# Do you prefer showing indoors or outdoors?



## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Frosty's second rally class was outdoors and it was so difficult for me because of all the distractions--so many gopher holes for Frosty to sniff, leaves to get stuck on him when downing, cute bitches everywhere, etc. A classmate and I were talking about indoor/outdoor preferences. She is going for her third leg in Rally Excellent and said she'll only do an outdoor show. I said I'm the opposite. At least for now while Frosty is young and all over the place. What is your preference and why?


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## chinchillafuzzy (Feb 11, 2017)

I have been to a handful of shows, a few outdoors and a few indoors. I have only ever done conformation at the shows. 

I think the weather has a lot to do with it, and especially with a poodle, with all of the grooming demands. Outdoors in inclement weather would be the worst combination. Outdoors in beautiful weather would probably be my ideal, but indoors seems like a "safer" option since weather isn't a factor. The thing that I don't like about indoors is the echoing of the barking that is going on full time. I feel like outdoors you still hear the barking but it isn't so loud and echo-y.

I will like to see the responses of others on this since I don't have a firm answer either way. Especially coming from poodle people since this is going to be my future! Great question ZM!


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I wouldn't enter a show if it was outdoors - far too many distractions for my dog and weather can be unpredictable. I'm sticking to indoor shows only.

We do a little training outside, but I know my dog doesn't respond well when we're in the park. Too many birds, chipmunks, other dogs etc. While I expect her to perform inside her training classes, when we walk in the neighborhood or park I want her to be a regular dog with loose leash manners, not obedience style heeling. Outdoors she is used to people petting her, greeting friendly dogs, taking impromptu sniffing breaks and going potty on grass. We're now competing in rally off leash-if we were outside I'd be scared of her zooming or worse. 

A friend whose dog lives in a kennel on her farm prefers to compete outside because her dog is used to living outside - my dog spends most of her time inside the house. My friend loves to tell the story of her first Rally competition. Just before it was her turn, there was a sudden downpour leaving puddles in the ring. When they went into the ring, one of the cones was in a deep puddle and her dog got distracted playing in the puddle. She was so happy that the judge didn't disqualify her and she got her first leg that day. 

I would have hated to be prepared for a show only to have it canceled due to weather.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Since nearly all of my training is indoors I want my shows to be indoors and preferably at places we have been before so whoever is entered doesn't have worries (mostly a Lily issue) about where we are. If you want to show outdoors then make sure you do a lot of training there too.


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

Skylar, I don't know about other organizations, but AKC shows are not cancelled for weather unless it is really extreme. I have shown poodles at PCA in the pouring rain. The only show I have ever known to be cancelled was one in Macon, GA that was interrupted by a tornado. It occurred midway through the show (outdoor show) and ended competition for the day!


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Johanna said:


> Skylar, I don't know about other organizations, but AKC shows are not cancelled for weather unless it is really extreme. I have shown poodles at PCA in the pouring rain. The only show I have ever known to be cancelled was one in Macon, GA that was interrupted by a tornado. It occurred midway through the show (outdoor show) and ended competition for the day!


Yikes - a tornado - I'm glad you were safe.


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

We train outside and all our local clubs where trials are held are also outside so not a huge amount of choice here! I think there are way more distractions outside (we often have kangaroos on and beside the ground at my club!), but chinchillafuzzy’s point about echoing barking is a good one. Rory can be put off his game by persistent barking and I imagine this would be worse inside.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Muggles said:


> We train outside and all our local clubs where trials are held are also outside so not a huge amount of choice here! I think there are way more distractions outside (we often have kangaroos on and beside the ground at my club!), but chinchillafuzzy’s point about echoing barking is a good one. Rory can be put off his game by persistent barking and I imagine this would be worse inside.


Kangaroos! LOL How does Rory react to them? 

The constant barking and crowdedness are drawbacks of indoors, for sure.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Noise at indoor venues was definitely an issue for Peeves and as a result I sometimes showed him outside in rally. I once stewarded in an open ring where guinea fowl went wandering through during the group stays. The other steward and I gave the evil eye to a couple of sporting dogs who looked iffy on whether they could resist them.


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

zooeysmom said:


> Kangaroos! LOL How does Rory react to them?
> 
> 
> 
> The constant barking and crowdedness are drawbacks of indoors, for sure.




Haha he is slightly interested, but wary, which is fine with me! There are a lot of roos near us (my parents had one in their backyard last weekend - in suburbia) so I really don’t want him to start thinking it’s a good idea to chase. They drive some of the dogs at the club crazy, standing right by the fence, taunting


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