How not to go on a first dog show (or you'll look like a complete idiot) 🫣

Preparing for dog show should start from very young age and the foundation is trust with the dog you're handling. As someone highly involved in dog show world and once a completely newbie, I started my research a long time ago. Cracked between giving up my dog in professional handler's hands or representing it on my own was a long time issue with me, but somehow I managed my scare of stepping into ring.

My first ever show was held back in 2016 and I handled my Una Fliegeland - my first white shepherd as a 5 months old puppy. I remember knowing nothing and I have for sure embarrased myself. I wore white hoodie, ripped jeans and green Nike shoes, looking like a complete fool standing in ring next to some very well dressed gentlemen. I still got nice description and positive words, I guess judge saw me quietly shaking in disbelief how bad I was dressed. Those are my funny moments and I like to tell me cynology friends I had no idea what the hell I was doing that day...

I quickly realised it's more than just representing dog. You are the one responsible for representing that dog and you should show some respect to this animal and judge in front of you - with nice dress, not with ripped jeans tho. 🤣

From that time on, I surely did some change in my dress code. 👩‍💻 But with my Una not representing as other pups in ring I learned one thing - you cannot perform well if dog doesn't know what you even want from him.

I quickly found my Una is not fan of shows and standing there. But not even a year later I got my Bjorn from Croatia, who I bought - yes completely without knowledge of my family hah - in March. He was different and he knew how to pose. I started basically from day one. Learning him to "run nice and smooth", just standing on my request. Slowly preparing him to show his teeth and let him be touched thoroughly without moving. First I started doing that at home, then I continued doing that in city, looking like a cmplete idiot in crowd. People passing by asking themselves "why is she asking that dog to just stand like Eiffel Tower's?" but I didn't mind strange looks. I just continued. Ignoring people. Well, as much as I could... 😳 The point was, people saw our (or my?) potential and I was asked several times to help people handle their dog, for which I mostly said yes. I was prepared. And not in ripped jeans.

I am more than willing to share secrets and my embarrasing moments in cynology world through 10 years, so you people won't make the same mistake. And yes, many times I wanted to quit, but I didn't, I knew there is something important with dogs that just kept me going on.