hipporider Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Hi, I'm new to this forum and showing dogs so if I sound like I don't know anything... it's probably because I don't!! My question is... My puppy is 9 weeks old and I would like to take her to her first show in March. What do I need to do to present her coat wise. The breeder suggested that I only tidy her head? Is this correct? If so, how should I approach this? Stip or cut? or is there something else I should do? Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceilidh Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Hi and welcome to the wonderful world of dog showing, ENJOY!! Does your breeder show? If they do then I would be listening to them and doing exactly what they say. They would only be giving you good advice as it is their prefix in the ring and it is to their benefit that the dog is groomed correctly. If they don't show then I would be asking a fellow showy who has schnauzers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Even at that age your minis full coa still needs to be worked on. You will also need to clip the throat,bum area & ears(some handstrip ears,we dont). Then scissor the feet,face,eye brows etc etc. Many minis are shown in a great baby coat but you do need to work on it weekly until it has blown completely.For some this is sooner than latter. Your breeder should be your first point of call ,if in another area ask your breeder if they now someone in your area/s that may be able to help.If your breeder has never shown then you will need to find someone who can guide you through the process of what tools,how to strip & stripping a coat to your dogs faults. There is a schnauzer forum in the breed specifics with a few of us schnauzer showies. We have shown minis for nearly 25 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacyk Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 (edited) I have a baby schnauzer I will also be starting to show in march. Though this is my first time showing a schanuzer i have striped her top coat out. As her coat has not yet blown she still has her undercoat with a prickly top coat growing through. Apart from the head, bum & feet there is not much more you can do EDITED TO ADD: Where are you located? You are probably best to go along to a few shows so you can get a 'hands on' look at what people do. If you are in vic I can take my puppy along to Saturdays show at kcc so you can have a look. Edited February 10, 2009 by stacyk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hipporider Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 (edited) Thanks for your responses. She isn't a mini, she's a standard and I am under the impression that the standards can be shown in puppy coat. I am just unsure what I am supposed to do with her head. The breeder said tidy up. Perhaps I will call them and ask them exactly. The breeder is 3.5 hour drive away.. I wish I could go and get help all the time but I just don't have the time to spend driving up there. I am off to watch at a show on Sunday, this will be the first one since I have bought the puppy so it will more eye opening than the last one I went to. It's funny how that when I was younger and tagged along with my mother to obedience trials... I never took any notice Edited to say: Oh, I'm in NSW, south of Sydney Edited February 10, 2009 by hipporider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 All sizes still prepared the same.The only difference is stds from some lines tend to have truer coats.You will still need to trim feet,bum,work on tail etc etc even if a baby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Strip the top of the head to keep the colour. Clip ears, cheeks, throat etc. Clip bum. Clip belly and if there is enough hair beneath, you can start to trim in the angle to make the chest look deeper. You can also trim in the eye brows. Has she already had her face clipped? it can take a few goes before they are confident about it being done and used to the clippers. As she gets older you will need to keep assesing the lines you have used to see if the beard needs bringing further forward to lengthen the head shape. Trim under and around the feet. Trim the toe nails. Trim the tail so it is smooth and not looking like a toilet brush the coat should be getting raked through on at least a weekly basis, so remove undercoat. With my pups, I strip them at about 3 - 4 months old so they have a harsh top coat in, in time to be shown at 6 months old (the earliest we can show them here). The coat is going to have to come out at some point, so i think it best to get rid of it early on so the pup looks better and better as the coat matures on the maturing pup. Do come and share some photos in the breed thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hipporider Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Thank you... I will try Once I get a good photo, I will post it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now