The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Showing Your Dog [Paperback]

Cheryl S. Smith (Author)

Book Description

Series: Absolute Beginner's Guide | Publication Date: June 7, 2001

The Blue-Ribbon source for showing your dog.
Showing your dog can be great fun! You know your dog has what it takes to be a champion, but how do you get started? Inside is everything you need to know about the rewarding world of the dog show circuit.
This easy-to-read guide will help you discover whether the show ring is the right place for you and your dog, learn the basics of training, and develop the skills for successful showing. In the end, both you and your dog will be ready to succeed in the show ring!
"A comprehensive how-to manual that encompasses every level of experience." —Corky Vroom, president, Professional Handlers' Association
"Masterfully written, offering insight and tips for both aspiring and experienced dog show enthusiasts. By far the most complete book on the market." —Susand Bulanda, senior conformation judge, UKC
"Demystifies the sport of dogs without erasing the wondrous mystique of the art, and mentors the novice through the world of dog shows." —Lilian S. Barber, exhibitor, breeder, and AKC judge
"If you've ever wondered about dog shows, shown a dog, or wanted to try it, this book is tailor-made for you." — Darlene Arden, author, The Irrepressible Toy Dog

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Blue-Ribbon source for showing your dog.

From the Inside Flap

The Blue-Ribbon source for showing your dog.
Showing your dog can be great fun! You know your dog has what it takes to be a champion, but how do you get started? Inside is everything you need to know about the rewarding world of the dog show circuit.
This easy-to-read guide will help you discover whether the show ring is the right place for you and your dog, learn the basics of training, and develop the skills for successful showing. In the end, both you and your dog will be ready to succeed in the show ring!
"A comprehensive how-to manual that encompasses every level of experience." —Corky Vroom, president, Professional Handlers' Association
"Masterfully written, offering insight and tips for both aspiring and experienced dog show enthusiasts. By far the most complete book on the market." —Susand Bulanda, senior conformation judge, UKC
"Demystifies the sport of dogs without erasing the wondrous mystique of the art, and mentors the novice through the world of dog shows." —Lilian S. Barber, exhibitor, breeder, and AKC judge
"If you've ever wondered about dog shows, shown a dog, or wanted to try it, this book is tailor-made for you." — Darlene Arden, author, The Irrepressible Toy Dog

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (June 7, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761533591
• ISBN-13: 978-0761533597
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,436 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

It's all my parents' fault. For reasons that will be forever unknown, they refused to let me have a dog (or a horse, but that's another story). I adopted neighborhood dogs as much as I could, but I hungered for my own dog.
As soon as I was out of school and had a job, I bought a tiny construction trailer and a dog, a Keeshond I named Sundance. There was barely room for the two of us in the trailer, but I didn't care. I had a dog!
Fortunately, Sundance was a princess among dogs and more than made up for my woeful lack of knowledge on the subject of dog care and behavior.
I had a series of regular jobs, but also began writing, long distance, for television, starting out at the top with M*A*S*H.
Over the years, I added more dogs. Spirit was bought from a pet shop (which I subsequently helped close by enforcing their health guarantee -- Spirit was dying from various diseases and parasites when I took over her care), undoubtedly from a puppy mill. Though I loved her as I loved all my dogs, she was a real challenge both physically and mentally. She had hip dysplasia and allergies, and upon reaching puberty, decided that she hated humans other than her limited family. So my dog education had to grow quickly.
By now, my writing had switched to travel and food writing for newspapers and magazines.
Serling was a sweetheart, chosen because he was a big black dog in a shelter and didn't stand much chance of being adopted. He was named in honor of Rod Serling of The Twilight Zone, and he was my entry into the world of competition, stepping into the obedience and agility rings and excelling at water work. And those experiences swung my writing to dogs. My first paid articles recounted our misadventures in the obedience ring -- Serling had a fine sense of humor and tortured me regularly until I learned to loosen up and have a good time.
The dog writing progressed, I left the world of regular work and became a freelancer, and the dogs continued. I wrote my first books, early entries into the now popular genre of descriptions of where to walk or hike with dogs. I started clicker training. Serling got a part in a movie (a small part -- one day's work). We won talent competitions regularly (this was way before Pet Star, or even Animal Planet).
Nestle came along, a lovely gentle boy with his own set of insecurities. I kept writing and won quite a wall-ful of awards. And we now live happily on the Olympic Pensinula in Washington state, along with sheep, chickens, llamas, and a litter of feral cats.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly for the Beginner, June 29, 2001

By 

beryl parks (Pfafftown, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Showing Your Dog (Paperback)

I think this book was written just for me, and it couldn't have come at a better time. I have been studying the sport of dog showing for six months and have had many questions. This book has answered almost all of them, and of course gotten me to ask more.

It is very detailed from just attending your first show and what is going on, to entering your first show and what to bring, all the way to being a winner. The format made it very easy to read with pointers from the Pros, notes of interest, and a review at the end of each chapter. I read the book cover to cover in a matter of days, but you could also only read sections that were of interest.

I plan to keep this book close by and refer back to it as I continue my quest of Dog Shows. Thanks for this wonderful informative book.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reference Book, August 29, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Showing Your Dog (Paperback)

I found this book to be an excellent guide for the beginner. Truly befitting of the title. What I didn't anticipate was that this book would continue to serve as a resource and refence once I knew how dog shows worked. I have lent it to several people and "highlighted" certain passages for easy reference. This book has been recommended by me to several friends, both experienced dog fanciers and beginners. Overall, an excellent resource for everyone involved in showing regardless of experience.

And the show checklist is essential!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Absolute to have for a starter, February 18, 2007

By 

MStattner "artist - www.monikastattner.com" (CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Showing Your Dog (Paperback)

To start to show your dog this book should be your first reading. It was recommended to me by an AKC showdog breeder/handler.(Without this book I would have a hard time to understand the point system) Covers all the aspects of showing a dog from anatomy to the paperwork in an easy to read, and entertaining format. The "Tips from a Pro" is priceless.
I strongly recommend to anybody how is thinking to show their dog, or just to be familiar with dogshows and what handlers are doing in the ring and why.