# Question about AKC show Ring Prep for German Shepherd dogs



## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Having watched a bit of the prep for dogs going in the breed ring I have noted a LOT of bathing, blow drying etc.

Poodles and breeds like that get a lot more of this than other breeds. 

If you regularly show a German Shepherd Dog, does the dog typically get a bath and blow dry/Brush against hair growth direction etc. before stepping into the AKC breed ring?


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

> If you regularly show a German Shepherd Dog, does the dog typically get a bath and blow dry/Brush against hair growth direction etc. before stepping into the AKC breed ring?


Always.

But you don't dry against hair growth all the time (particularly not in the croup....makes it look terrible). I bathe Mirada a day or two in advance, so she's clean, and then up on the table I soak her down with water from a spray bottle and blow her out. Her already being clean allows the hair to stand up freely without me needing to use products to do it.

The difference between bathed and unbathed Mirada is quite noticeable...and she looks better when fresh from a bath.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

I thought so.. I have been criticized for bathing my dogs 1X a month.... and before a show.. (not AKC Breed but in an obedience trial or German breed ring). Critique was "bathing too often..." I bathe the dog monthly and then 24 hours later put the spot on flea control. When I did not have a clean dog and put the flea control on the vehicle in the spot on caused a contact dermatitis (on Atka). Now I do this wash, dry then wait 24 hours and put the flea stuff on. 

But I notice the dogs in the AKC ring always look clean and groomed. The German ring not so much... 

I blow with the lay of the hair at the end, but in the start I blow and comb against to remove hair (a full time job iwth a Shepherd) and to separate the hair so it isn't clumping. 

I was wondering because I thought the AKC dogs all looked bathed and if someone is a handler, I bet the dogs get baths a lot more often than 1X a month.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

> But I notice the dogs in the AKC ring always look clean and groomed.


That's because they generally are.



> The German ring not so much...


That's because they're unfortunately not x.x

Now don't get me wrong, there are PLENTY of people that bathe a day or two prior to the show, which I feel is a good thing. I hold nothing against them for not blowing cow licks out of their dogs coats and the like...but I feel it's extremely disrespectful to show a judge a dirty dog, not to mention that I don't WANT a dirty dog.

If a judge told me I was bathing my dog too often, I'd be thinking "Blow it out our ***". 

My dogs are bathed once a month. Mirada is bathed more often if she has a show (so, sometimes two or three times), but in general she is bathed as normal, and I do not overly fret about her coat. I like my animals clean, but I don't go overboard with it.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

It was not a judge who told me this.. but that is not the point. I just think a bathed and quaffed dog looks better... in the ring and being shown. I know Obedience folks often do not do a lot to their dogs before a show.. but I have. I like this breed of dog and, IMO, it is my job to present my dog as well as I can. 

It was a critique from someone else. Doesn't matter.. I have to LIVE with my dogs and if part of that deal is bathing my dog 1x a month then so be it. I just found it ODD that anyone would complain because my dog got a bath.. regularly and then tell me she is getting bathed too often. She is shiny and looks good. 

I just file it away with the person who told me "that breed of dog is dangerous and she will turn on you when she is 4 (she is 4.5)." There was someone else at the Memorial Day Parade who gave me an 'expert' opinion.. that was up there with the bath (never bathe your dog) advice... I think that was something like I should feed my dog Eukaneuba or something.. I just keep in mind this advice is worth what you pay... 

<shrug> Just thought I would ASK since I was pretty sure dogs got bathed before shows in AKC.....


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

A bathed dog definitely looks better. I do not like to be around dogs that have never been bathed. They may not smell to the owner, but *I* can certainly tell that they stink. And they FEEL dirty *shudders* I cannot imagine not bathing for 15 years.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Xeph said:


> A bathed dog definitely looks better. I do not like to be around dogs that have never been bathed. They may not smell to the owner, but *I* can certainly tell that they stink. And they FEEL dirty *shudders* I cannot imagine not bathing for 15 years.


I have known people like that... (not for long).......

BTW what the unsolicited advice was had to do with Glucosamine (not Eukanuba).... which I do NOT use.... and this guy said, "You have her on Glucosamine right?" I told him I will put her on it as soon as I see repeatable, double blind studies showing it works. Until then my money stays in my wallet (well... not really.. it goes to show fees, gas, dog food.. ya know.. that stuff....). 

I always love out of the blue unsolicited advice. It is amusing and eye brow raising and serves to remind me that "they do indeed walk among us.."

BTW Xeph, do you have any dog(s) lined up to handle and show for someone? If Mirada is off the screen for this I was just wondering. This is OT (but it is my thread... LOL) but would it be possible to handle a really well bred etc. dog in swap for rights to breed her one time? Just a wild thawt.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

> BTW Xeph, do you have any dog(s) lined up to handle and show for someone?


I actually have a bitch special coming this fall  I'll be picking her up at GSD Nationals. She's a Select Excellent champion, and is being sent to me to complete her Grand Championship, as well as to put an RN or CD on her, so she can get her Award of Excellence.

If for some reason she's not looking up to snuff, her daughter, Claire, will be sent home with me to be finished  We're talking about a potential co-ownership/lease with Claire (her mother is too old to be bred again). We just settled handling fees and everything yesterday.

I've also got two dogs coming from my breeder to show in the interim,


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Things like this are good. It is always good to get more ring experience and even better if you are not paying for it yourself. In the end you MAY find that how this works out puts you a mile ahead of the pack when you actually DO breed a litter of your own. 

It is sort of like someone who does 'catch rides' at a riding stable. In the end, they will be much more horse savvy than the person who owns one horse and that is the only horse they ride.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

Yeah, it'll be good for me to be seen with a special.

I'll have 3 dogs to show all at once, if I can get the two my breeder is supposed to send me from WI to at least OH. Ugh.


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