East of England Dog Show- 9th July 2011

Above is a photo Asalet Comar and Asalet Ayca (red collar). She is 3.5 years of age and as much as she is indifferent to dog shows when she is there she always does what you want her to do and yesterday was no different. She went like a dream at the Show and was rewarded with Best Bitch and Best Opposite Sex. Well done Ayca.

Comar on the other hand is a different story. When he is at home he is a very happy and content dog. Some of you will know that in March I took him to Crufts where he flatly refused to enter the Show Ring. No amount of tugging and coaxing was going to work so I had to admit defeat sadly. I thought this was an isolated case.

More recently I took him to the Blackpool Championship show where this time he flatly refused to even enter to the Showground and again no end of tugging and coaxing would persuade him otherwise. One of the officials at the show said to me "If you don't mind me saying love you are being a little too nice to him. You need to get that right tone of voice". He was right. I went back to the car and tried again and although I got him a little further he still would not go to the Show Ring. We went home fed up with each other.

So we were up early yesterday in preparation for the show and Comar guessing what was going on went and hid in his kennel. We had a easy journey to Peterborough as it is our most local show and to our surprise and delight he entered the Showground quite easily. Even walking around the Showground he was relatively relaxed.

When our turn came to show I was feeling nervous and positive at the same time and this time he went into the ring happily and showed superbly with no hesitation. He strode out in style and stood perfectly. For this he was rewarded with Best Male and Best of Breed. It doesn't get any better than that.

The win was made more special with him being a white fawn without the typical black mask but he DOES comply with the breed standard.

We stayed on to enter Best of Group to give him the experience as this ring is more like Crufts as it was an indoor ring with carpet. Again, he moved superbly and like an old pro even though he will only be 2 years of age at the end of the month. Well done Comar.

So what changed since the 26th June (Blackpool Show)? We have taken him to a new weekly ringcraft club and although he has only been twice he justs get better and this class gives him more 1:1 attention and thinks "outside the box" and along with the extra 1:1 attention he is receiving at home he is coming along very well. Of course I have also found that inner confidence and firmer voice as previously advised.

Long may it reign!! Let's see what next Saturday's show brings.