Good luck with her. Sounds like you are working on things … hopefully she'll come around.
Help please!
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Hi Kristie,
I highly recommend a book that lvoss has recomended on the forum before, with the same name as the website below. I think the website is new (at least to me).
http://www.positivetrainingforshowdogs.com/
Also, as an FYI, you're probably going to have to travel a bit to show. I didn't realize Crookston was so way up there on the North Dakota side. Basenji entries in shows in the Midwets are often quite small (or nonexistent) and usually coordinated so we make sure we can get an entry. Not sure if there are people showing in North Dakota or not, otherwise you may have to travel to other neighboring states or at least the other side of MN. So check out the judging programs of shows in your area to see if there is a basenji entry and talk to the people at the show to see which ones they normally go to and see if you can possibly get on an email list or two.
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What does that mean-graded for show? The woman I got him from isn't a professional breeder, nor does she have a kennel or anything like that. She has 2 dogs who have very good bloodlines, and from them she had a litter of quality puppies with good bloodlines and excellent tempermants. I am not looking to win the Westminster dog show, I am just looking to get into something new that is both fun and rewarding.
In regards to his markings, thanks for the info…he doesn't have a lot of stripes, but the ones that he does have are clear and not faded so thank you for that info!Also, in regards to the breeder-she was very very helpful and kind and with everything my puppy came with, I am positive that he came from a loving home that would be there for us if something ever happens down the road. I look forward to keeping in contact with her, but I did not discuss the ins and outs of handling with her. She does some local shows, but is kind of a novice as well. SO....that is why I posted this...just for any helpful tips anyone could give someone with no dog show experience looking to get into the wonderful world of showing and handling dogs.
I will be going to a show in April, although my pup will not be old enough yet, so I am looking forward to meeting some breeders there. It is in Eu Claire, WI
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Hey Kristie,
I'm going to be in Eau Claire for that show weekend, so it would be great to meet you. There will definitely be a number of basenji breeders there. If everyone shows up, we have a major! Yippee!
Clay
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joh04412 I have to be honest, if you didn't get your basenji from a Quality breeder..one who shows, and has AKC sire/dam, your chances of getting a show dog are slim.
The sire/dam of your b have to be AKC reg. Are they?
That is the very first question you need to know.
Any other "so called" reg, is just not going to work.
Sorry, I know this isn't something you want to hear.
But you can do many other things with your basenjis to win ribbons. Rally, obedience, agility..but without an AKC standing, you will not be able to show. -
The breeders that are on this forum are not "professional breeders" either. Most are what people refer to as hobby breeders. Many don't have kennels, breed occasionally, and show, course, race, do agility, etc with our dogs as part of our relationship with our dogs.
There are many people who own a couple of dogs and think they will be "helping" either people or the breed if they breed them since they are just such fantastic companions that they must be exemplary specimens of the breed. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Everyone on this forum loves their basenjis and in their eyes their dogs are the epitome of "basenji" but from a breeding standpoint that may not be the case. The hardest thing as a breeder is to look at your dog with a critical eye and ask "What does this dog have to offer the breed?"
Were both of your puppy's parents DNA tested for Fanconi? Did you verify the results on the OFA website, http://www.offa.org, to be sure that at least one tested Clear? Did you make sure the parents also had a hip rating and a current CERF exam? Did the breeder have CERF exams performed on the puppies before sending them home? This is especially important if you bought your puppy as a show/breeding prospect because PPM is at its worst when they are puppies so it would be important information when selecting for health.
As for "grading", typically a breeder will grade their litter at 8 weeks old, which is when the pups look most like what they will look like as adults before they start going through funky growing stages. At this point, the breeder will look at each puppy's conformation and grade them against the standard and decide which have potential as show/performance prospects and which are best suited to pet homes. Just because a puppy comes from spectacular parents does not mean it will turn out to actually be show potential.
If your breeder was not able to discuss with you the strengths and weaknesses of your puppy based on the standard then I highly recommend you get together with some basenji people and have them go over your puppy. Be prepared to hear both the good and the bad, no dog is perfect, and if you are serious about showing it can be really discouraging to be at the "back of the bus" and not understand what the judges may be seeing that you are not.
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Both the parents are AKC registered yes…
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For some more information about grading puppies, here is a website about what breeders look for. http://www.geocities.com/rugosab/ConformationPage.htm
Tricks of the Trade by Pat Hastings discusses evaluating a dog or litter as well as how to show your dog. http://www.dogfolk.com/trickstrade_revised.htm
Finding out when your nearest basenji club is hosting their puppy match is and making sure you plan to attend should also be at the top of your list.
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Whether or not the puppy is truly show potential there is no reason why he cannot be shown if he has full AKC registration and both testicles. Kristie can use this puppy as an introduction to the dog show world, to learn on and see if this is a hobby she may enjoy. The sport needs new people and Clay (Nemo) has offered to introduce Kristie to some people up in that area. Let's hope they will be nice to her.
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Thank you so much YodelDogs!! That is what I really looked for when buying this puppy….one that was a good representation of the breed standard (and I really think he is!)from a breeder who was responsible, honest and willing to answer any questions I have now and down the road. Trust me I understand being objective...I used to be a professional dairy cattle fitter (groomer)
I am really enthusiastic about trying this sport and I was just looking for any helpful information anyone could offer
And I really looking forward to meeting some breeders at my first dog show in Eau Claire in April! -
Though any AKC dog with full registration and 2 testicles can be shown, it can become very discouraging very quickly to be last place at every show. Even more so if you have no idea why because you don't have someone helping you to understand dog structure and conformation. And that is what happens when the dog who is the apple in the eye of the owner is not of the same quality as the others in the ring and the novice owner has no one to help them learn the finer points of the standard.
I think two key components to getting new people to stick around is 1. A good quality dog and 2. A good mentor to provide support.
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Though any AKC dog with full registration and 2 testicles can be shown, it can become very discouraging very quickly to be last place at every show. Even more so if you have no idea why because you don't have someone helping you to understand dog structure and conformation. And that is what happens when the dog who is the apple in the eye of the owner is not of the same quality as the others in the ring and the novice owner has no one to help them learn the finer points of the standard.
I think two key components to getting new people to stick around is 1. A good quality dog and 2. A good mentor to provide support.
The only discouraging thing is that you are already assuming I am going to be last place at every show I attend…and maybe I will be, but at least I will be able to learn first hand the finer points of conformation and I will have the essential skills needed to compete again with another dog when the time is right...but this is where I am starting from right now-and we all have to start somewhere right?
I am so thankful for the people who have been supportive and those whom I have not yet met willing to help a newcomer in learning the basics so I can build my knowledge from there.
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What I am saying is that you really need to talk to people who can see your puppy in person, and have hands on it and give you an honest evaluation of your dog. With a trindle, honestly, you may very well find yourself last under certain judges. There are judges that are "red or dead" and others who just don't accept the AKC and BCOA opinion that trindle is covered by our standard and your breeder should have warned you about that since you were specifically looking for a show dog.
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Though any AKC dog with full registration and 2 testicles can be shown, it can become very discouraging very quickly to be last place at every show. Even more so if you have no idea why because you don't have someone helping you to understand dog structure and conformation. And that is what happens when the dog who is the apple in the eye of the owner is not of the same quality as the others in the ring and the novice owner has no one to help them learn the finer points of the standard.
I think two key components to getting new people to stick around is 1. A good quality dog and 2. A good mentor to provide support.
The above is my opinion in general not about anyone specifically. I see many newcomers to shows come with their beloved pet that someone said, "Don't worry, it will be your starter dog. That way you know what you are doing with your next one." They come to a handful of shows and never get that "next one" because they are so discouraged by being out of ribbons or last place or not even having that person who told them to get in the ring with that dog there to help when they do step into the ring.
So I just have to put out there that IMO it is not the best advice to tell beginners to just show whatever dog they have because at least they will get experience because the experience they tend to get is that showing is really disappointing. They don't get tend to get the postive reinforcement of placements or wins or their mentor(s) letting them know they are improving.
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The above is my opinion in general not about anyone specifically. I see many newcomers to shows come with their beloved pet that someone said, "Don't worry, it will be your starter dog. That way you know what you are doing with your next one." They come to a handful of shows and never get that "next one" because they are so discouraged by being out of ribbons or last place or not even having that person who told them to get in the ring with that dog there to help when they do step into the ring.
So I just have to put out there that IMO it is not the best advice to tell beginners to just show whatever dog they have because at least they will get experience because the experience they tend to get is that showing is really disappointing. They don't get tend to get the postive reinforcement of placements or wins or their mentor(s) letting them know they are improving.
I totally agree with lvoss… and you have to have thick skin to be able to accept your dogs faults and understand why you might not be winning. When you have a mentor and/or your breeder that is right there with you, you have someone to lean on... good/bad or inbetween
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Though any AKC dog with full registration and 2 testicles can be shown, it can become very discouraging very quickly to be last place at every show. Even more so if you have no idea why because you don't have someone helping you to understand dog structure and conformation. And that is what happens when the dog who is the apple in the eye of the owner is not of the same quality as the others in the ring and the novice owner has no one to help them learn the finer points of the standard.
I think two key components to getting new people to stick around is 1. A good quality dog and 2. A good mentor to provide support.
He could be stunning, though Lisa! I have seen more than one dog come from less than an ideal background that finished their championship with novice handlers.
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He could be stunning, though Lisa! I have seen more than one dog come from less than an ideal background that finished their championship with novice handlers.
Which is why he needs to be evaluated by someone or someones who are willing to be honest. And truly honest, meaning if he is stunning dog will say so no matter his background and if he isn't will say so kindly but isn't going to use the dog as point fodder for their own dogs.
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The above is my opinion in general not about anyone specifically. I see many newcomers to shows come with their beloved pet that someone said, "Don't worry, it will be your starter dog. That way you know what you are doing with your next one." They come to a handful of shows and never get that "next one" because they are so discouraged by being out of ribbons or last place or not even having that person who told them to get in the ring with that dog there to help when they do step into the ring.
So I just have to put out there that IMO it is not the best advice to tell beginners to just show whatever dog they have because at least they will get experience because the experience they tend to get is that showing is really disappointing. They don't get tend to get the postive reinforcement of placements or wins or their mentor(s) letting them know they are improving.
All of the above is true….and it will most likely be even more frustrating with a trindle. But showing a dog can be frustrating even with a nice dog, a ton of support, and plenty of money....
I think perserverance, being fiercely interested in the breed, and making friends that you like to hang out with is what keeps most amatures showing dogs. For most of us, it certainly isn't the positive reinforcement of ribbons
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Which is why he needs to be evaluated by someone or someones who are willing to be honest. And truly honest, meaning if he is stunning dog will say so no matter his background and if he isn't will say so kindly but isn't going to use the dog as point fodder for their own dogs.
I agree…but I don't think we should insinuate that someone shouldn't even bother to try to show a dog that isn't from a responsible breeder. Everybody starts somewhere, and I know that you understand that. If someone is interested I think we should foster their interest, and help them decide if showing really interests them.
For others reading...sometimes (most of the time) showing isn't really about winning. People who are involved in conformation are demonstrating a commitment to their breed, its future and its heritage. It is usually where you learn to LOVE the breed, not just your own dogs. You become a student of the breed when you attend local and national specialties, and you make connections and friends that help you become a connoisseur (if you will) of the breed.
We don't really have many people in our area who will treat newbies as point fodder...but, of course, it isn't nearly as hard to find a major here as it is on the West Coast.
I do understand what you are saying
I just don't want to scare people away, who may be awesome additions to our community. -
I don't want to scare people away but this sport is not naturally reinforcing.
To say it isn't all about winning isn't really correct, everyone who steps in the ring with their dog wants to win. So it is about winning. Many of us find other reinforcers to keep us coming back like learning about the breed, seeing friends etc, because the bottom line is only 1 dog and 1 bitch on any given day go home with points so most of us will go home feeling empty handed unless we are also getting something else out of it.
When people don't have mentor that is helping them make those connections with people and be the instructors in the breed they lose those reinforcers. When people start with a dog that is not conformationally a "good" dog they lose out on the reinforcement that winning gives. So then showing really becomes pretty tedious.
I'm not saying this to scare people away. Mentors don't have to be your dog's breeder. Conformationally good dogs come from all sorts of backgrounds. But when these ingredients aren't there, this sport is a pretty cold place. It can get pretty chilly even with them.
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yep to all the above. Which is why I do agility. (okay, i also do a little conformation.) The bar stays up or it doesn't, the dog stays on course, or not. We qualify, or we find out what we need to work on.
Conformation does require a thick skin - you start with it, or you develop it. But sooner or later you realize it is just ONE person's oppinion. IME, there is lots to learn and almost everyone I've met has been helpful and friendly (both in the basenji conformation ring and in the agility ring). Try a few shows and don't decide to quit based on any one show. If it's not for you, try coursing, agility, rally, obedience, tracking, therapy, etc. There a lots of ways to have fun with your pup.
