.com Forum · Real Show Dogs

How did you guys all get started with showing dogs? Did any of you have a mentor?

My aunt has Wolfhounds that she showed and the woman who she breeds with actually started me out. I showed her bitch (a product of my aunt's litter) and now show her new male.

I am however starting to work more with a handler as she knows so much more than a person who specializes in one breed could.

I have been helped by a few people along the way but nothing I would call a mentor other than my aunt.

It's really a learn as you go process. I had watched shows on TV for years, I practiced when I was little with my mixed dog, I played it with my stuffed animals. I didn't actually start showing until I was 18 though.

My parents showed Bassets and I belonged to Junior Kennel Club from 8 yrs old. Since starting back 30 years later with a new breed, I have some wonderful breeder mentors.

I went with a friend a couple of times then when decided to get a dog I found parents I liked and waited for my girl, the breeder helped me pick as she knew I wanted to show, then started going to training class for showing then just entered some shows.

My mentor was the breeder of my first show dog. I traveled and showed a lot of dogs for her.
I then worked for a professional handler and she became my second mentor.
Join a local kennel club or contact nearby breeders to get started.

Thanks for sharing your stories. I've been trying to get into the dog show world for 2 decades now. There don't seem to be any local breed groups near me. I guess people in PA don't show dogs, I dunno. lol

My Grandmother bred/showed/raced Siberian Huskies for over 35 years. She was instrumental in getting the Karalien Bear Dog recognized in Canada and had the first Canadian Champion in the breed. It was through her that I got my love of dogs. And it was through her that I met and fell in love with the breed I have now...the German Shepherd Dog. My mother's cousin bred and showed GSDs (in fact it was one of her's that my Grandmother had). After many years of begging and pleading (and we had lost our last remaining Siberian), my parents gave me a GSD for my 12th B-day. He came from my mother's cousin and was my introduction into the "show world". I started out in obedience, this led me to our local club which held classes at the local community hall. There I was introduced to a few more breeders and they took me under their wings and taught me about the dog shows. I got my first show dog when I was 18 years old, that was BPIS, Mutli.Group Winner Ch.Sunflower's Kissin Kris CD,TC,HIC. And yes she came from the same breeder my very first GSD came from. She has been instrumental in my development in the breed. Now we co-breed together and I have inherited my grandmother's kennel name (she signed it over to me 3 years ago). I had my first litter (with my kennel name attached, previously I had leased my bitch back to her breeder for 2 litters) and that has given me BOM/BOF Chilco's The Fuzz of Sunflower (Ch.pt'd), RMF/RFF Chilco's Ladybug of Sunflower, and Sunflower's Expressmail Chilco (Ch.pt'd). I also have one older female from the same breeder, my first Grand Champion (GCh.Sunflower's PrettyInPink Frost). And we co-own the sire of all these current dogs (she asked me if I would like to be a co-owner when we brought the dog up from California for her) Multi.Group Placing GCh.Hausmekon's Flag of Honor.



krisk

I didn't know anyone with show dogs so I searched for a good breeder/dog and got some encouragement from him but got most of my help from the others in the breed that show locally and from weekly handling classes.

There are loads of people in PA who show dogs, and quite a few dog shows in PA as well although it does depend on where you're located. Have you looked to see if there are any shows in your area? (Infodog is pretty good for this although they don't have every show: infodog.com/show/state_show_details.htm?state=pa )

I started out in obedience with my first dog then got convinced by my 4-H leader to start doing Juniors as well. From there I went on to AKC shows where I fell in love with my breed and met my mentor.

Are you interested in a specific breed at this time?
There are a ton of people in PA, I'm in Ohio, so I do some shows over there too.