Dog showing or exhibiting is an exciting competitive activity where dogs compete against each other for prizes or awards. It is a competition where a dog’s attributes and conformation are compared against a breed standard for its breed. Whilst it can often be taken very seriously, it can be a fun pursuit that people and their dogs thoroughly enjoy.
The Kennel Club website has detailed information on all aspects of showing from total newbies to Judging shows, visit here to find out more details Dog Showing | Events and Activities | The Kennel Club
You can search for shows here.
Enter shows on line at Fosse Data and Higham Press
Click here to see a full list of all Hovawart Championship show winners (including the club show) and here
for the full show results.
Caron and her dog Truffle have been the top winning Hovawart for a few years now, here she explains what showing your dog entails
Breed showing – it’s just a case of going to a breed show and standing in the ring and then running around a bit isn’t it? Well not quite! When watching knowledgeable handlers with well trained dogs, you can be forgiven to thinking there’s not that much to it, as they can make it look so easy, but as with most things there’s a lot of work that goes in to make the performance look effortless.
We are lucky with our Hovawarts in that there is limited trimming for the show ring. You do need to trim the hair on, around and under the feet to present a tidy outline. The ears are the other area to be “tidied up” to help show off their shape and set, although in Europe I understand the ears are often left untouched but personally I prefer the lighter look, as I think it shows off the head, set and expression much better. The most important thing when trimming your dog is once finished, there shouldn’t be any scissor marks and it should look like you have done nothing! The biggest compliment you can get is someone saying “you’re so lucky, you don’t have to trim your dog. Mine has really hairy feet/ ears!”
So your Hovie is trimmed, but does it need to be bathed before a show? As with most things with dogs the answer is yes and no. A bath can be helpful as your dog must be clean for the judge (no one wants to handle really dirty dogs all day) but if you want the coat to shine, then brush your dog daily, this massages the skin to release natural oils and give a real shine that you’ll never get with just bathing.
So your Hovie is clean and tidy but what about the actual showing? Hopefully you have been going to good ringcraft classes for some time now to teach your dog to stand, have a stranger touch and go over them and to move for the judge, so both you and your Hovie know what to expect. It is a great idea to go to a show and watch the Hovawarts being shown – you can go and watch at Open or most Championship shows but check that there are Hovawart classes and if you want to take your dog with you then also check which shows allow spectator dogs (you will find this in the schedule, there is normally a charge so do check first) and you can chat with competitors as well.
When it is your class the steward will call you into the ring and mark you off against a list of entries which is why you must wear your ring number so you can be identified. Remember they may not know you and certainly won’t have time to find you, so you must be at the ringside listening or you will miss your class. Once in the ring the steward will direct you where to stand for the judge to have an initial look at the dogs.
Our breed is free standing which means they should stand 4 square (weight evenly over all four paws) without the handler “placing” their paws. This doesn’t mean the handler can’t check or move their feet but frequently the judge will ask you to “free stand” after the dog has been moved so you need to teach your dog to do this.
The next key lesson is teaching your Hovie to move! Yes it is something you will need to practice. The dog should move straight, on 2 tracks (back legs moving in the same “track” as the front legs) in a forward, purposeful trot, on a loose lead by your side. Hopefully looking forward, in the direction it is going, so it remains in balance. Initially everyone in the class will move together around the ring so you will need to think about how much space you need to allow your Hovie to move well behind any other dogs. The first dog will then be asked to come forward to be “gone over” and do its individual show whilst the other dogs “relax” waiting their turn, but remember the judge can still see you, so you want your dog to look its best still.
The individual show involves you standing your dog for the judge to look at them, possibly from the side, front and back before they move forward to touch your dog. Remember, the dog should stand still and the judge wants to see your dog, not you, so be ready to move out the way! You will normally be asked how old your Hovie is and then the judge will look at the teeth (or might ask you to show the teeth so practice doing this without putting your head in the way). The judge will then go over your dog, feeling for muscle tone, general condition, check the coat and all the different aspects and points of the dog, comparing them to the breed standard. You will then be asked to show the movement of your Hovie.
Each judge is different, so listen to what they want, but they will all want to see your dog going away and coming towards them (to see if the dog moves on 2 tracks or is wide / narrow in front or behind) and also to see them from the side to look at your dog in profile. This is where the practice comes in – your Hovie needs to move in a smooth, purposeful trot, in a straight line both away and towards the judge and your dog (NOT YOU) needs to be directly in front of the judge. Your dog has to listen to you, as it will need to turn on command, both at the end of the outward run and at the corners of the ring (if asked for a triangle or when going around the ring) in order to keep in balance. Easy right? Well it certainly looks it when you watch an experience combination going around the ring but watch them closely and you will start to realise just how much communication is going on between them.
So all the dogs have been seen and everyone has stood their dogs up again for the judge to take a last look to decide who should be in the lower places. After all, now the judge has seen you’re wonderful dog, surely we are just waiting for them to give you the ribbons and the best of breed aren’t we?
Well before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s go back and think about some of the things the judge is looking for. The breed standard tells us the Hovawart is a powerful, medium sized dog, free from exaggeration. It is versatile, self-confident, self-assured and agile, without nervousness or aggression. It is strong, well-muscled and balanced with a strong topline, the quarters are powerful and well-muscled. The feet are roundish, strong and compact. Movement is effortless, ground covering, straight and true with good reach and drive.
These words, to me, give a picture of a strong, muscled, graceful dog that floats over the ground, mile after mile, hour after hour, nothing flashy, just confidently, without hesitation, doing what it needs to, with the beauty and joy of movement that makes everything look so effortless.
So how do we achieve this picture with our Hovies? Surely they just do it, don’t they? NO!
Strength, power and muscle tone do not come without considerable conditioning work. Straight, true movement requires effort, reach and drive, all of which require training. Confidence does not come without careful exposure to many different situations and stimulus. None of these aspects come without considerable time and effort from you.
The show ring is just briefest of glimpses of the results of all the hard work, time and energy you have put into your Hovawart. It is the careful training and exposure which gives your dog the confidence and self-assurance that it requires. It is the endless miles of lead walking and running that builds up muscles correctly. It is the cavaletti / gymnastic work that build balance, agility, reach and drive. In short, it is the work and activities you do with your dog that give them the mental and physical strength and agility to perform in the show ring.