Before bringing your dog to the show it is recommend you would visit dog shows to see how the dogs are handled in the show ring and whan in general happens in dog shows. Handling the dog variates between the breeds and this is why it is important you see how the dogs same breed as yours are handled and showed to the judge (it is not worth it to see how the other breeds are handled if you do not know this breed is handled just like your breed or what are the differences between these two breeds). You should also ask advices and tips from experienced dog owners and breeders of this breed, which normally help beginners unreserved. Also your own dog's breeder is likely willing to help you, because the success of the dogs bred by him/her will help her own breeding. Well even if the dog will not be succesful it will help the breeder, who will find the faults in breed lines and maybe stops using these lines for breeding in the future (but if your dog is not succesful it does not mean always there is some faults in genes!). Sometimes it is also possible the breeder can handle your dog in the first shows (and maybe more...).
The best way to examine your own handling and to learn from your possible mistakes is to take a video camera with you to the show. Take your and some other handlings to the video, so you may do some comparison. The still photos also help to find the mistakes when standing the dog, but these will not help you to find mistakes when moving. We use both of these and found videos and photos very useful. And it is of course very nice to watch again and again when the day has been very successful... :)
Even if you like exhibiting shows very much it is not recommend to enter every show with your dog. Remember the dog is a living creature and might become very tired because of excessive running from show to show. Choose the suitable shows by time, place and judge. Also dog does not enjoy so much of travelling long ways in car every weekend or even two shows during one weekend. On the other hand it is also worth it to travel longer way, if the judge of the show is worth it. So main thing is: consider carefully before entering the show.
Do not bring your dog to the show "like a pig in a poke". With this is meant you should teach and make your dog familiar with some basic stuff before the show. Teaching should be started in time, so the dog has time to adopt all new things. It is different to do some things in your own yard than in the middle of two thousand dogs and at least same amount of people. So before the show it is important your dog has already met other dogs and learned some social behaviour with them (so the dog will not get a shock when there is other dogs in front and behind, right and left...). The judge will touch the dog, so the dog has to know the social behaviour with people too (dog is not allowed to be aggressive or timid) and the dog has to let the judge examine its teeth nicely. Remembery you should give the judge "space" when he/she is examining the dog so remove from judge's way when he/she is checking the dog (give the judge free way to do his/her work). Your dog should know how to stand still (it depends on the breed is the handler holding the dog or not). You may teach you and your dog for this for example standing your dog in front of the mirror, when you will see the position of the dog. It would be very good also your dog would know how to run on your left side without pulling and trotting smoothly. The dog always moves on handler's left side so the judge can see the dog's movements. In puppy classes the little jumping and pulling are not so big faults, but the older the dog is the better it shoud behave in the show ring.
The condition of the dog should be good when entering the show (not too thin and not too fat). The appearance is also better if the coat and muscles are in good condition. With a regular physical exercise you can get these to your dog. There is a lot of good ways: dog running right next to your bicycle, forrest walks, swimming, jogging etc. But not only the exercice... the dog needs also good nourishment to be in good condition. Show days might sometimes become long-drawn-out and in summer time there might be very sultry and hot, so only this might be very burdensome for the dog and the owner too. So this is one more reason to take care of your dog's condition (the dog will better stand the strain of the show day).
The coat of the dog should be also clean when entering the show. So wash the coat in time (like day or two days before the show), not in the morning before the show. The coat should be also trimmed if the breed is a "trimmable" breed. If you do not know what to do to the coat, please contact the breeder. Very often the dog breeders offer their trimming service, but not, they surely tell you where is a professional local trimming service. You should also clean the dog's ears and eyes and cut the nails before entering the show.
Sometimes your dog's coat might have tassels in places where they should not be (of course this is not happening with all breeds, but english springer spaniels might have this "problem"). Sometimes even the brushing with a hair dryer will not work. To these situations there is different kind of clothing, which your dog start wearing when it is wet and it will be taken off when the dog's coat has become dry (dog's hair has become skin-tight). The other way is to water the coat (with water and a bit of conditioner) and then comb it and make a clothing to your dog from tights. The dog can move freely when you make this right. But it maybe is not recommended to do this to bigger dogs than english springer spaniel (and this does not work if the dog is a lot of smaller, because then the tights are too big). And also when doing this to dog sized like english springer, you should use as big tights as possible (the small ones are too small). The tights will be used as long as the coat has become dry and become skin-tight. Here is some tips to do the clothing from tights:
- Cut the toe part from both legs of the tights (holes to both of them)
- Put your dogs both back feet from the other leg (both to the same!)
- Thread your dog throught this leg
- Thread your dog's head through the other leg so that the front feet come from the waist part of the tights
- Make a hole for the tail and thread the tail through this hole (so the dog can swing his tail)
One good way to get rid of fringed back coat with english springer spaniel is to wet the coat (with water and a bit of conditioner) and after this to put strech frotee fabric on the dog. For springer spaniel this fabric could be size about 70cm x 70cm (depends on dog's size). You need this piece of fabric and 4 quite big safety pins. Put the fabric on dog's back. Pin the fabric with safety pins from under the tail, under the stomach (2) and from front part. Let the fabric be on dog for example the night before the show.
According to Finnish show rules from 1.1.2003 it is not allowed to enter dog show with bitch clearly in heat. 16.7.2003 Finnish Kennel Club gave notice, where was said "bitch is kept clearly in heat when it is bleeding". So if the bitch has bloody flow during the show, it is not allowed to be exhibited. But when the bleeding is over during heat, you are allowed to bring your bitch to show place according to this Kennel Club's brief. Anyhow bitches do often smell 'good' to dog's nose (even if not in heat) and this is the reason why dogs are always first shown in ring (so that there is not so much good smells disturbing their performance).
If your dog has come on heat before the show, you are still allowed to enter the show here in Finland. In the show the dogs are shown before the bitches just because of this. Of course you should not bring your bitch then near the dogs in the show (so the dog's show performance will not suffer). There is also some sprays, which relieve the smell of the bitch (ask more from your pet store).
The dog may not take part of the show if it is ill, has not two testicles, is blind or deaf. Also if the dog which are operated to hide some fault are not allowed to enter the show. You are not allowed too dye your dog's coat and not allowed to hide long-hairing. Also dogs who are dangerous for other dogs and people in the show are not allowed to enter.
You also should check the vaccinations are ok before you enter the show. In every dog shows, tests and other mass happenings are the Finnish Kennel Club's vaccination orders observed. The arranger is binded to check every dog's vaccination testimonies. The dog has to have a valid vaccinations against distemper and rabies to enter the shows and tests.
You are also not allowed to enter the Finnish show if your dog is not identified with a tattoo or micro chip. This rule came into force from the start of the year 2001 here in Finland. The arranger will check the identification normally as random samples, but in some shows they might check it from every dog when checking the vaccinations. You may get the identification tattoo or micro chip from your vet or from the people delegated by the kennel club. And the docked dogs (ears, tail or any other part) may enter the shows here in Finland only if they are born before 1.1.2001 (not even if docking is allowed in home country).