Cleo's First Puppy Show

"How would you feel about doing the Corsicana show in November?" Kathleen asked me last September.

Dog exhibitors speak in shorthand that way. It's easier to say "the Corsicana show" than it is to say the "North East Texas American Eskimo Dog Association Show." And yes, "North East." I guess "Northeast" shortened the name too much for some people's taste . . . But I digress. In response, I asked two of the three important questions that every exhibitor thinks, first thing.

"Maybe," I said. "Who are the judges? Who would we bring?"

I didn't know enough about Corsicana to ask about the venue--which is the third question typically asked when considering a new show. The listing on the UKC website said, "indoors," but that the venue was listed as an "Expo Center," which usually means an equestrian arena or pole barn. Having once shown in a park in Terrel, Texas during a chilly November downpour with only a small gazebo for cover, I figure anything with a solid roof is a huge step up. With any kind of luck, the piebald TFTs and Yaddle wouldn't be wading through too much red arena dust.

"We could try to finish The Rowan," said Kathleen. "And maybe Goth? Would you bring Teddies?"

Now, would I drive ten hours to her house and another two to Corsicana if I wasn't going to bring Teddies? After some discussion, we decided that I would bring Cleo for nonlicensed puppy, and Yaddle and Steele for adult male and adult female in the licensed classes. Cassidy would come along for the ride, for him to be neutered a couple of days before the show. (MUCH more on that, later. It deserves its own story!) Kathleen would enter Goth and The Rowan in the hopes that we could finish one or both of them. For those of you who are not familiar with even more dog show exhibitor shorthand, "finish" means that the dog has completed the steps for his or her champion title (champion degree in UKC-speak). Once they've been "finished," they can move on to grand champion competition, which is a whole different kettle of fish.

I wish that I could say that the whole show went smoothly and that we came home with a bajillion ribbons. *Pfffft* I don't write much fiction for Vocal, so . . . no. Yaddle is an old hand at shows, although she doesn't do particularly well at them--plus, she's aging out. I might bring her back as a veteran, but the jury is still out for that. Steele just barrels through the ring, chest out and hawk-like gaze, as if he wants to fight every animal in there with him. Once he's finished strutting his stuff for the go-around, his demeanor on the table and the twinkle in his eye assures the judge that he's only bluffing and that it's all in jest. You'd think that would be a benefit in a terrier ring, but apparently not. *shrugs* Once he's finished in UKC, he's done. I'm taking him to one AKC show just to see how he does, but I have no illusions that he's going to be a showstopper. He's got a bright future outside of the conformation ring, so no worries there.

Cleo, on the other hand . . . Cleo seemed like she was going to be a natural. She's got the attitude. She's got the stumpy legs. I was pretty certain that she had the table down pat--except for her adorable little habit of holding one paw up like a Pointer. At just three months of age, I didn't expect the judges to hold that against her. Even if they did, nonlicensed shows are just a means of teaching puppies what are expected of them when they are in the licensed classes. They're just for fun. I entered all three dogs into all four shows that would be held that weekend and prayed that the drive would be "worth it." Unfortunately, due to circumstances, Cleo didn't get a lot of prep time before her first show outing.

Yeah.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but . . . it showed.

Now, there aren't really a lot of things that you can do in rural SW Mississippi to prepare a dog for a show career. I generally start a puppy on a lead about a month before entering its first show as a matter of course. They get a collar and a leash and start walking as soon as I'm certain that they can safely do so, making the transition to a show lead almost painless. I am fortunate to have Dan, a retired UKC dog show judge, to help me train my dogs to stand on a grooming table to allow the judge to "go over" them. When I can, I take young puppies to Tractor Supply or to Home Depot or Lowes.

Despite the gentle and early training, it's tougher than it sounds to prep small puppies for their first show. They like to sit or hop instead of gaiting (or even walking) on the lead. They also tend to back away from the judge examining them, sometimes almost backing off the table! As for the sights and sounds of a crowded dog show, some things are almost impossible to prep. As a result, Cleo was as trained and prepared for gaiting and for examination as she was going to get when we pulled up to the show site. The rest remained to be seen--and seeing it did not take long. We learned almost immediately that she was not prepped for the sound of the mahoosive exhaust fans that were running in the entryway. Steele's bold daughter stopped dead in her tracks, sat down, and howled.

It was a sign.

But did I pay attention? No. Like the novice skier who decided to take a double diamond trail, I stepped forward with the utmost of confidence in my abilities. After setting up our "spot," I took her over to the vendor and purchased her her very first, extra special, Cleo-only show lead. Of course, the vendor was right across from an exhaust fan, which led to Cleo walking right out of the lead (don't ask about the rookie mistake on my part--oh, look! A shiny!), but all worked out well in the end. After that, we walked and we walked and we played with RedFoxyToy. We walked some more. Then she got some water and still we walked. Eventually, she became accustomed to the fans. She stuck out her little chest and strutted like a pro. She showed off to all of the people who would look at her, garnering her a lot of admirers. Naturally, around lunchtime, the club shut off the exhaust fans, changing the whole picture for her once again.

But, wait! Wasn't that a good thing? Well, yes, if they'd shut them off several hours before. However, my training focus for the morning had been to help her adjust to the presence of the fans, keeping her upbeat and maybe just a little hyper to counteract their effect. Now, moments before we entered the ring, I had to change her whole perspective. That doesn't sound like a huge feat, I'm sure, but Cleo's twelve-week-old puppy brain was already on overload. Fortunately, she took the change with relative puppy aplomb and she strutted into the ring, a miniature of her sire, Steele.

Cleo owned the ring from the moment she stepped into it until the judge handed her the ribbon for being the best female puppy. When the best male TRT puppy walked in, she permitted him access, although she clearly considered him to be her underling. Mind, the boy was equally stunning and beat Cleo in other rings, but this ring was hers. The judge couldn't take her eyes off Cleo. I really think that if we'd had puppy Groups before puppy Best in Show, she would have won another beautiful ribbon. As it was, by the time that PBiS came around, she was tired and not quite on her game--three-month-old puppies don't have a lot of stamina. I was encouraged by the fact that she still got a good look from the judge, who seriously seemed to be considering her for Reserve PBiS. It was altogether a good outing.

The rest of the weekend wasn't as successful for little Miss Cleo. Her little brain couldn't take in all the sights and sounds and still keep her personality in check. She's a cheeky little minx at the best of times and it really shined through as the days wore on. In the final ring of the weekend, she stood on the table for examination like a little champion. The second we started on our individual "down-and-back" and "go-around," her inner demon child came out. She grabbed the lead in her mouth and tried to canter around me with it. She catfished like the most experienced bucking bronco. She skipped and sidled and, occasionally, presented with an absolutely stunning gait that reminded me of why I keep showing puppies. The judge loved her, even if she did end up giving the Best Puppy ribbon to the male. It wasn't due to her lack of quality. The male just gave the judge a better look at his gait and the fit of all his parts.

Overall, I love Cleo--even as a show dog. I'll let her have her fun now. She's still a puppy and needs to learn discipline gradually, in her own time, as she matures. We have another show coming up in a couple of weeks, where she will age out of the "fun puppy" classes and enter the world of championship competition. I'll let you know how it goes!