SHOWING YOUR LARGE MUNSTERLANDER Raycris Sweet Valentine of Adamain If you intend to show your Large Munsterlander, be prepared for a lot of hard work and to spend time and money on your hobby. For that is exactly what it is - a hobby : you will NOT get rich by showing your dog! The following information refers chiefly to showing your Large Munsterlander in the UK, although much of it is relevant wherever you are. Assuming that you have a dog which is of "show quality" - that is, registered with the Kennel Club as a pedigree Large Munsterlander, conforming with the breed standard and with a temperament suited to the showring, the first thing you need to do is find the address of your nearest Show Dog Training Club and take yourself and your dog along there. It is NOT true that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but even so you are likely to be unsuccessful if you start showing an inexperienced adult dog at any but the most local of shows as classes are age and experience related and a novice adult dog will always be at a disadvantage. Ideally, you need to be starting with a pup. The Show Dog Training will teach your youngster how to stand, get him used to being handled by strangers and will, most importantly, get him socialised and used to the company of other dogs. YOU will learn how to show your dog - how to stand him out to show off his good points (and disguise any minor faults) and how to move him around the showring so the judges can see his movement and conformation. Once you decide that both you and your dog are ready, you need to find a Dog Show to enter. The best sources of information are the canine press and the individual breed clubs. Don't aim too high to start with - you will be better off launching your dog at a local show than venturing straight out to a Championship Show. There will be plenty of time to branch out later! Send off for the show schedule and READ IT CAREFULLY. Make sure you enter the correct classes - most shows have separate classes for dogs and bitches, and some classes are age-related. You cannot show any dog under the age of six months; between 6 and 9 months it is eligible to enter Minor Puppy, 6 to 12 months is Puppy, and under 18 months is Junior. The rules for entry to other classes will be printed in the schedule - read them carefully; realistically, with a beginner dog you will only be considering the relevant age group and novice classes. Don't enter too many classes, both you and your dog will find it very tiring at first. Once you have selected the classes you are entering, fill out the entry form (you will need your dog's pedigree handy to do this) and send it off with the appropriate entry fee in good time; you will be sent a list of all dogs entered before the show. NOTE : not all shows will have classes for Large Munsterlanders - you may have to enter under HPR (hunt-point-retrieve) AVNSC (any variety not separately classified) or some other group heading. Preparing your LM for the Showring The Large Munsterlander is by nature a grubby mutt who likes nothing better than scrabbling about in the undergrowth, galloping through mud and hurling himself through puddles, ponds and streams. If you show your dog au naturel the judge will not give him a second glance. You will have to SMARTEN HIM UP!! Don't expect to do this the day before the show - you will have to begin the process in good time. First of all de-burr your dog if necessary - try not to use scissors except as a very last resort! Bath him to get rid of all the grime and make sure every trace of soap or shampoo is rinsed out of his coat. Then carefully comb out all the tangles. A lot of Munsterlanders have a tendency for their coat to curl as it dries - if yours is one of them, make sure you keep smoothing it down to keep it flat! Don't feel tempted to add conditioner, oil etc. to the final rinse - if the judge detects any foreign substance on your dog's coat you will be disqualified. Once dry, give your dog a thorough brushing and comb through. Use the palms of your hands to smooth the surface down - the natural oils from your skin will help, and as it's a natural substance it's OK. Tidy up the feathering on the legs, tail and especially the ears, but don't start cutting away with the scissors - this is a LONG HAIRED breed. Your dog's feet may also need tidying up if they are particularly hairy, but remember the standard says "dense hair between toes" so don't go mad. Make sure his toenails are clean and even - you might need a nail-file here! and clean his teeth if he'll let you. The final trick is to keep your dog clean and tidy until you get him in the ring! The Dog Show Pack your car the night before (don't forget water and a bowl for the dog, pooper-scooper bags etc.) and set off in plenty of time - check what time your first class is due to start and aim to get there at least half an hour before that, even earlier if possible. If you are travelling any distance, allow for getting lost, roadworks, traffic jams etc. It is better to arrive too early than too late - you can always take the dog for a walk! When you arrive you need to find your bench if it is a "benched" show although when I was showing my dogs I never actually left my dogs in their bench, just used it as a base for all my stuff! As all the LMs will be benched together, this is also where you will meet the other owners and their dogs. Talk to them. They will be only too pleased to help. ASK them where to sign in, who to speak to etc. Fasten your number card to your jumper, jacket etc. - the old hands will have special card clips but a safety pin will do the job just as well. Then (providing you're not first in the ring!) go and WATCH some show classes to see what the procedure is. Take your dog with you so he can get used to the atmosphere too. Be ready for when your class is called so you don't have to rush your dog. When you enter the ring, have a look at the other dogs in there with you. If your dog is towards the extremes of the breed standard for size, place yourself next to another dog of similar size if there is one. Large Munsterlanders tend to be friendly with other dogs, particularly their own breed (and yes they DO recognise another LM!) so you should have no problems with aggression, but think about which way round you will stand your dog. Do you really want him watching your husband's/wife's/Significant Other's every move? The usual procedure is for the judge to take a look round the whole group to get the general idea of what s/he is dealing with. First impressions DO count, so make sure your dog is looking good. Steady his head with one hand and keep his attention; I never held my dogs' tail out as I never needed to, but if your dog has decided to tuck his tail between his legs either out of total bewilderment or just to spite you, you may want to gently extend it for the judge to see. Beware, however, of creating an unnatural topline. The judge will then examine each dog one by one and you and your dog can relax a little until it is your turn, but keep on your toes and make sure your dog still looks good should the judge glance your way. When it comes to examining your dog, the judge will handle it and is unlikely to appreciate you still hanging onto your dog's head: s/he will look at the teeth, checking the "bite," and the eyes, check over the whole of the body for conformation and if it is a dog, check that it does indeed have two testicles (which may come as a shock to your dog if he is unprepared!) Then you will be asked to "move" your dog. This is the fun bit for the novice dog and handler. The judge wants to see how your dog moves. You should set off at a brisk pace. Your dog SHOULD accompany you, striding out with the typical "free, long-striding springy gait." Or not. More likely he will dance around on the end of his lead while you feel as if you are flying a kite. Do not panic or think all is lost : we once won Best of Breed after the judge asked me to move my dog again, "and this time, try to get him to make contact with the ground occasionally." If your dog gets really out of hand and over-excited, don't be afraid to stop him, turn him in a circle and set off again. The judge will then look over the whole line-up once again and may ask some dogs to move again or examine them again. DON'T stop "showing" your dog - s/he may still be deciding who to pick. If it's your dog - well done! If not, never mind, there's always next time. Rosettes /cards are usually awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Highly Commended and even Commended so you may well not go away empty-handed. And strangely enough, it's been my experience that the nicest rosettes are awarded at the smaller shows! If you DO win your class, stay around - you may well end up eligible to compete for Best of Breed or Best Opposite Sex. And the winner of the Breed class can go on to Best of Group (gundog) and in an all-breeds show, Best Gundog will go forward to compete for Best in Show........but it's early days yet! After the Show The most obvious thing to do is pack up all your stuff and set off for home as soon as your last class is over, especially if you have a long journey ahead of you. DON'T. Stick around and watch the rest of the LM classes, and especially see which dog gets Best of Breed. Compare your dog with this dog - don't let colour variations confuse you, as long as your dog is black-and-white, with a black head, then it's OK! Just because the winner is blacker or whiter than your dog doesn't mean a thing - compare the dog's conformation and movement.Talk to the other owners and ask for their honest opinion of your dog: if your dog has real show potential someone will tell you so. The nicest thing about showing Large Munsterlanders is that because they're still a comparatively rare breed, you're almost certain to meet one or more of your dog's close relatives! When the time eventually comes to head off home, take it easy. Both you and your dog have had a long and tiring day. Whether you have gone home covered in rosettes or empty-handed, learn from the experience - and start filling in the entry forms for that next show! Home Page Breed Standard My Own Dogs Gundogs Breed History Gallery Rings & Links Email me!