puppies' first show

So Becca & I set off for the Three Counties show. It was a wonderfully warm, sunny day with a slightly blustery wind. Perfect dog show weather. Never mind that by the time we got into the ring, an enormous black cloud full of rain had swept down the Malvern hills on a ferocious wind and sent dogs, exhibitors and judges scurrying for cover in the sheds and tents with all their various stuff.

Now. Didn't I firmly vow to take the posh camera to this show and properly record Tippi & Ukko's first foray into the showring? Er, yes, I'm pretty sure I did just that very thing in my last post. Well, with no Jay on hand to mind the valuables, I thought it best to leave that particular camera at home. But surely I brought the other, good enough if not very great, camera along, right?

Er... um... enough with all the questions already! Dead battery, yadda yadda yadda. Best we concentrate on the positive. What it comes down to is that I have a few photos of Ukko that Becca took with her camera and a few truly dreadful ones that I took on my phone. Better than nothing? Hmmm, maybe.

Here they are waiting in their crates like a pair of very well behaved puppies before all the excitement of getting brushed and ready for their big debut.



"Don't I know you?"





























First up was Ukko's class and I took him in because Becca was positively green with nerves. He did his trot round the ring exceptionally well and was very good indeed about letting the judge go over him. He was even happy to show her his teeth. As for standing, well he wasn't too sure about that, but by the end of the class he was really getting the hang of that too.




Anything for a slice of sausage
























While I got Neka ready for the ring, it took surprisingly little persuasion for Becca to take Ukko into the puppy stakes class. He was so well behaved and did her proud on Becca's first ever time in the ring as well.







"Stand. No, not sit. Stand."












In the meantime, Susan was in the ring with Tippi while me and my terrible phone camera were standing further away than ever.







































Tippi was a real pro at standing, and she also trotted beautifully around with Susan. Unfortunately she was determined to get at the treats without letting the judge anywhere near her. After the judging I took her around to a few strangers for some practicing and she let them go all over her with no problem at all. It's just a matter of getting her accustomed to the new situation and I'm sure she'll be fine.

Our judge was Mrs J P (Ginty) Gill-Davis and I must say she was so nice with the puppies. Judges tend to vary rather a lot in terms of their patience with - or, in some cases, even interest in - puppies. Mrs Gill-Davis was so patient with them, and very gentle to make their first experience a good one.

So we didn't take away any big prizes from this show, for obvious reasons. The puppies, as you can see, are so very immature - what is known in dog show parlance as "raw". They are skinny, leggy and with very little in the way of coat. However, we had a lovely day and the puppies had fun and games with lots of treats, so there can be little doubt that they considered themselves big winners.