First time show expierences

[Queen Bitch]

I want them all, the good, the bad, the downright ugly and the funny.

[mouseatthebusstop]

our first was in a hall the ring was not even big enough to make a triangle
the dogs just walked up and down. At the end of the walk way some people sat with Akitas. Paddy was afraid and would not walk to the end of the walk way--
Even now They both prefare a show outside with plenty of room

[imported_Kat]

When I was ickle I showed a Rough Collie in junior handling and that rasting mutt crapped in the ring and me being only about 8 was devastated lol :lol: With my Meg, our first show was pre-beginners obedience and I tugged her lead the whole way round the ring and lost most points while with heel free she only lost something like a quarter. I didn't know you shouldn't pull the lead until the judge told me afterwards :lol: We still ended up 2nd in the class though cos the rest of the exercises were brill :D

[Carolk9s]

Oh I have to go WAAAAAY back for my first dog 'showing' experience. I took care of a neighbors Irish Setters as a teenager. I would go over each day to let them out. With the owners permisssion, I dabbled at teaching obedience stuff to her dogs. I loved working with her young female, April.
One day, there was a local fun show being held. I entered April in both the breed competition and the (wacky)obedience class. I say wacky because there were several distractions in the ring that you needed to be able to negotiate. Oh April and I placed 3rd out of 3 dogs in the breed! 8)
In the obedience ring, things were going pretty well as I recall, until we got to the CHICKENS IN A CRATE distraction! Ha! April REFUSED to move past the chickens, she was in sensory overload, planted her feet and tried oh so hard to get closer to the crate. Short of picking her up and carrying her, I could not budge her from these chickens. I guess thats part of her being a bird dog eh?
I also tried showing my Sheltie in a fun match obedience class. My Dawna sure made me look inept! Attempting the recall exercise, Dawna casually looked at the sky, watched the leaves blow about the ground, watched the dog in the other ring, just flat out ignored me. Her butt never left the ground. I swear she smirked at me when I went back to her.
Oh those poor girls, I'm sure I was clueless as a trainer back then, but it was fun and I've maintained interest in showing in some capacity all along.