[WonderPup]

I show in conformation, Rally, and Obedience and had plans for agility before I got knocked up lol. Maybe after the baby. So far I haven't shown poodles yet but I got my 10 mo old puppy Saleen specificly for performance events and as a conformation prospect.

There isn't any reason you couldn't do AKC shows with your dog, even if he is unregistered. AKC has a program where they will grant an unregistered dog an alternate registry number that will allow them to compete in everything except conformation. The only catch is your dog must be spayed or neutered. They have also just started a program to allow mix breed dogs to compete in obedience/rally and maybe Agility too?? Same thing as with the alternate numbers, (which I beleive are called pal numbers now), the dogs are supposed to be spay/nutered and they are only allowed to compete at shows not offering conformation.

 

[WonderPup]

Am I to guess that you seek you outside trainers for this? Thanks for your great feedback!

Thats a good place to start, seek out a training class with a good trainer. Even as a trainer who teaches classes often I take my dogs to classes with another trainer. You just can't get the same distractions on your own that you can get in a group class. They have to be able to do what you ask in spite of what may be going on around them.

 

[WonderPup]

BFF, I had to chuckle at your comment on their being a lot to do with getting ready to show in conformation. Thats the truth no doubt about it but weirdly I get more stressed out getting ready to take one of the dogs to do obedience or rally than I ever could with conformation.... maybe that has something to do with the fact I haven't shown a poodle yet, only other breeds.
Leave it to me to be stressed and hyper about the oddest things.

As for doing training on your own totaly without the help of a group class or a trainer with a book my advice would be to be careful about that. It's NOT impossible, don't get me wrong, but you're not as likely to reach your potential without a second set of eyes watching you. It take a lot of time and effort, why not make the most of it.

Funny Story; I started teaching Saleen basic heeling almost as soon as I got her, without the mirrors of the training center and without somebody watching. I've put plenty of obedience titles on dogs, I know what I'm doing. While I've worked with TONS of larger breed dogs all the dogs I have competed with have been small so I tend to turn my torso in slightly and look down on the dog just so I can see them. Thats a no no really, but it was just an habit I had that I wasn't aware of. Well with saleen being larger there was no reason I couldn't see her out of the corner of my eye but still I did it the 'old way' without even noticing it. Guess what my fellow trainer pointed out less than five minutes into a practice session I had come out for (her place has mirrored walls, amazingly helpful, which is what I was doing there in the first place). She stopped me, laughing of course, and pointed out that I had taught Saleen to lag beautifuly. I didn't believe her and was really annoyed when I watched myself in the mirrors on the opposite wall and saw that YUP she was right. By turning my body I had changed heel position enough to teach her to be a few inches behind where she was supposed to be, UGH! I was digusted, I've been at this 16 years, I know better. It took the second set of eyes to catch it though and thankgoodness she did. It only took a week to fix it. I could have plodded along the wrong way for months which would have taken a lot longer to undo. The social skills your dog can pick up in a class too in invaulable.

 

[WonderPup]

I know a lot of poodles owners do hire handlers, at least it seems that way from the shows I go to here in the south east. I'm a big owner handler kind of person, I wouldn't consider sending my poodle away to a handler (if I decided to show one that is). If you have a really nice dog and you work hard there is no reason you couldn't handle your puppy yourself. Your dog *might* finish his/her championship faster with a handler and they might not. As with everything Its more difficult when you first start out and then it gets easier, especialy if you get really into it and show a lot. Judges start to know you and your dog/dogs and even though they are not supposed to let that influence their choices for placements it never hurts... and lets face it a lot of judges give wins to people they they've seen a lot before, thats where the handler has a bit of an advantage. There is also the practical aspect of using a handler in that it gets you out of having to do a lot of grooming. If you send your dog to live with your handler you don't even have to maintain the coat. I suppose there is something to be said for that... Of course plenty of people keep the dog and maintain it themselves and meet up with a handler at shows and the handler takes the dog in the ring or they only send them to the handler for the weekend. I used to have a lot of weekend only type clients since I didn't board medium or large breeds, only small/toys.

Ok I think I've rambled on enough... lol sorry... I tend to talk alot in real person too.

 

[WonderPup]

Thanks a lot, I appreciate it, I tend to talk a lot myself. At least it is easier for me - don't have to watch spelling :smile-big:

ROFL, are you kidding me, I never watch spelling. I don't even re-read half of what I write *eye roll* I know, I know thats lazy and a disgrace. It's a wonder sometimes people on here can read and understand any of what I post LoL.

 

[WonderPup]

Time permitting we do owner handle our spoos. You have to kinda have a thick skin to do so.. but it can be fun and very rewarding..

There is another good point, showing dogs does kind of require thick skin no matter what breed you find yourself with. Even among friends you can get your feelings a little bruised from time to time lol.
Haha, a good friend of mine stood right next to me and told another person at a show that she was glad we weren't planning to breed Wonder, she just wan't her cup of tea... Then 20 min later when we had finished showing she made what I thought was a slightly rude comment to the same person, again standing right next to me, about how she just didn't understand what he judge that day was looking for considering what he put up (Wonder and her littermate brother won the points and breed and best of opp. beating her dogs ). She didn't intend to be rude exactly, and she never has liked Wonder Puppy for reasons I cannot even begin to sort through lol. I didn't chose not to associate with or speak to her beyond to say hello and polite conversation at shows for over a year.
Another person, who now has a puppy from me was watching me prep one of my dogs for the ring and commented in a half joking tone that she saw that man with Armani walking into the building (Armani is Wonder's brother mentioned above), she didn't realize that Armani was MY dog and went on to say she kind of wished he had gotten lost on the way to the show that day and missed the ring so her dog would have a better chance. ROFL, I very calmly smiled and said "Donna, honey, you do know I own that dog riiight, I'm personaly very happy he didn't get lost on the way to the show I'd hate to waste the entry fee." Poor lady, I was only mildly offended b/c she was very new to showing and was only showing her dog because that was the condition the breeder put on the sale. We still laugh about it from time to time. Just goes to show though, you can't let things get to you at a dog show or you'll just be unhappy almost every time you go to one lol.

 

[WonderPup]

I show toy poodles in AKC Confirmation. I have been doing it for 6 years and love it (learned alot and am still learning) .

If anyone is interested I have a silver male toy poodle show prospect puppy available to a new show home :0). PVT me if interested.....

*Sigh* A silver toy.... If only. My husband would kill me, he's dead set on a bichon to show. Wish they came in Silver... Haha, can you tell Silver is my favorite color. I would love to see pictures of your baby even if I'd only be allowed to drool over them

 

[WonderPup]

Ah I'm afraid with the baby on the way my days of pulling a fast one concerning new furry additions to our family are done My hubby gave me the option before we got Jazz, you can show guinea pigs or you can get a poodle. The poodle kind of fell in my lap... several months later a guinea pig, and then two more found their way into our home, ROFL and THEN Another Poodle! Hehe. We were sitting in the car one afternoon and he banged his head on the steering wheel and commented that he just realized that I got the poodle AND the guinea pigs! LoL. (And then three ferrets and now a baby on the way... how did THAT happen) I was supposed to get a pair of parakeets for my birthday but he just wished me a happy birthday a few minutes ago and informed me he was broke LoL. Good thing too b/c I can't do cage duty right now so no new pets for ME.