheGSD (Sep 21, 2008)

on our street there is a gsd breeder/trainer/show handler, and she knows alot. i think she might want to help me and be kind of a mentor. but showing wini wont happen for a while(hopefully in the spring or summer) cause she has had diarhea and has been very sick lately


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

oh, how is wini...is she okay? what do you think is causing her diarrhea? will you be taking her to the vet soon, i hope?


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## FORRUGER (Jan 3, 2006)

I hope Wini is doing OK and has been seen by a vet, esp if she's not been feeling well along with the diarrhea. Your neighbor sounds like a really good person to work with to persue your interest in conformation showing! And how convenient to have her so close to your home. I wish you the best of luck, and Wini's health and well being definatley takes priority! Let us know how she is doing.


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## WinitheGSD (Sep 21, 2008)

wini seems to be doing better. We thought she had all those horrible problems, and the breeder kept telling us she just had worms. Turns out the breeder was right. Because the albon made several roundworms come out in her stool. I was shocked, I hope it is just the worms. It was really amazing because we were so worried, we thought it was alot worse. We gave her a treatment of panacur C. but it dosen't seems like three days of worm treatment is enough, i dont know. She was seen by the vet a couple times more again. And has been having a sturdy stool for the past 2 or 3 days. she also went from 40 pounds to 51 pounds, but you can still feel and see her ribs and other bones. I think the weight gain was just growth with muscle and bones. she seems better


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## FORRUGER (Jan 3, 2006)

So glad Wini is doing better! Yeah, worms can create some pretty serious health problems and hookworms can actually kill dogs if left untreated! 3 days of panacur is the usual dose followed by a single dose in 10 to 14 days.. but follow your vet's recommendations on whatever he/she suggested. Many of the heartwormers also control some of the internal parasites too so if your vet has her on a heartwormer that does that then that's definately a plus. But it sounds like with such a significant weight gain she's on her way to better days! Sometimes its hard to put weight on pups even when they're good and healthy so it may take time for her to gain the additional weight needed to fill her in so you don't see her ribs and bones. She needs to be good and healthy to show and while she shouldn't have her ribs and bones showing, being on the slender side is preferable to being too fat~ I'm very happy that she's doing much better!


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## WinitheGSD (Sep 21, 2008)

yeah we won't being showing her until she is fully healthy. i just wanted to learn more about conformation shows


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