Preparing and equipping a Pomeranian for an exhibition

1873

Author of the article

Ekaterina Andreeva

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The owners are proud of their dogs and want to show their strengths in all their glory. The Spitz exhibition gives such an opportunity to all owners of show-class purebred dogs. Here you can demonstrate the appearance and best qualities of your pet, look at other dogs, find a pair for breeding and communicate with lovers of the breed. It is also necessary to attend events for those who want to obtain offspring for sale. Without a visit to the exhibition, even the brightest representative of the breed will spend his life as a pet. Puppies from such a Spitz will not receive the necessary documents and there will be no way to make money from selling them either.

Documentation

Any Pomeranian who has documents and is over 3 months old can take part in the exhibition. All dogs are divided into groups, breeds and ages in accordance with the rules of the RKF. Most often, the class in which a Spitz is recorded is determined by its age. From 3 to 9 months the dog is registered in the puppy class, from 9 to 15 - in the junior class, and from 15 months the dog is considered an adult and can be exhibited in the intermediate, open or champion class if it has the appropriate documents confirming the title.

To participate in the exhibition, you must provide a puppy card if it is a puppy or junior, and a pedigree for adult classes. The documents confirm the breed of the dog and provide the necessary information about the dog and the owner. Data about the participant's nickname, his parents, breeder and owner is taken from the pedigree. This is very convenient if the representative you like is of interest to other participants and you need to contact its owner, for example, for mating.

For those planning to attend the show for the first time, please note that registration is preliminary only. Organizers usually stop accepting applications for participation 2 weeks before the exhibition day. This time is necessary to enter data about each dog from the pedigree into the catalog and send it to the printing house. Also, the cost increases closer to the day of the event. 2-3 weeks before the exhibition, participation costs almost 2 times more than six months before. On the day of the exhibition, you do not need to take your pedigree with you, but a veterinary passport and certificate are required. Also, just in case, it is worth taking a receipt for payment for participation.

Exhibition categories

1. International rank CACIB . They are certified by the FCI, the rules for their implementation are the same for all countries. They determine the winner of each class, then, in a comparison of adult classes, the Best Male and Best Bitch are determined, which are assigned the CACIB rating (Candidate for International Champions of Beauty). The title of International Beauty Champion is awarded by the FCI after receiving several CACIB ratings. Young dogs up to and including the junior class are not included in the CACIB comparison.
2. National shows of CAC rank . Conducted by cynological organizations of the country - members of the FCI in each country. For example, the Russian Kynological Federation (RKF) in Russia. The best dogs in national shows receive the CAC (Candidate for National Beauty Champion) rating. The title of National Beauty Champion (in Russia - Champion of Russia) is awarded after several victories at national exhibitions.
3. Exhibitions of the National Breed Club (NKP) of the rank of CHK, PC, CCC . Specialty exhibitions, as a result of which you can receive the title of Breed Club Champion.

Dog show

The rules of conduct at the exhibition, as well as participation, must be taken care of in advance. The result largely depends on how well the dog can show itself, its confidence and “courage.” Conventionally, the examination of an expert who gives a description and assessment of the dog can be divided into 3 stages.

The first stage is inspection on the table. Since Spitz dogs are quite miniature, for convenience the judges place the participant on a table where an expert can examine the teeth; male dogs are necessarily checked for cryptorchidism. Bulk wool can hide the anatomy of an exhibit, so long-haired breeds always look with their hands, experts feel everything that is not visible visually. The owner is required to accustom the dog to the fact that it will be touched by a stranger, not to show aggression or anxiety during the examination, and to stand confidently on the table.

The second stage is movement assessment. As a rule, the judge asks you to walk in a circle, forward and backward, some also require you to show movements in a triangle. It is necessary to choose a trot pace so that the dog does not get lost and does not go into a gallop, showing smooth and productive movements. This also requires training; it is advisable to start training gradually from 3 months.

The third stage is a stand on the floor. After the run, the handler must put the dog in a stance, at which point the participant must demonstrate all his strengths, hold his tail high on his back, his ears on the top of his head and remain motionless. During training, a toy or treat is most often used to make the dog seem collected and interested.

How to prepare

So, the choice towards this or that exhibition has been made - now you can start preparing:

• The Pomeranian Spitz loves to eat, and this is no secret, but on the day of an important event, I recommend refraining from heavy feeding. Otherwise, at the most crucial moment, some unpleasant surprise may happen, such as diarrhea or vomiting. I recommend something quickly digestible and in a small volume.
• Plan your departure so that you arrive early. The fact is that latecomers are not allowed to the event, even if the dog is very promising. In addition, it is important to remember that the animal needs to get used to the unfamiliar place. It is important for the owner to find some secluded resting place for him.

Wool

The spitz's chic coat is the hallmark of the breed and makes it so attractive, so special attention should be paid to it during the preparation process. Despite the fact that before entering the ring, any participant puts himself in order by straightening his coat, the main work on creating the appearance is done at home. It includes:

• bathing the dog;
• drying and combing;
• grooming;
• cleaning teeth, eyes, ears;
• nail trimming.

Most breeders recommend bathing your dog no later than 2-3 days before the show. A clean undercoat looks more impressive, special shampoos will give additional volume, and the use of cosmetics, such as various conditioners, gels and powders already on display, will help complete the look. If the coat is clean, you don’t have to bathe your pet; you can just use dry shampoo and brush it thoroughly.

After washing the dog, you need to dry it with a hairdryer, going over each hair, starting from the skin to the very ends. You need to divide it into small strands, making partings. This will require patience from both the owner and the dog. But without careful brushing, the pet will not be able to compete with other Spitz dogs. Professional breeders are very good groomers; their dogs always stand out with a perfect haircut and look very impressive.

Pomeranians are always cut before a show, as the slight roundness of the paws and head that is shown in photographs can only be achieved using scissors. It is better for inexperienced dog breeders to sign up for grooming with a specialist, since an inexperienced owner will only ruin the appearance by cutting out the fur in parts where it is not needed. The Spitz is cut almost all over the body, from the tips of the paws to the ears, which requires enormous experience and skill. If the owner regularly grooms the pet, its nails are always trimmed, and its eyes are wiped daily, then before the exhibition you will not have to spend a lot of time on this. In some cases, special cosmetics may be required to hide dark spots under the eyes.

How should an exhibition ideally take place?

So we arrived at the right place. What's next?

• A place to relax is great, but a little later. In the meantime, check with the veterinarian. If it is completed successfully, the participant is given a personal number.
• Now you can go to your ring. Once it is found, you should sit comfortably nearby. I advise you to create the most comfortable conditions for your pet: it’s already difficult for him in a new place, even if at least people and animals don’t bother him.
• You need to know the exit time in advance. As it approaches, you can move closer to the ring.
• As soon as it’s your turn, you need to carefully pull the leash and give the command “Near!” The Spitz is required to take a beautiful stance, move beautifully and not show aggression towards the jury members. Of course, aggression is not needed towards anyone, but especially towards experts. I advise you to stand in such a way that the expert commission is in the field of view of the animal - this way it will have time to get used to strangers and will not experience shock when they suddenly appear.

Emotional mood

An exhibition is a very exciting event for both the owner and the dog. If the owner is worried about how to perform with dignity, do everything right and win the competition, then the dog is tormented by completely different fears. Usually there are a huge number of people and dogs at shows. A small Spitz can be frightened by a cluster of Alabais, Shepherds and other large four-legged brothers. And given that animals feel the owner’s excitement, their emotional state will prevent them from showing themselves in all their glory and performing with dignity. At the show, as at other exciting events, it is important to remain calm and try to protect your pet from unnecessary stress.

You need to understand that a show dog is not only an ideal exterior and proportions, it is also a certain courage when a dog likes to show itself and participate in the show. There are many examples of different breeds where ideally built dogs lost to weaker competitors at exhibitions. All because of the reluctance to exhibit. Typically, such “opponents” of the show express their dissatisfaction with passive and sluggish behavior or, on the contrary, are too excitable. Therefore, training is an opportunity to accustom your pet to discipline and to the exhibition in general. He must realize that this is part of his life, get used to it and not show his dissatisfaction.

Spitz show - when to start preparing?

In a global sense, preparing a puppy begins from the moment it moves into your home. The main point is education and training. The dog must understand what you want from it, be adequate and not aggressive. Teach your pet to follow a number of simple commands. An ill-bred individual with the most ideal exterior will not receive high breeding marks and will not be allowed for breeding. This means that the offspring will not bring profit. Also, preparation can be considered good living conditions and a high quality of life for the animal. This includes good nutrition, physical activity and lack of stress. If everything is good in your dog's life, he will look accordingly.

Equipment

Despite the fact that the expert devotes no more than 10 minutes of his attention to the dog, you can spend the whole day on the exhibition. You need to arrive early to go through veterinary control, get a participant number and prepare your dog. Each breed is on schedule and exhibited at a certain time, which you need to check with the organizers 1-2 days before the exhibition. If the Spitz goes at 13-00, there is no need to arrive at 9 am, exhausting both yourself and the dog. It is enough to arrive 1 hour before the start to settle all organizational issues.

However, if the pet surpasses all competitors and becomes the best representative of the breed, it is left for best. This is the final comparison of the best representatives of different breeds to determine the winner of the entire exhibition. In this case, you can spend almost the whole day at the show, so you need to prepare and pack everything you need with you so as not to experience any inconvenience. Typically required:

• collar with leash for walking the dog before the show;
• a special exhibition ring, it should be thin, comfortable and pleasant to look at;
• a cage and bedding so that the pet can rest quietly from the attention of strangers;
• water and a bowl; feeding an adult dog at a show is not recommended;
• a special kit for preparing wool, consisting of different combs and cosmetics;
• hygiene supplies in the form of rags, napkins, bags and toilet paper;
• first aid kit for emergencies;
• pin to secure the participant number;
• treat for display in the ring;
• veterinary passport, certificate, payment receipt.

Don't forget about yourself, because being on your feet all day is quite tiring. For personal needs, you need to have a folding chair, food and water, as well as comfortable clothes and shoes. Do not be upset if your pet does not become the best representative; remember that the exhibition is just the opinion of one person. And the exhibition rating does not take away those wonderful qualities that are present in the pet.

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