# Next show is gulp an AKC show



## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

Yes it has been decided the browns will come out for one of the Denver cluster shows in February. Can we say I am terrified? This will be my first AKC show with a poodle and it is hard for me to get past all the things I have heard about how nasty and vicious poodle folks can be. Mind you I have seen some on here that I would love to show with but locally... 

Anyways here is my boy with his first big boy hair do. 

big boy hair 12-28-2013 2-22-21 AM by spindledreams, on Flickr


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## NOLA Standards (Apr 11, 2010)

Hate that the naysayers have affected you.
Please don't let them.

AKC is so much fun. It is indeed VERY competitive and just like in anything else, there are always those who do not have the ability to be subjective (read that as they are poor losers). But that is in any crowd, isn't it!

So you and your brownie have fun at your AKC show. You'll meet people you like and people you don't. Just like in any public venue :amen: But you will also see breeds beautifully presented and trained, and that is such a great thing to watch. (ESPECIALLY once you recognize that the dog out there at stacking at the end of the lead is TRAINED to show like that - just like any athlete trains - it's pretty cool!)

Best of luck to you!

Tabatha
NOLA Standards


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

Just want to wish you the very best and I hope you have a ball!

(He's beautiful!)


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

I actually have shown in AKC back in the early to mid 80s. I showed a Rhodesian Ridgeback in both conformation and obedience and the Borzoi and Toy Manchester Terror in just conformation. The kids showed the Manchester in Jr Showmanship. 

This will be my first poodle in AKC conformation and I know we will walk into the ring with a number of strikes against us so I have no plans on us winning anything not even the class unless he is the only puppy there. Wry grin and I expect us to make a lot of mistakes in the ring. He is a puppy learning and I am relearning. 

I *am* afraid of the judge throwing a screaming fit at us for daring to come in their ring which happened recently to a friend who had made a mistake in her grooming at her first AKC show. 

I *am* very stressed by the chilly "you don't belong here" that I have felt at the last FIVE AKC shows I have been at, three to be honest were without a dog and I had been hoping to make friends... At the last event BOTH days I simply took my big puppy they had needed for their major back and slunk off. In fact the only person who even acknowledged I was there was the breeder who had handled my puppy. Before the show I was happy to help with the major now I am not sure how I would respond.

Sigh I know I sound like a whiny baby but so far my AKC poodle experiences have not been very good. I don't mind losing in fact winning always comes as a pleasant surprise since only one dog can win a class, winners, bob, etc. so it is the people I go to shows for. To talk to folks that are as dog crazy as myself, to visit and learn and cheer on friends, to sympathize or celebrate with them. The other breeds we have had there was a feeling of hey we have the same breed lets talk. With the poodles I have gotten none of that feeling and it may be me as much as the locals but it makes me very nervous about the upcoming cluster which is a big 5 day event.

And I do suffer from some problems that makes it hard for me to read people so I always try to give them the benefit of a doubt but hearing, reading and seeing the behavior of folks at the local shows I am almost ready to crawl back into my hole and stay there.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I went to one KC Championship dog show in the UK when I was toying with the idea of showing Sophy. I was there purely as an observer, and I have to say that what I observed convinced me that it was not the hobby for me. If you wanted material for a novel about gossip, innuendo, back biting, vicious competition, and possible background for a convincing whodunnit it could not be faulted, however!


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

If you pay the entry fee and the dog has no disqualifying factors, you have just as much right to be there as anyone else in the ring. So hold your head up and have a good time. You are under no pressure, because you already feel there will be no win involved. So just go with the attitude that you are going to show off your Brownie and let people see they can be well groomed, well behaved, nice natured members of the Poodle family.


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## NOLA Standards (Apr 11, 2010)

Yea....

I can see those things happening but examine any microcosm of people and you will see the same behaviors.

Quite frankly, the pros are counting you as a point and they are glad you brought it (the point). The "you don't belong here" feeling is coming from inside you. I the same feeling, too, when I started, so I understand. 

Put on ya big girls :wink: and have fun.

Tabatha
NOLA Standards


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## hunny518 (Jun 5, 2012)

Don't let it bring you down. I was terrified. Not only was I walking into the show world for the first time, I was walking into the poodle ring as my first show experience too. Lol once you start proving yourself, you'll start being acknowledged. I know there are some nasty people in my area but I've never personally had a problem with anyone. Infact at my last show, I was the only one in my class and my girl acted terribly and the judge gave me some advice. And then a handler came over to me when I was waiting to go back in and gave me some really good advice which helped automatically and I went back in and one a 3point major. Next thing I knew I had handlers who always walked past me as if I don't exist coming up to me and congratulating me. So just go in and have fun, study the handlers who are continuously winning and you will eventually appear on the radar. Best of luck!! Not sure where you are. But next month I'll be at a 5 day show too in Portland. Curious if that was the one you were talking about too.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Don't let those things influence you. And don't worry about any of that. I went to my first AKC show with Matisse last month and have another one this month (10th through 13th). I didn't have any pre conceived notions about any of that. I'm really naïve and a dork. I was just friendly as heck and really dumb. And I found everyone around me was nice right back and helpful, even people that weren't from my own club. When I was squatting down stacking Matisse in the ring, I wasn't sure if I was suppose to put him up on the table when my turn came to get closer to the judge. I asked the fellow next to me who was stacking his dog and he just said wait and see what the judge tells me. He didn't look disdainful or anything. Or maybe I'm really oblivious. LOL. Seriously, who cares? Just have fun, ask questions and if anyone is the way you've heard they are, that's their problem. And nine times out of ten, I find that people are shy, not stuck up. They're uncomfortable socially. So, if you are super friendly and confident, even if you're "acting," it helps bring people out of their own discomfort. You know they're insecure if they have to put on some kind of high and mighty attitude.


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

I live near Colorado and the show will be part of the 18th annual Rocky Mountain Cluster show. It is a pretty big deal in the area complete with Meet the Breeds and demos of different dog sports, CGC testing etc. It is a big complex, conformation was on first floor, rally and ob were on the second floor and agility was in another building last year. I was down to meet with a friend and pick up some grooming tools. It was quite a sight.


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

*The show is this weekend eeek*

We got Phoenix all cleaned up and bathed last week at a groomers since my house was a toasty 63F at its warmest. They listened very well about not touching him with clippers or scissors. They did clip his nails for me  So my little bouncy ball of brown fluff is almost ready for the show. I just found out I will have to do the face, feet, and tail.... eeep I have not tried to clip anything on my dogs yet even though I have the clippers I will need. :afraid:

And grin here is what he looks like hair down and all fluffed up. DH is holding his tail up so it looks like a show poodle but the moment you let it go it falls into a curl on his back. There are 24 standards entered in the breed, 8 dogs on Friday and 11 on Monday ie a 4 pt major on Friday and a 5 point major on Monday if all the dogs show up. I KNOW the bitch owners will be hoping for a crossover win.


Phoenix mom put my hair up 2-7-2014 6-50-34 PM by spindledreams, on Flickr


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

He looks fantastic, look at all that beautiful hair!

I wish you all the best and hope you have a blast.


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## bookwormjane (Dec 18, 2011)

I have shown AKC greyhounds before and usually had a great time. When you bring your dog to be judged, it will be "judged" by everybody. However, most folks are nice, at least to your face. I've gotta admit, I sit ringside with my friends and discuss a particular dog's merits, faults, etc. That's why we're there.

That being said, I went to an AKC show to see the poodles and a lady was there with her puppy. She was very inexperienced, the pup had a so-so groom. The judge was so nice and helped her stack and gait, and I pleasantly impressed with how she was treated. Remember, those other competitors NEED you there for the points, at the very least. If your baby wins, well neener-neener to them.


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

Heading out or rather putting off heading out for the show. Due to the condition of my back yard Phoenix and I started this morning with a line brush, bath and blow dry. Then I got to try my hand at shaving his face, tail and feet. Umm she gets to finish the feet the one I did looks horrid, his faces shows my inexperince and I am dreadfully afraid I took his tail up too high... 

anyway here is my boy today before we left.

phoenix ready to go by spindledreams, on Flickr


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## hunny518 (Jun 5, 2012)

Good luck! Remember to relax, this is suppose to be fun. It's a learning experience, we have all been in your shoes, in fact I've only been showing for less then a year. I look back at my girls haircut from the first few shows and I'm like... Uuughgh. LOL. Even though I've been grooming for over 12, years, show grooming is so much different. You will get it. 

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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

The silly thing is once IN the ring my experience and training takes over and I am relaxed... It is the time outside the ring that gets me upset and worried. Phoenix was a doll for us today. This is boy was totally unfazed by the whole experience. He managed to win a blue ribbon (the other puppy in his class was upset and unhappy so would not put his tail up) so had to go back in for winners dog where he was easily beaten by an adult BUT the reserve winners dog went to the older puppy a really nice apricot. 
This is what the boy looked like heading into the ring.
ring ready 2-14-2014 1-28-13 PM by spindledreams, on Flickr 
and at home when I tried to get a photo for my granddaughters

are you talking to me by spindledreams, on Flickr

And a wonderful shot taken by Brad of Angela and Georgia. Georgia is my boys Silver Beige sister. I like the shot but the color is still a bit off... 

georgia 2-14-2014 4-04-36 PM by spindledreams, on Flickr


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## MaryEdwards (Oct 29, 2012)

He is very beautiful. Good Luck


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

Wow, so he won his puppy class- wow, that is fantastic!!! Was everybody nice to you?


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

yes he does have a blue ribbon but wry grin it was probably more by default as the other puppy was one of a group of black babies that all seemed a bit overwhelmed. It didn't gait well and kept its tail down the whole time. It is very hard to evaluate a puppy who does that. 

I LOVED the judge, she was very kind and patient with all the puppies and of course with the novice handler. I really would not mind showing under her again. 

The silence in the poodle area was deafening. Angela talked to a couple of folks she knew and a Mini breeder we know from the UKC shows came over and chatted with us. She finished one of her Minis that day so of course we had to tell her congratulations. I really like her, grin would not mind a Mini from her lines if I got a small dog.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Hey! Way to go! See, you guys did great for the first time. I hope you enjoyed it and I think it will get more fun each successive time. He really does look beautiful. You've got a lot of dog right there! Very impressive.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Great job for a first time out! It is especially impressive that he was unfazed by the whole thing.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

Don't minimize your win. Part of what they are judged on is their confident demeanor. Very impressive that both you and your pup were confident enough to show well.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

Deleted


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

Thanks for the encouragement. Grin I have yet to find something that upsets this boy for very long, I really like his temperament. He has that cock of the walk attitude while still listening that would make him a great show dog. His most glaring fault is his tail which curls like a Samoyed when he is happy and excited which at the show was most of the time. And of course that tail carriage is a fault that is highly visible and it is a major/serious fault under both standards I could show him under. 

Monday the judge was not as kind as the one on Saturday. He was curt and a bit rough with the dogs and handlers both. No blue ribbon that day it went to black puppy who seemed to have found his courage.  I was happy to see that puppy doing better, I had been worried about him. The judges exam was rather cursory and he made no effort to hide his dislike for the way Phoenixs tail was carried. After class told the handler with the black puppy I was glad to see his boy doing better and congrats on the win, I think I shocked him. 

I was sitting near a group later who were not happy with his picks as they felt he was valuing flashy over correct. I do have to admit it looked like he wanted stilted height not graceful spurn the ground lightness (best way I can describe it) that I associate with a poodle.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Yes, some judges go for flash over structure. Many time I have seen a dog that can't trot straight to save it's life win. The good thing is all the judges are different and like different things. One judge wouldn't place your dog only because of the tail. Another won't think a tail matters much. We are seeing a whole lot more curly tails than we used to. You can learn to groom his tail to minimize the curl. Try to make it so you can see light between his butt and his tail.


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