Introducing... Anna! What the hell am I doing with a Collie? Funny you should ask.
I have a friend and co-worker who has been looking for another show-potential Collie bitch, as the first one she purchased didn't quite make it. In discussing what she was looking for with one breeder, the breeder said she'd like a guarantee that the puppy would in fact be shown and a good effort made to finish it. My friend, who is older and on a limited income, was honest and said that she could not guarantee that, as she herself is not really able to run a dog around the ring, and a professional handler was not in the budget.
Soooooooooooooo...
Has your mouth ever up and said stuff without swinging by your brain to say "howdy" first? Just me? Okay, then. Anyway, my mouth up and offered to co-own the puppy with my friend and show it, for a puppy back when she breeds her. (And by "puppy back" I mean the proceeds therefrom, because seriously, I do NOT need a Collie.)
I guess that means that, between now and when Anna comes of show age, I have a LOT to learn about show-grooming a Collie. And I need to find some handling classes and figure out the transport to and from, and there will need to be some overnight visits so we're well-acquainted come show time, and there's a whole new set of people and politics and unwritten rules that I need to learn, and...
Damn, my mouth gets me in a lot of trouble.
LOL! The biggest thing is to make sure that even if she's not showing the dog, if it's living with her most of the time then she needs to do training. Dogs don't come magically equipped to stack themselves and hold still while being examined. :) Those of us who have raised a show puppy or two tend to do a lot of "mini training" without even thinking about it, but it becomes obvious if you try to handle a dog that has had NONE of that.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Collies is an entirely new world! Enjoy your learning experience~!! Keep in mind that they are shown TOTALLY hands off- so there is a ton of free-stack training that should start from day one! (No- they are not pre-programmed or born to stop square, arch their necks, pick up their perfectly tipped ears, and gaze lovingly at their handlers for untold minutes... sorry!) By comparison- the grooming is EASY!! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to meet the new step-sister!
I kinda like the hands-off part; I always seem to have an easier time training the cardis to free-stack than I do table training them. But all that hair! I'm a-skeered!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such wonderful new that you are getting a new step sister. Anna looks like she a great addition to the family. Thanks for sharing the great news. Have a fun day.
ReplyDeleteWorld of Animals