# conformation on my new poodle



## Stephanie_Smith_1992

also what color is he?


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## Stephanie_Smith_1992

also maybe conformation isnt the word....what i want to know is do u think he could one day be good enough to show?


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## N2Mischief

I am not good at conformation, my mind does not work that way, lol, but as for color, he looks cream to me, may fade to mostly white.


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## Stephanie_Smith_1992

Thank u  his dad is like like a silvery brown color and his mother is white


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## LCS

Hi, 

I can't be of help with your specific questions, but perhaps you can find some info. on the AKC poodle page. And I'm sure others will be able to help you more directly.

Poodle Page


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## Stephanie_Smith_1992

LCS said:


> Hi,
> 
> I can't be of help with your specific questions, but perhaps you can find some info. on the AKC poodle page. And I'm sure others will be able to help you more directly.
> 
> Poodle Page


thank you 
ive checked out that page but alot of the words on the AKC standards i dont understand. Im new to Dog showing and Poodles in general.


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## DreamAgility

The first step is taking classes. These will help him to know what to do, and you to know how to handle him. 
Ask his breeder what she thinks. 
He has a nice color. If you want to do Akc, Find a groomer that can do an exceptional puppy clip. If you want somthing easier to achieve, go for ukc.
Cream should have black pigment around their eyes and nose. Dark eyes. White/black nails. Ears should reach to the end of the nose or almost. I think the body is supposed to be able to fit in a square when stacked.


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## Stephanie_Smith_1992

I took mere pics today at the park


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## fjm

In the UK, unless your pup is from show lines he would be unlikely to do well in the ring - it may be different in the US, but I think most people who want to get into serious showing work with a breeder to get a puppy that is a recognised show prospect. If your breeder shows, they will be able to evaluate your puppy - otherwise I would look around for someone experienced with poodles and with the show standard. It is very hard to tell from photos, especially when the dog is not stacked (the show way of standing) - and you really need a knowledgeable person who can handle him as well as look at him. Growing show coat is not for the faint hearted - as a groomer you will know just how much work is involved!

He looks a happy, healthy puppy, and those are the most important things! Even if he does not turn out to be one of the very few poodles who do well in conformation showing there are many other things you can do together - agility, obedience, therapy work, grooming competitions, or my own preference, long country walks and just having fun together! Working on socialising him and teaching him good manners will help with all of these, as well as with showing.


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## CharismaticMillie

Was your puppy evaluated as being show quality prior to you purchasing him?


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## Chagall's mom

You might this info of interest. It's the Breed Standard, as per the Poodle Club of America. :dog:
http://www.poodleclubofamerica.org/files/IllustratedStandard.pdf


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## Stephanie_Smith_1992

no one on here thinks anything about him would be show quality? HE has show dogs in his blood. I dont see whats wrong with him based off what the standards show. No one thinks he may be good enough? hes only 4 months old


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## poodlecrazy#1

Stephanie_Smith_1992 said:


> no one on here thinks anything about him would be show quality? HE has show dogs in his blood. I dont see whats wrong with him based off what the standards show. No one thinks he may be good enough? hes only 4 months old



I don't think it's that no body knows I thinks it's more because it's really hard to tell conformation from pictures. especially non stacked and fluffy pictures. If he is scheduled for a bath anytime soon stack him as best as you can and when he is wet take pictures then. It's really hard to see his conformation through all his fluffy fur and not having him in a proper stack. Have you taken his measurements yet? 


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## Stephanie_Smith_1992

poodlecrazy#1 said:


> I don't think it's that no body knows I thinks it's more because it's really hard to tell conformation from pictures. especially non stacked and fluffy pictures. If he is scheduled for a bath anytime soon stack him as best as you can and when he is wet take pictures then. It's really hard to see his conformation through all his fluffy fur and not having him in a proper stack. Have you taken his measurements yet?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App



he just had a bath a few days ago. so next time ill take pics when hes wet. ill try to stack him on the grooming table because thats where he stands good at the moment. what height should he be at at 4 months old for a standard poodle? i dont want to cut his fur because i want it to grow out and get long to do a show cut on him. i just trim his face feet and tail base for now. where do i measure from?


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## poodlecrazy#1

Stephanie_Smith_1992 said:


> he just had a bath a few days ago. so next time ill take pics when hes wet. ill try to stack him on the grooming table because thats where he stands good at the moment. what height should he be at at 4 months old for a standard poodle? i dont want to cut his fur because i want it to grow out and get long to do a show cut on him. i just trim his face feet and tail base for now. where do i measure from?



It's not a certain hight you want him to be at for his age. It is if he is equal in length and hight. You want to measure his length and measure his hight from the withers. The should be equal. For example my tiny toy poodle Branna is 11 inches long and 9 1/2 inches tall at the withers. This is bad conformation. She should be equal with 9 1/2 inches long and 9 1/2 inches tall (to keep her in the Toy category) This would give the squarely built poodle look. With her bad conformation of 11 to 9 1/2 she looks roach back at times. A CC cut keeps this fault hidden most of the time though. 

These are pictures out of Shirlee Kalstone's book. It is the Illustrated Breed Standard from PCA which I believe is available for free on their website. But if I were you I would get very familiar with the standard, attend shows if you can to get even more familiar with the standard and to see it in action, and also her him evaluated by a professional handler. 
















































































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## poodlecrazy#1

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## poodlecrazy#1

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## NOLA Standards

Showing in AKC Conformation is going to the 'Olympics".

You can always have fun, giving it a try, but for your pup to actually achieve, he/she needs training (those beautiful dogs are athletes, and are trained from puppies to be composed with all the noise and people and lights - they don't bark, they don't wag - they "show) and top of the line show grooming, which is different from regular grooming.

"Champions in the line" doesn't really mean anything...it's marketing. A pup actually out of a line of AKC CHs has a much higher likelihood of being much better quality but even litters out of CHs do not have all Championship quality pups. A pup can also be out of untitled dogs but HAVE the quality (these are the Lotto winners, the long shots but they DO exist). 

Puppies are seriously evaluated for structure at 8 weeks. The period beyond until around 6 to 8 months for most dogs we call the "puppy uglies". The pup is growing and it is not the time to evaluate him/her. Proportions are usually all off.

If you are serious, search akc.org or onofrio.com or infodog.com and find some local shows and go watch the poodles. (Search the threads for how to approach/talk to handlers during the show. Bottom line is they are super busy with a lot of responsibility, so be respectful of their time). You can learn a lot just observing. 

Study the breed standard. You will need to develop your eye so that you are able to see the structure of your poodle and know the good and the bad. That is VERY important! A handler or good breeder can help you. There is So much more to conformation than "she is square". :ahhhhh:

At the show (and I would NOT take the puppy the first day) you will likely find a pro who is willing to go over the puppy for you. You might be able to bring him/her the next day and take them up on their offer. BE WARNED!! They are going to evaluate the dog and VERY CRITICALLY For some of us AKC Conformation is a passionate hobby, but it can be costly and unless you just want the experience, hearing the truth of the good and bad about your pup is really the best thing (though sometimes it doesn't sound/feel like it!) 
The pros aren't being mean to you or to your puppy. They are giving you a hard and fast look and usually a FREE one, but you have to be ready and realistic.

AND, you will NEED the handler or an incredible mentor. 

Wishing you the Best!

:first:

Tabatha
NOLA Standards


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## poolann

If you are interested in showing him yourself there are organizations other than AKC where you can do so. For instance UKC. I show my boy in conformation there because the grooming requirements are much less rigorous. Check the breed standard because although it is very similar there are some differences. UKC shows are mostly owner handlers. Sometimes people will bring more than one dog in a class and other exhibitors will step in to help but no one is getting paid. UKC folks are also super friendly to newcomers. 

I would still take the opportunity to visit shows regardless of venue & watch the standards. Talking to a professional and getting an evaluation in person would also be helpful. Like someone said if you ask for an evaluation you are going to get the good, the bad & the ugly. It doesn't make your dog any less wonderful!

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## CharismaticMillie

Stephanie_Smith_1992 said:


> no one on here thinks anything about him would be show quality? HE has show dogs in his blood. I dont see whats wrong with him based off what the standards show. No one thinks he may be good enough? hes only 4 months old


I think your best bet of knowing whether he is show quality or not is to discuss this with his breeder. Was he evaluated for show potential at 8 weeks of age?


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## outwest

This is what I think:
You have a very pretty puppy. He has a nice face, good points (black nose, eyes, etc), a happy looking demeanor in his pictures, a nice, dense looking coat, good coloring that looks like he will be quite white as an adult, good feet, long and well placed ears. His tail is nice, could be held a little higher, but isn't curling over his back like some. I do not see anything that I could say would outright mean he shouldn't be shown. He looks like a very pretty puppy to me. I like that he looks like a male. It is a little hard to evaluate his face without a close shave. Does he have some chiseling under his eyes? Remember that no dog is perfect in every way. Your puppy doesn't have to be perfect.

I can't tell much about his body because he is so fluffy. It almost looks like he might not have a flat back, but you can not see that in a photo. I also can't tell if he is square or not because of all the hair on his rear and chest. That hair throws the picture off. I also can't see how broad his chest is or whether his front legs drop from his withers. Many poodles have a front end that is set too far forward. You can't see how they move in photographs and movement is a HUGE part of doing well in AKC. 

The other thing I see is people discouraging you from trying it out. THAT is the reason majors are hard to find around here and why poodles have become such a handler heavy breed. I don't think anyone should be discouraging someone who has an interest in showing what looks like a very nice puppy. 

The only thing that may make him not as competitive as he could be is if his movement is lacking. Some puppies lumber along and don't really have the light, springy gate that a poodle should have. Some don't have the reach and drive they need. Some puppies don't hold their heads up as much as they should.The main thing that might keep him from being successful is his movement. Have someone take a video of you trotting him. See if he holds his head up. See how his timing is. Is he light on his feet or does he look stuck to the ground? And, take the poodle illustrated breed standard lightly. The dog they show as correct is extremely moderate compared to what actually wins a lot of the time in the ring. The rear legs on some show poodle are much longer than that picture shows. The reach in the front is much longer than the picture illustrates. 

I think you should find a handling class near you and start doing that right now. That will give you training in what the judges are looking for and how to present your puppy the best you can. try UKC first because you can't have handlers there and it is a terrific venue to learn. The judges are also usually open to talking after the show. Do this as soon as he turns 6 months old. The other thing you need to do is get someone to evaluate your puppy in person. 

Not all breeders breed for AKC showing. That doesn't mean they don't/can't produce AKC showable puppies. Someone who's goal is to produce showable puppies is going to have more puppies that can be successful, but that doesn't mean yours won't. 

AKC now has a class for amateur owner handlers. Not all shows have it, but quite a number of them do. You can enter in those classes first. I have noticed that the judges are more helpful in them, too. 

Growing show coat on a poodle is not for the faint of heart. When they go through coat change they can go to bed matt free and wake up with matts. If you can find someone to mentor you, someone who does show poodles, that would be ideal. In the mean time, look into UKC shows so you can get your feet wet. 

Also, I have seen several dogs that are not even entered in AKC until they are 3 or 4 and one I saw recently just started showing at 5 years old, so there is no huge rush for you and your puppy. 

Good luck and please don't let nay sayers discourage you from investigating showing your pretty puppy. You will learn a whole lot and have lots of fun. It isn't all about the winning. You may end up looking specifically for a really good show quality puppy for your next dog. In the mean time, go for it - get him registered with UKC and go to the next show you can.


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