how can i get my cavalier to look like a show dog

cavalier

hi

i have a black & tan cavalier who is from top bloodlines.
but i cant seem to get his coat to the standard that i find in the show ring.
can anyone tell me what products show owners use on cavaliers to get that candy floss soft look especially for the ears ???

would be so very thankful if some one can give me some REAL advice/info maybe any breeders or show owners out there who would be willing to help me out ???

i have a show in 3 months time (my first ever show) & im really worried about making him look his best. i have been talking ring craft lessons from a friend/breeder. ive also been told that most show owners arent very helpful & quite snobby ! please tell me this isnt so as i may be getting in to deep thinking i could i ever show. any advice



thanks in advance.

andreac

Hi, i show a dog but its not one with long hair that needs styled/cut etc so i cant help with advice on grooming.

Try these sites:

http://forum.showdogsireland.com/
www.topdog.ie
http://www.irishdogs.ie/forum

They might be able to point you in the right direction.:)

EGAR

Check your PM's, OP.

Sigma Force

Diet can play a part in coat condition seven seas/viatpet do a great coat condtioning tonic you give although if the pooch is already on a good quality diet he might not need it.

Do you ever take him to the groomers, eventhough you probably do the dogs coat yourself might be an idea to take him to the groomers twice a year or so and get some advice on coat care from them.

TooManyDogs

Also choosing the correct brush for your dogs coat would be very important, some brushes can be very harsh on certain coats.

cavalier

hi all thanks for replying im doing my homework >LOL.

as for diet he is fed on science plan toy dog with cooked meats & bones.
i also have a coat formula i bought from a pet store for all his oil needs.

i bought a professional grooming set - but i only use the soft bristle brush & comb. he gets his coat trimmed every 6 months too.

i have been to soooo many groomers but they all only cut the coat & non of them can give me advice or are trained to style the coat for shows. :eek:

i have been to local level shows & again i see cavaliers looking normal like my fella but only at high level shows do the coats become like cotton candy. how ?

thanks so far everyone. any more advice welcome. would love to hear from anyone who professionally styles show dogs coats.

cavalier

just had a thought !:rolleyes:

maybe any cavalier owners who also show can get in touch with me.

or even people who own & show other spaniel types like cockers or springers due to the fact they have very similar coats.

andreac

How old is your dog? If its still a puppy then it wont have its proper coat yet as it will still be puppy coat until the adult one comes through properly.

Have you got a good quality shampoo and conditioner? I would stay away from the ones in pet shops/supermarkets as they wouldnt be the best for getting the coat in good show condition.

Christies are an online pet supplies shop and would all types of shampoos and conditioners for show dogs.

Try those links i sent you, esp the topdog.ie one as there are people on there with show dogs that have coats that need special attention and will be able to help you.

Edited to add, i see you are on topdog already :-)

cavalier

hi

he is 1 year & 1 month old now. he has his full cavalier coat & its a lovely coat too as most people tell me he is a beautiful dog & that i should be showing him (hence why im now seeking advice. LOL)

i bought a blackening shampoo for black or dark show dogs its very good & really puts life & shine into the coat. it was very expensive too. LOL

i have registered with all the forums in the links you gave me & have post a similar thread. thanks hopefully some great advice will come of it.

andreac

Hi again, hope you get some advice then on the other sites.

I just ahd a look at your site there, one thing im a little concerned about is that you have your dog advertised for stud, but yet hes only just over a year old.

Hes far too young to be used as a stud dog and is still really a baby. I would wait until hes at least 18 months old before using him for stud, a year old is way too young.

Are you going to be showing him at championship dog shows? Its just theres a huge difference to winning/showing at local shows than IKC shows.

cavalier

hi again

i spoke with the ikc & i was told that any dog over 8 months can be used as a stud dog. im just getting advice before i move onto higher level ikc shows as a few of my friends are professinal show owners & they tell me that competion is ruthless amongest higher level show owners. so i will think long & hard before taking a leap.

andreac

Tbh, i would never use a male dog under 18 months for stud.

A dog thats a year old is still a puppy and needs more time to mature and grow. I know the IKC say any dog over 8 months can be used but doesnt really make a diff as the dog is still a baby and not fully matured.

I have a rottweiler whos an Irish Champion and is available for stud, but i would never have allowed him to be used until he was at least 2 years old.

Using your dog for stud will change his temperament quite a bit and i wouldnt encourage this in a very young dog, let alone a puppy.

So i would advise you to wait a little bit longer until hes used for stud.

Regarding the shows, theres no reason you cannot show him at IKC shows, i only say they are very different as winning at a local show is a lot easier than a champ one.
For one, the judges at local shows dont really know much about the breeds and they are only really fun ones.

Have you been going to ring craft classes at all as these will help you prepare for the champ shows, as the way you have to show your dog is a lot diff at these than local shows.

Is the Celtic Winners show your first one?

roxiesmammy

just a thought, just cos ur guy comes from a good blood line doesnt mean that he will be good enough to show. All cavs are beautiful, im prob biased as i will be the proud mammy of a ruby cav soon, but not all of them have a great coat. not all pups if any will be good enough to show if ur having trouble with his coat maybe thats the way his coat is going to be, i have seen cavs with all dif types of coats from straight, to wavy to fuzzy and there is not much u can do. i would just enjoy him, yeah show him but enjoy him, they are a lovely dog.

kylith

Don't forget to get him fully health checked by a vet before breeding from him too. There are so many health problems in the beautiful Cavalier, like heart problems, that it's important to only breed from the healthiest dogs in order to try to undo some of the damage done by unscrupulous people who are only interested in breeding for money, not the love of the breed.

cavalier

hi everyone.

thanks for the advice.
i will wait a little longer to stud him, hes already 1 year so maybe 1 1/2 year.

to roxiesmammy - yes he has a full coat & its a luxury shiny one too.
he has no trouble with his coat but i need advice on fluffing up the ears for the show ring & maintaining the fluffed ears for the duration of the show.
lots of people who are breeders or show owner have told me he is a vey good quality dog & would do well in showing hence why im going to give it a shot.
i love him to pieces whether he wins or not. he my baby.

also to kylith - he has had a full health check with written cert for a heart scan, had his eyes tested & has been x ray-ed for hip dysplasia.
the only thing i haven't done yet is a scan for Syringomyelia as its pricey so im saving to have it done in 2 months in a northern irish vet clinic as most vets around my area dont do mri scans. he is also from very long lived bloodlines the oldest dog in his line is tuperence who died at 19 years.
im in no way interested in breeding for money i want to breed for the love of this little animal & to bring healthy bloodlines into the world as i bought a tri colour a few years ago who suffers from back problems she is now only 6 years. but i spoil her rotten & only give her the best.

i still havent gotten any advice yet on products to use on the ears to get them fluffy or soft. even any advice on the best conditioner rinse to use would help.

kylith

cavalier wrote: »

also to kylith - he has had a full health check...

You might hear from me in a couple of years so! OH loves Cavs but I've always been put off by the health problems.

Sorry I can't be any help with the grooming. Have you tried the breed club? http://homepage.eircom.net/~cavalierclub/homepage.htm