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I was curious to know when everybody ends a dogs Campaigning career in the ring?

I have 2 dogs that have been doing quite well for the breed:



GCH CH Quileute - Mr. Blue Bird
www.showdog.com/dog.aspx?id=13760974

43 GCH Points
5 Group placements
#1 Top Dog in Breed (Current)
#69 Top Dog in Breed - ALL TIME Ranking!



He has never gone BIG or BIS. He has placed 4th in Specialty. (Our breed doesn't place in Group very often and it is very very rare that we ever place in Show lol).



I also have:

GCH CH Quileute - Destination Unknown
www.showdog.com/dog.aspx?id=13767907

45 GCH Points
0 Group placements
1 BISS
#2 Top Dog in Breed (Current)
#82 Top Dog in Breed - ALL TIME Ranking!


Both boys are only about 55 days old - I have the money to continue showing them - but I am also sessioning and showing another 12 dogs at the moment in this kennel (same breed).

Would you continue to show and campaign them? Or would you retire them from the ring and let them enjoy their days producing pups, lol?

(Note: Bare in mind that this is still a relatively rare breed - so these show results might not sound great compared to many other breeds - but trust me - for this breed - they are good!)

I "campaign" males (select the best judges and handlers for them) until I have another, younger dog that beats them in the ring. But I usually keep showing the older dogs, especially in my rarer breeds, to keep breed entries up- the older dogs just get bumped down on the handler assignment priority list, and might not be entered in a show every single day.

I currently have a bitch that I am campaigning and she is close to aging out. It all just depends on the dog and how well they do against younger progeny. My bitch is 106 days old and is still taking BOB and BOS which is good considering there are dogs in there that are better than her SOP and trait wise.

I tend to show them until they stop doing well in placements. I am in Mals, Borzois, Great Danes, and Gordon Setters. They are not rare, but if they were I think I would keep showing as well.

I have had one dog I've shown to 120 days because he was still placing so well. Ended up becoming the #1 Malamute for GCH points.

Awesome - thanks for your input

I'll show my best male until they are getting beat. My girls I always breed. I had one dog that got at least BOB in all but 2 shows. He ended up being the #7 all time winner. This was before COI and he was a very busy stud. I left for quite a while, and when I came back he was still in every yorkie line. I got to still continue my line.

I've just retired 2 dogs, one bitch I've campaigned to her GCH, bred a litter off her, shown her until 120 days, and will now obedience train her?

The other is a source dog with 9.00 SOP, was campaigned throughout her show career winning a BISS, 59 BOB's, 4 BOS, a Group #4 and 59 class 1sts (but she NEVER won a single point!!) She bred a litter, gained a CD in obedience and is working towards CDX. Just goes to show how depressing showing a source dog can be.



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Last edited by mournebrake on 3/29/2015 4:54:17 PM

I've been campaigning this guy for a little over a month, but tomorrow he's in the March World Cup and I've decided that I'll probably let that be his final run since I have a younger male that will be entering the ring on Wednesday.
www.showdog.com/dog.aspx?id=13735414

He's had a heck of a run, for sure. 124 GCH points and 26 BIBs. He's also been our National BISS Winner for two months in a row. He's the current #1 beardie and #2 for all-time GCH points in the breed.

It's a little bittersweet to "retire" him from the ring, but I think it's time

Taylor

For me it can be when they stop winning. I've have shown dogs all the way to 120 days if they remain competitive and bring home BOBs and group placements.

I stop campaigning most of my dogs when the reach GCH; I will usually campaign a champion for a long time before pulling the plug if their bout for GCH isn't going well; I don't like to throw in the towel, but I do know when to quit. I also usually won't breed a show bitch until she has completed her GCH title and not at all if she fails to.

I will only campaign fully one or two dogs in a breed at a time, and these usually will go for a full 120 days; unless they stop being able to win before that, which doesn't happen, since I will only send the elite for a complete campaign. Just finished a smashingly successful campaign with my boy Secret to Success and will be showing Oracle Sea and Greater Heights for the Long haul as well. I have Solar Polaris waiting in the wings as my next hopeful for complete campaign potential.