Advice for the fist time exhibitor

**DoingAll4HisGlory** · 12-09-2010, 04:17 PM

I am going to start showing my 9 month old male lab in the spring and I wanted any advice from those of you who have been in the ring before. Anything in particular that I will need to know?

I was told to use a snake chain and a nylon or leather lead for specialty and all-breed shows. Should I??? I don't want to look like a total amature when I get in the ring! LOL

Thanks for any help I can get!!!

**windycanyon** · 12-09-2010, 04:53 PM

See my response to the other post. You really need to find a mentor.
I see that you breed, and if so, wonder why haven't you already joined a kennel club or lab club? Maybe those breeders you've bought pups from would be of some help. This isn't the kind of thing that can be taught on the internet, imo. I've taken a few handling classes and will probably always look like an amatuer in the show ring!

Anne

**DoingAll4HisGlory** · 12-10-2010, 09:43 AM

Thanks Anne!

The reason I havn't joined a club yet is because the closest one is a little over 2 hours away and we will be moving to North Carolina soon.

**nicole** · 12-10-2010, 10:26 AM

We have a number of club members who live 2+ hours from meetings...you make it happen. I couldn't find any pedigrees on your site, are your dogs show bred? Couldn't find anything on OFA either.

Anywhoo...go to shows and watch the labradors in the ring. Talk to the handlers afterward. Labradors are shown a tad differently than other breeds- often free baited, moved a bit slower (no flying trot here), we want them happy! The average handling class teaches a generic all-breed type of handling, which will definitely get the job done, but I'd hook up with labrador people. I use a snake chain/3ft lead for all-breed shows with all-round judges, but I use a 4ft slip lead for breeder judges and specialties. See if you can find matches or even UKC shows in your area, great for practice!

**DoingAll4HisGlory** · 12-10-2010, 11:47 AM

We are working on getting our dogs pedigrees to veiw on our website, our website is in construction.

Thanks for all the advice!

**nicole** · 12-12-2010, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by DoingAll4HisGlory

We are working on getting our dogs pedigrees to veiw on our website, our website is in construction.

Not to be an ass, but it's interesting that you were able to get information about your current litter up, but not a simple "Kennelname superstud x Kennelname broodbitch" underneath a picture, or clearance information, which potential buyers should be VERY interested in.

**Canyon Labradors** · 12-14-2010, 01:13 PM

Some words of advice for when you update your website....

1. clearances under each dog.
2. do not list # of champions in the pedigree. That means jack-squat. Only BYB's do that. I don't care how many champions are in a pedigree way back, I care about what you are doing with your dogs. They need something on them...and I know you are new, so that's why the advice. CGC's, OB titles, rally titles, hunting, UKC titles...things YOUR dogs have done.
3. typically, not always, but a good portion of the time, better breeders do not use their own boys. When you breed you are looking to better the breed. You have the whole USA (Canada and Europe if you are feeling ambitious) to choose the best stud that will suit your girl. 9 times out of 10, that is NOT your boy that you have at home. Put titles on him, get all his clearances (ALL the extras like heart, EIC, CNM) and make him available to others. But YOU should pick studs from other kennels if you want to build on the dogs you have and look like you know what you are doing.

**windycanyon** · 12-14-2010, 11:37 PM

What Jen said. Plus, by using outside studs, it'll allow you to have somewhere to go to down the road. You always need to try to stay one step ahead of the game-- know where you are headed w/ your next generation and keep the gene pool diverse enough to give you some options.

**DoingAll4HisGlory** · 12-15-2010, 09:40 AM

Thanks for the advice. Right know we're kinda in a bad sopt as we're moving to North Carolina and are looking at breeders out there. Does anyone know of any in NC or Virginia? Thanks again.

**Canyon Labradors** · 12-15-2010, 10:35 AM

Once you move, join the kennel club in your area and the lab club, and even if it's 2 hr aways, do what you need to do to join. Our local club is an hour away and meetings are at night so obviously with working, I just don't have the ability to go. But I was able to get in the club, attend the events I can, help out when I can, support the shows with entries/raffle donations/etc. You'll meet other breeders that way.