I would like to know the opinion of all show people on the over shaving(trimming) of the setter? I was very surprised to see that trimming is actually mentioned in the AKC breed standard (coat section)"Trimming is done to preserve the natural appearance of the dog" How over trimming or shaving can preserve a natural look is quite puzzling to me!!!! I make my dogs as neat as possible for shows with a scissors or hand plucking but never put a blade near them!! I think that over grooming is quite the opposite of the natural appearance!! I believe over trimming/grooming makes setters look a bit like cardboard cut outs,not real dogs!!!!!!!!
I dont know anything about cat shows, but i entered a few poultry shows(yes chickens!!!) and it is quite neutral, as the birds are in cages supplied by the show committee!! Judges dont know who owns which bird!!! I had a huge win at one of these shows and I was a complete newcomer and novice poultry breeder!!!!;o))
Yes cat shows are supposed to be like that, but you can bring blankets, water and food bowls all in white, but everyone has their own blankets etc. so most of the judges know who owns who. What sought of birds?? I used to keep birds, have also shown Rabbits and Goats, I felt a proper Charley showing the Goats, the white coat etc not for me, and my Goat kept jumping out of the pen and causing havoc, well that goat always did cause a problem wherever I lived, you can't keep goats and good neighbours, the two don't mix, well not Holly....
My big winner was a black minorca cock but I also had black silkies and silver laced wyandottes!! I also had wellsommers(a dutch breed I believe; but mine didnt lay very often!!) Now I just have a couple of minorca hens but plan to get some more soon! Goats I leave to others(not my favourite animal!! Escape artists!!);o)
Hey guess what Wellsommers were my breed, love them, yes Dutch, but mine used to lay really well, in fact I had a 15 year old that was still laying the occasional egg.....unfortunately the fox got all my birds in the end, well most of them, I gave the rest to a friend, they were frizzles (little black bantams with a bad hair day)
And yes Goats are escape artists, in the end I never even tried to kept them in, they had the run of the place, lost them once, they were up at the next farm wooing my neighbours Tup...it took me three days to find them, he never even noticed that they were there.
The fox was my problem also! Before I left my old home(seperated too!!)The fox took the last of my birds!! I am now a bit more settled and hope to get a few more birds just for a few eggs(no hatching chicks this time!!)
My son showed chicken and rabbits in 4H you really did not have to do anything to them for show. They are all gone now I miss the eggs. We had one named Donna and she would follow you around and come when you called.
Not so sure Laura!! I read an article a few years ago in National Geo. about the washing and blow drying of birds for shows in the US!!!;o)) I just made sure mine were clean and in excellent health!
Not with the chickens but you want to see what is done to the Goats and Cats they are worse than dogs, all the tweaking and preening, back biting and stabbing, what a wonderful hobby what a wonderful way to spend you time and money....;0((