# First SV Style Conformation show!!



## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

I had the best day I've had in a LONG time! Went to my first ever SV show (for exhibiting), and I went P1 with my breeder's WL puppy, Eyke, won the untitled male class with her friend's dog, Cairo...SG1 (highest rating he could get in that class), and then won the working male class with another dog, Blitz! V1!!!

I had never met any of these dogs prior to the show. I have never exhibited at an SV show, and I've only ever seen one once. I took them and went in, and came away with some nice booty! WHOO!!

I kinda collapsed on the outside of the ring when Blitz's person took over for the off lead gaiting, and it was a bit of a fight to get back on my feet, but I did it, and finished. The reward was fabulous


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## Tami (Aug 31, 2006)

Congrats! Sounds like a great day :clap2:


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

you or someone else didn't happen to get photos hmm? sounds like tons of fun!


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

Photos should be up on the club website soon


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

What was the competition like (numbers of dogs)? 

How many puppies went VP (if any) before they reached the P level and what age were the puppies? How many went P? 

It was cool last year when Questa went VP1 at the Regional in "baby puppy." 

For anyone interested in what the SV titles mean, here is a link:
http://www.vonlotta.com/definitions.html


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

There were only two puppies in the class I handled for (9-12). The judge actually didn't like either of them (both working lines), but then gave the first puppy VP, and the puppy I had got P. The judge's comments on the first puppy were not favorable, so there was some head scratching on the VP (just based on what he said, not the dog itself).

I believe there were 3-4 in the untitled male class, and there were 5 in the working males. It was a smaller show.

I'm pretty proud though, considering I'd never showed in that venue before ^_^ Certainly felt weird though, going back and forth between dogs and bitches, instead of doing ALL the dogs, and then ALL the bitches!

Also, I saw Zambo went Universal Sieger  So congratulations in that regard, since Questa's father got recognized so highly under the new scoring system


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

It is altogether different sort of showing.. and I really like the fact that the judge tells you what he/she thinks of each dog and what he likes or does not. I like it. Hope you are liking it too. IMO it is a better system than AKC.

The shows do tend to be smaller and I think that is due to the demands when you move up. The dogs need those working titles. In the Regional the judge had an SG Female in one class who was not SchH 1 but was over 24 months... and he siad it was a shame she was not titled as she was such a good dog. She was, BTW, 26 months and he was expecting a SchH1 or HGH already. Not sure how many dogs can do that. 

Yes... Zambo is doing well. Q. is coming along. Got her working for a Rubber Kong Frisbee these days and have started taking her to other places to work. Last night asked for a Down (first time) as she was going out chasing the frisbee and she stopped.. On the fourth try at this she dropped.. and so we quit there with asking for a down as she was in mid flight. That was so good we just played with the thing for awhile until she was outta breath.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

> I really like the fact that the judge tells you what he/she thinks of each dog and what he likes or does not. I like it.


I very much agree with this. I enjoyed that part very much. One of the reasons AKC doesn't do it is time constraints (probably the biggest reason). SV judges can work the dogs as long and hard as they want...AKC allows the judges 2-3 minutes per dog, and that's it.



> IMO it is a better system than AKC.


I disagree with this to a degree. Something I do not like much about the German system is that if you pay your money and show up....you WILL get a rating. Maybe not the rating you want, but everybody gets something. In AKC, there are only 2 "real" winners (dogs that get points). Specials get rankings, and now there's the Grand Championship, so that brings it up to 6 total placements (WD, WB, BOB, BOS, Select Dog, Select Bitch...I left out BOW on purpose). And the judge does NOT have to award select placements if they don't feel the quality is there...so we're back down to the normal 4 placements.

So if 40 dogs show up, a minimum of 4 go away with anything.

I'm not saying the SV system is bad, that's just a part of it I don't care for.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Actually, the fact that they rate all the dogs, even unsatisfactory dogs, is good. And they place them. So you have VP 1thru whatever and P 1 thru whatever and so on. A less good rating is.. a statement. 

What I mean by the system is that a dog cannot get a V rating or a VA rating unless it also has a performance title. 

Now the quality of that performance title may be very questionable... but the point is IF people CARE and play it straight.. it could be very good (and often is). 

It isn't the dogs or the system that is bad.. it is the people who do whatever they can to get around it. There will always be those that put winning higher than anything else.. like breeding solid stock and actually doing the work....


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

^^I can say that I do mostly agree with that.

I can also say that I was EXHAUSTED after that show! As a whole, it was not very long, but the way they show the dogs is so different and rather labor intensive.

I nearly lost it with the working male I had. The judge commented "Who is more out of condition? You, or the dog?" (he was being lighthearted). I told him it was my very first time showing in the venue, and he said "Oh! Well then, not so bad!"

We actually started out behind other dogs, so to be moved up was very nice, but man did I have to FIGHT for it (with myself, more than anything...the dog worked very well, for having only been imported recently).


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

Xeph said:


> I had the best day I've had in a LONG time! Went to my first ever SV show (for exhibiting), and I went P1 with my breeder's WL puppy, Eyke, won the untitled male class with her friend's dog, Cairo...SG1 (highest rating he could get in that class), and then won the working male class with another dog, Blitz! V1!!!
> 
> I had never met any of these dogs prior to the show. I have never exhibited at an SV show, and I've only ever seen one once. I took them and went in, and came away with some nice booty! WHOO!!
> 
> I kinda collapsed on the outside of the ring when Blitz's person took over for the off lead gaiting, and it was a bit of a fight to get back on my feet, but I did it, and finished. The reward was fabulous


Congratulations, all is good in the world and something to build on.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Xeph said:


> ^^I can say that I do mostly agree with that.
> 
> I can also say that I was EXHAUSTED after that show! As a whole, it was not very long, but the way they show the dogs is so different and rather labor intensive.
> 
> ...


Well, then, it looks like you are going to have to get in shape! LOL
Somehow, with showing as a goal, exercise is not so bad! I do not believe I will ever be able to handle a dog in the conformation portion of an SV show as I have to wear an off loading brace on my right knee. Eventually they may have to give me a "bionic" one (I am trying to avoid this). I will never run again.... (even with a bionic knee!). 

I do like the SV style of showing tho.. and the titling requirements. Not sure I can do all that.. but I reckon I will give it a go.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

There is so much PULLING involved, Elana, that because of the TS, I'm honestly not sure I COULD do it very often. Could I get in better shape physically? Oh yes. But neurologically, I don't think my body will allow it...not for the working male/female classes anyway. Puppies I could do, because they don't work them as hard, but I really had a heck of a time getting back up to take the dog back after the off lead gaiting portion.

Still glad I did, but when the owner took the dog for the off lead gaiting, I literally FELL out of the ring. The woman I handled the SG1 untitled male for grabbed me some Sobe Life Water (LOL) right away, and I took the time to just sit and chill a bit. But OH did my body hurt!

I'd have to learn to walk a completely different way for this type of showing (to build up endurance...you basically power walk the whole time). I actually would run when the judge wasn't looking, to give myself a breathing break. Can you imagine? Running to catch my breath!


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Well, I know I cannot run but I am gonna try to build the power walking up (for training I have to anyway). And we have HILLS here so I can use those. You are in PA now so you have HILLS too (and a few mountains). Yeah.. the Tourettes sucks and I understand that but I think a lot of things improve if the body is in shape (weight management and aerobics to build endurance). 

The knee brace helps my right leg to be more stable and that helps to pull pressure off my left leg and foot.. so I figure I can do power walking. Of course, weight training with some free weights for upper body will help it all as well. 

I keep telling myself that I can do anything (and my body keeps saying, "Hold on a second Sistah.. "). Trouble happens when I do not listen (and I never do).

Another thing I do is mow an acre of lawn with a push (yes PUSH) mower every week.. so that is all part of the staying in shape/getting in shape program. You have a lawn now to mow so you can use that too, right?


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

I have a self propelling lawnmower, though it can be used on a "push only" setting. Part of the problem with the TS is that it's stress related, and as I get more tired (from exertion in exercise), the tics get worse...it's a day by day thing. I'm able to bike on trails here, and will begin doing that once we have the house squared away (we've been painting for the last 2-3 days).

I don't have a choice but to listen to my body, as my legs will (and have) just quit on me. I fight through it most of the time, but there is a plateau where I can't do crap about it, and I'm down and out. It'll be interesting to see if exercise helps temper it a little bit (we'll see).

What was really so hard on me was all the pulling. The running felt good (and it's not often I say that). I gaited the dogs ONCE in the entire 15-20 minutes I was in that ring. That was after their individual exams. You go around like you would at an AKC show, and I just let the dogs out and let them fly.

I know my own body wasn't working efficiently, because I didn't know how to make it work efficiently (since I'd never done it before). If I ever get to do it again, I'll be lengthening my walking stride (like I do when I full out gait the dogs) and try to stay a little more upright (I was leaning back too much).


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

The thing to do is go walking (where the footing is good.. I have a great park in Town for this with a paved path). As you are walking, amp it up for a few strides to a power walk and then drop back. Start by doing a mile and a few strides of power walk here and there until you can do 3 miles of walking with a few strides of power walk tossed in. Eventually the goal would be to be able to do 2 miles at a normal (fast) walk and a mile of power walking (not necsessarily all at once). Bring a dog with you and a walking stick or a cane (for the leg issue). I have to bring a walking stick due to my bum knee. 

The object is to build stamina and ability to maintain both heart rate and breathing as you alternate between power walking and regular walking the the final goal being able to do all this (3 miles) in less than 45 minutes. The side benefits are weight loss, dropping blood pressure and over all better heart health. Oh yeah.. and another benefit is while you are doing this you can also be training a dog. 

If at any point you can add some jogging that is great. I cannot jog (knee) and I used to LOVE to run. Now.. if I want to run.. I have to be on a horse to do it.


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