Equipment

Before you start for your first show there are certain pieces of equipment you will need. One is a strong collar that fits your dog well; either round leather, flat leather, or a chain. Another item you will need is a bench chain. A bench chain is just what its name implies—used to chain a dog to the bench, snapping onto the ring in the collar and to the ring provided for that purpose on the bench. When fastening the dog to the bench, be sure to leave enough chain so that the dog can lie down but not long enough to allow him to jump off the bench, as he could possibly hang himself.

You will also need a show lead. A show lead is usually much finer than the leads used for walking a dog. Before purchasing a show lead, find out what type is used by the successful exhibitors in your breed. In some breeds the dogs are exhibited on the same chain collar used for benching with a fine leather snap-on lead attached to it. In some breeds the exhibitors prefer leather one-piece leads. I say leather, but this type one-piece show lead is made up in whalehide, lacing, nylon belting, and many other materials. In the toy breeds some exhibitors use a nylon string, which is no heavier than the lead of a pencil. Terriers are almost always shown on a leather collar and lead.

You will need a sponge, and if you have a liking for the synthetic ones, they will do very nicely. You will want to take along a towel—an old one will do. Your dog will have been bathed before being brought to the show, if he is of a breed that requires bathing, but if he becomes carsick and drools over himself, or if he walks through a puddle and then through dust or dirt, the sponge and towel will help you clean him before taking him into the ring.

If you are sure that you have done every necessary bit of trimming at home perhaps it will not be necessary to carry trimming tools with you. However, a great many people find it advisable to carry with them at least a few trimming tools for those last-minute repairs. A pair of scissors, perhaps a small stripping knife, and any other one or two tools you are fond of for trimming in your breed may come in handy. A comb and brush are necessities, and will be very welcome just before you go into the ring.

Talking of equipment leads me quite naturally to a discussion of crates. A tack crate, with one or two drawers, would have all these tools stored in the drawers ready to go at a moment's notice. It is not at all necessary for you to take your dog to a show in a crate or to have a tack crate; the majority of dog-show goers do not use crates. If your dog rides well in the back seat of your car or even on the front seat next to you, and you enjoy having him there and wish to take him to the shows that way, you will find at least nine tenths of the exhibitors doing it the same way.

If, however, you feel you would like to carry your dog to the shows in a crate, or if you haven't yet made up your mind, I would like to point out these advantages. En route, if you have to jam on your brakes suddenly, the dog will not tumble from the seat to the floor and perhaps hurt himself enough to be limping when he goes into the ring. Instead, he will scarcely be aware of the sudden stop. If your dog is riding in a crate, he will not be looking out of the window and getting himself all excited at every dog or cat he sees; he will be asleep and resting. If you want to go out for dinner and it is necessary to leave your dog in the car or in a hotel room, you will find that he will soon become so accustomed to the crate that he will be more than happy while you're away and you won't have to worry that he may become bored or angry and start to chew on the upholstery—an expensive pastime.

Suppose you are staying overnight at a friend's home where there is another dog and you can't very well bring your dog into the house. It may be too cold or too hot to leave him locked in the automobile. He can be kept in his crate and the crate placed in the garage, the basement, or even in your bedroom, and you will rest assured that he will annoy no one and will get his proper rest.

The greatest advantage in using a crate is that it gives you an ideal surface on which to clean your dog at the show, and when the dog is on the bench the empty crate is an excellent place in which to store your belongings. At an unbenched show it is ideal and worth its weight in gold.

If you have decided to use a crate and have to purchase one, here are a few things to look for. First of all, be sure the crate is a good one. It is never wise to economize when buying a crate. If you decide to build one yourself, be sure first to examine a good crate and copy it faithfully. Without exception everyone I know who has built a crate has had to rebuild it after using it only once or twice. No one ever makes his first crate strong enough to "take the gaff." Or if he does, it is so heavy that two strong men can hardly lift it, and you soon find the proud owner trying to lighten the crate by removing as much of it as possible.

Here is the author giving her young English Setter a last minute going over before entering the show ring. They are under a tent and the dog is standing on top of a crate in the space provided for crates at an outdoor show.

A good crate is well ventilated with holes or openings close to the top in order to let out the heat. I believe the wooden crates are superior to the aluminum ones for show purposes. The sides and top of a wooden crate can be of plywood for lightness, but the floor and the door should be of hardwood for lasting qualities. If it is a wooden crate, there should be a great many ventilation holes, but not so large that the dog can get his teeth in and start to chew. It is preferable to have the door lined with metal; one of the best types is a piece of stamped-out sheet metal, which is very strong and provides good ventilation. If you get a crate with a door with vertical bars, be sure they are close enough together so that the dog cannot chew in between them or get his teeth around the bars. Be sure the fastener for the door is a good one—it has been found that window locks make good fasteners—and it is wise to have a hasp on the door as well. If the crate is a well-made one, all of these things will be incorporated.
The wooden crate may be painted or, preferably, varnished with a good grade of spar varnish. Remember the crate should be washed out after every trip whether or not it has been soiled.

The first few times a dog rides to a show in a crate it is wise to line the floor of the crate with newspapers and then tear some newspapers in strips on top of the lining. If the dog gets carsick you can empty all the papers at one time. The torn strips will help keep the dog clean until you get to your destination. Because of their small size they tend to cover over any moisture or soil. Later on you will probably line the floor of the crate with an old turkish towel. Newspaper has the one disadvantage of leaving smudges on a light-colored dog.

At some of the shows you will find plenty of assistance in getting your crate out of your car and into the crate space provided. At smaller shows you may have to take care of this yourself. Be sure to tip the boys who help you load and unload your crate, as they are very rarely paid to do this by the club. If they are paid by the club and are told not to take any tips, they will so advise you.

The West Highland White Terrier, English, Canadian and American "Champion Cruben Dextor," shown to his Canadian and American championships by his youthful amateur owner Miss Barbara J. Worcester of Little Falls, N. J.

At an outdoor show, when placing your crate in the space provided, be sure it is on level ground. The crate that tips is not easy to work on and the dog is uncomfortable in one that jiggles around. Upon your arrival, notice the direction in which the sun is traveling and don't place your crate where the afternoon sun will shine directly on it. At indoor shows watch for drafts from doors which must be opened, and watch out for radiators. Give yourself enough room so that you can work on your dog on the crate top without being crowded, and consider your neighbor; don't crowd him. On the other hand, don't be selfish and take more room than you actually need. This crate space is usually very crowded.

If you do not use a crate, you will have none of these problems to think about. At a benched show just make your bench your headquarters. At an unbenched show, however, let me caution you about leaving your dog in the parked car. While you may park the car in the shade of a large tree upon your arrival, the sun moves, and very shortly the car may be sitting out in the broiling sun. It gets unbearably hot in a closed car, and occasionally a fine animal loses his life due to the carelessness and thoughtlessness of his owner. If the dog does not die of suffocation, he may have a heat stroke. If it is a hot day, take the dog with you and try to keep him in the shade.

Perhaps you think I am dwelling too much on the subject of keeping the dog as cool as possible. However, letting a dog get overheated is one of the big mistakes the novice exhibitor makes at shows. He is never aware of it until it has been pointed out to him, and then it may be too late. I have seen a novice exhibitor stand at the ringside for an hour waiting to go into the ring, and in his effort to keep the dog clean and dry he won't allow the animal to curl up under a chair or in his own shadow, and before you know it the dog's tongue is hanging out a mile. He is panting and getting very restless, and by the time he goes into the ring, the poor dog "has had it." Notice the old-timers and the professionals in this respect. Unless it is a cool day or at an indoor show, you will never see them standing in the hot sun with a dog about to go into the ring. Just remember that in no breed is the expression of the dog enhanced when he is panting.

Now let's get back to the big day. You are ready to go to your first show. Let us assume you have chosen one fairly close to home and will be starting out early the morning of the show. You will have given the dog a bath either the day before or, with some breeds, a few days before the show. Many exhibitors believe a very recent bath takes the natural oils and sheen out of the coat and makes it appear dull. This is particularly true of black dogs. Of course a white dog will have to be bathed just before a show in order to have him really clean. Remember you may not have the best dog in the show, but you can always have the cleanest! Nothing discourages a judge more in his examination of a dog than to have to touch or smell a dirty dog. Incidentally, if you are showing a flat-coated dog, pin a large towel around him after his bath and notice how it helps to lay the coat.
The night before the show you should get together all of the things you are taking with you. While you are still a novice it won't hurt to make out a written list and check it before you leave. If the show is an outdoor one, regardless of weather reports or how the morning looks to you, take along a raincoat and rubbers or boots. The show goes on, you know, no matter what the weather. Even though the judging will be under a tent, you will have to go from either the benching tent or your car to the judging tent, and you may have to do it during a cloudburst. If your dog is too big to pick up and carry under your raincoat, it would help if you took along something to throw over him on his way to the judging ring.

Here are the things to take along which I consider necessities: the identification card and ticket (need I remind you?); a water pan (although you can always use the cardboard ones supplied by feed companies at most shows, I prefer to take my own); a sponge and towel (I hope you won't need them!); a bench collar and bench chain; a show lead; a comb and brush. If you use a tack crate (a crate with drawers), these very useful and necessary articles may be permanently stored in the drawers and will always be ready to go. If you do not use a tack crate, you will probably "latch on" to an old brief case or small overnight bag which will accompany you to shows, and these things can be stored in it and will always be ready to go.

Here are some things you can also take along if you wish: trimming tools (if you aren't sure you have completed the trimming task right down to the last whisker); a bucket (if your water pan is large enough perhaps you will use that, but if your breed is a large one, which may need a lot of cleaning up, the bucket will come in handy); a first-aid kit (you never know what may happen); a thermos of water or coffee (some exhibitors always carry with them their dog's drinking water, for he becomes less upset internally when drinking the water to which he has become accustomed); lunch (a few homemade sandwiches are very welcome); and a change of shoes for your weary feet. Everything in this list may be prepared the night before and placed with the necessities except the lunch, which you will want to store in the refrigerator until morning. (Ten to one you'll run off and forget it!)

In the morning, exercise your dog carefully. If you have a pen for him, fine; otherwise don't turn him loose; he may wade through a puddle, or, worse, he may chase a passing cat and make you late for your arrival. A very good friend of mine whose dog was extremely well trained had this happen to him: the dog decided to take off one morning before a show and they didn't catch up with him until it was too late to go to the show at all. Watch to see if your dog evacuates; if he doesn't, you will want to give him the opportunity to do so immediately upon arriving at the show. If not then, try again before he goes into the ring. Your dog will show better for you if this act has been performed. However, it happens that no matter how many opportunities you may give a dog to evacuate before he goes into the ring he will decide that right now, in the ring, is the time. If it happens to you, don't die of embarrassment. Remember it has happened before. Just try, if possible without interrupting the dog, to maneuver him to the side or end of the ring and stay there until he has finished. When he has finished, go on with whatever you were doing. If the judge has had to wait for you, you might say very quietly to him, "I'm sorry." That will be sufficient. Usually the judge, or a steward, or the ring runner, will send word to the proper person that the ring needs cleaning. If the cleaning up has not been taken care of after a reasonable period of time, you might advise the show superintendent's office and they will see that it is done.

Back we go again. You are ready to leave for the show. You and your dog and your equipment are in the car. You should perhaps place a cover on the upholstery and some newspapers on the floor of the car if your dog has not been car broken. Don't feed him or give him any water in the morning before the trip if he isn't car broken. Incidentally, car breaking is something you can do long before you start to show a dog. Start when he is a puppy, with short rides daily. He will soon love it, and you will have no further trouble. Some dogs are wonderful riders and never have to be car-broken; others never quite get used to riding. You are lucky if your dog is a natural rider.

I think this might be a good time for me to mention a few helpful hints about staying overnight with your dog when you take him to a show. Years ago it was not much of a problem, as almost all hotels allowed you to bring your dog into your room. However, so many people abused the privilege that the hotels have had to put an end to the practice. There are still some hotels and some motels which will allow the dogs in the rooms, and usually the show-giving club prints the names of these establishments nearest the show grounds in the premium list. You can also obtain a booklet listing the names of hotels and motor courts which offer accommodations for guests accompanied by their dogs by writing to Gaines Dog Research Center, 250 Park Avenue, New York 17, New York. Enclose 10 cents and ask for the directory entitled Touring with Towser. Listings are given for all 48 states, and a preface gives tips on caring for your dog while traveling. Some establishments which accept dogs conditionally require that you sign a form stating that you will be responsible for any damage your dog may do.

No matter how well housebroken your dog is, or how accustomed he may be to staying in your house alone, when he gets in a strange place and is left completely alone he worries and frets and usually gets into trouble of some sort. He may soil the rug, tear the bedspread, chew on the furniture, or just plain bark and howl. I don't know which annoys the management of a hotel the most, but since you are responsible for damages, I guess the barking and howling. The folks in the room next to yours will certainly complain. Now I know you cannot take the dog into a dining room with you and you probably will be hungry after the trip; but see if you can't arrange to leave the dog in your car, particularly if he is accustomed to it and enjoys sleeping in it, at least until you finish eating and until you are ready to go to your room for the night. When you are with him he will probably settle down and be the angel he is at home and you will save yourself a lot of trouble and money. Besides, you owe it to other exhibitors and dog lovers who do manage to keep their dogs out of mischief to see to it that the few hotels and motels who now allow you this privilege of having your dog with you continue to do so. If your dog is accustomed to going out early in the morning, leave a call and get up at the same time and take him out. You owe him that much.  

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here….