r/ShowDogs

Hey all!

I am a professional handler and breeder that has a dog that is doing very well in the conformation ring. I have a beautiful ad done by a graphic designer that I would like to promote- however I am unsure of which magazine to go with, and of course the cost factor.

My question to you- what do you find is the best magazine to promote that has the best outreach? Should we just do digital on social media, or is it truly worth it to drop the $1,000 for a printed ad? Dog news, canine chronicle, American dog fanciers? I’m looking for the magazine for that has the most bang for your buck.

All answers are welcomed, I’m here for the sounding board!

For back info- he has won a BIS , RBIS, 3 groups and multiple group placements in two weekends. Currently ranked number 2 across all systems in his breed.

Any and all tips are welcomed! Thank you!

7m old puppy, I now have a verbal "stack" command linked to put back feet and front feet square with ears forward so that part is done.

How do you teach to get the back feet to be back farther- closer to a ramp/table stack? He isn't super far off, but I want to try for a very pretty freestack.

First real show (non BPUP) mid June and with my nerves, want things as easy as possible so I don't overhandle.

My puppy thinks everything about showing is fun but HATES showing bite. She will let me do it for like 1 second and then will try to back out of it and throws her head around. At home I’ve been able to extend the duration I can show her bite to a little longer but in class she’s over it. I’ve been just randomly doing it to her a few times a day and marking & giving a treat and trying to not make it seem like a big deal. I also went back to square 1 and just clicking and treating for having my hand under her chin, etc. I’m sure it will get better with time and repetition but any tips would be great!!

I’ve been trying to better understand why Border Collies developed such a pronounced split between working lines and show lines in terms of structure and appearance.

I’ve considered entering my working-bred Border Collies into conformation, but whenever I’ve asked for guidance from experienced handlers or breeders, I’ve generally been told not to bother because my dogs don’t fit the “show line” type.

To be honest, the modern show-type Border Collies often don’t resemble what I personally think of as a functional herding dog—they appear quite different from working lines in both structure and expression. That makes me curious: how did this become the preferred conformation ideal for the breed?

Since Border Collies were developed primarily as working dogs, I’m trying to understand why the conformation standard seems to prioritize a look that doesn’t necessarily reflect working structure or performance traits.

It also raises another question for me: is there any recognition of working-type structure in conformation contexts, or alternative venues that evaluate dogs more on functional build rather than a single aesthetic standard?

I’d really appreciate any historical context or insight into how this divergence developed and whether there are pathways for working-bred dogs in the conformation world.

how can you get into showing as a minor (18 next year) who doesn’t have a dog that can be shown. maybe there isn’t a way, but honestly this is my lifelong dream and I just want to dip my does and gain true knowledge and experience.

Are there ways to get experience without owning your own show dog? Because that’s my biggest issue as well as the sheer cost of it

How do Groups work in BPUP?

I know if you win your breed you go on to group and if win that go on to bestin show. But how does the group assignment works? It seems I see posts of the same breed being in Group 1 or Group 3, so Im confused how you get into which group. I thought they were like herding, sport, etc groups?

New to showing andhave my first coming upd

hi friends a weeks ago we attended a show and was awarded winners dog, best of winners and best opposite sex in one show. CKC seems to take forever to upload my points results onto my online portal. the list was 4-2-1-2

some people are telling me that this was three points and some of them are telling me it was two points. please help.

I am writing this out of genuine confusion and seeking advice.

I have been showing my dog since it was four months old. The dog is now almost 4 years old. The dog has never had a single health problem in its entire life up until Tuesday when the dog was outside playing with another dog and the dog collapsed and had a grand mal seizure. I took the dog to the vet immediately and they said that the dog was completely fine and the dog didn’t seem to be affected by the episode.

I am now running into a dilemma where I am unsure if I should continue to show my dog. I am newer in the dog show world and really do not want something like that happening at a dog show. I also am not sure what caused this episode to happen, but I do know that in my breed it’s not exactly uncommon for dogs to develop epilepsy or seizure disorders after the age of three. I was also made aware very recently that there has been an immediate family member that has had seizures for about a year now. I currently do not have any other dogs I can show or keep myself active within the community as this dog was being campaigned and poured into.

My dog will be pulled from breeding but I currently heavily campaign my dog, and I’m very successful with the dog. I just am trying to figure out what is the right thing to do between all these gray lines. I obviously care so much about the health of my dog and its longevity but I find I’m hitting a cross roads of what to do. I still had so much planned for us… WWYD if this was your dog?