Tag Archives: showing gordon setter

Being an Owner Handler is NOT a Death Sentence

April 19, 2018 Sally Gift 2 Comments

I’m an owner handler exhibitor – well, I used to be an owner handler before I matured into an older lady who runs with a gimp, if she runs at all – I let a handler do the running these days. But, while I was an owner handler I love, love, loved being in the ring, and it goes without saying that my love amplified to a rock music decibel when I won. I’ve finished many dogs from many various classes, especially Bred by Exhibitor, and I’ve won my fair share of trips to the winners circle at Gordon Setter Specialties. Group judging was beyond what I considered my forte, that’s where I’d really expect a dog to shine, and knowing my limitations, that’s when I would choose to step back and let a pro take the lead. Today, because of my physical restrictions, I content myself to sit ring side leading the cheering squad. And, manning the water bucket…and handing over the brush…and passing out the bait…

With that said, frequently, I hear comments by exhibitors about how political the judging was, or how “the win” was stacked before the show even started. And just as frequently, I happened to agree with the judge’s decision that day (even if my dog lost) which left me wondering if falling back on that oft voiced complaint, was doing more harm to exhibitors than most of us realize. Certainly if you think about it, if my dog with a pro handling was a winner that day, I didn’t think that judging was political…I thought we deserved that win. Wouldn’t you? For the winners sake, and many other reasons, I’m hoping to help bring understanding, especially for folks who are struggling to win, about the many, many variables of conformation judging. Sometimes, and often times, politics had nothing to do with the winners that day. I’d like us to give judges, the pros, and the sport a break, at least when it’s deserved!

When I’m watching judging, I am often overwhelmed with the desire to help some hapless exhibitor gain control over their dog, or grab a dog to help the owner learn a better way to groom, or maybe just to shake an exhibitor into consciousness so they go to the ring when called. I’m no professional folks, I’m just like all of you, but one thing I do know, and would share with you, is my belief and experience that the professional often wins because he or she is a professional, doing a professional job. (can you paint your car, bake cupcakes, do taxes, or any one of a million other jobs as well as a pro?) Most times there is an obvious difference in the ring appearance of a professionally handled dog versus the owner entry, and what I would share is that we owner handlers must develop our skill so we look and act like the pro, to make our dogs appear their best, to present only well-groomed, conditioned and trained dogs, if we intend to compete on an equal level. Owner handlers can and do win without doubt, but we too must do the work of a pro, and earn our wins by showing the judge the best our dog has to offer.

So, I started out to write this blog about what an owner handler can master to be competitive in the dog show ring, when I remembered that well-worn phrase “Google It” and that worked! I found many well written articles that offer the same advice I would write for you. Whether you’re just starting as a novice handling your own dog, or simply believe you “just can’t win”, before complaining or blaming another for your loss, or worse yet leave the sport, perhaps you’ll read this, take time to evaluate yourself and your dog, and objectively consider the “picture” you and your Gordon Setter presented when you lost. Did you do your best but were beaten that time by a better dog, or could you have done something more to improve the odds in your dog’s favor? No, it’s not always your fault your dog loses, but you’ve got to even the playing field first with skill, know your dog’s attributes and faults, and then consider, carefully, very carefully, if politics was at play, or if perhaps, you just don’t agree with this judge’s opinion on this particular set of dogs.

I love owner handlers and I would do anything to help you win, so you learn to love the sport as much as me, because I’ve lived that dream and know it can happen…but if you want really good advice, ask the pros, and take the time, lots of time, to watch them work, really watch them in action. There is so much you can learn there!

There’s a list below, links to articles to help you prepare to win. These are a great place to help get you to the place where you can know the thrill of being a winning owner handler. (Oh, and also “Google It” for yourself, there’s so much more information out there, I’ve only picked a few.)

Finally, go to dog shows to watch and observe. Spend hours watching the grooming, various random breed classes, the Groups etc., paying close attention to the pro’s and those winning owner handlers! Best use of your time and classroom setting ever!

Win or Lose never forget BE A GOOD SPORT!

Sally Gift, Mesa AZ

Photo by Bob Segal from GSCA National Specialty 2014

Owner Handler Advice

Video link: Want to Win Best in Show as an Owner Handler?

Looking Back with Lee – Pro Handlers vs. Owner-Handlers – being an Owner-Handler is not a DEATH SENTENCE!

Breed Standard, Dog Shows

Impressions

June 23, 2016 Sally Gift Leave a comment

Another chapter in our review of the Gordon Setter breed standard

Written by Barbara Manson

There are a few things that we need to tie together in regard to the standard. I’ve discussed most of the pieces but we need to see how they work together to create a good quality Gordon Setter. As breeders and exhibitors, it’s important that we not “fool” ourselves as we evaluate our own dogs and those of our competitors. We want what’s best for our breed and we need to be confident and articulate in regards to our choices. We must also establish, in our own minds, what represents a correct Gordon Setter and what is simply personal preference. These can be two separate things. By so doing, we are keeping our minds open and we are better able to evaluate the qualities found in competitors dogs. This is vital if we are to advance our breed.

Impressions — Photo by Ben Perez, 2016 GSCA National Specialty

What does the judge see when he/she is evaluating our dogs on the go around. We all know he sees dogs who may be limping. These dogs are usually excluded from competition because they are considered unsound on that day. If you’re new, and this happens to you, don’t worry. This has happened to most of us at one time or another. Though disheartening, you will compete another day. There are many other things that can be seen from the judge’s vantage point. Under general appearance, size is mentioned. I’ve covered this previously, but the judge can do an initial comparison between competitors at this point. He should also see an “active, upstanding and stylish” dog ” appearing capable of doing a full day’s work in the field”. Balance, and how all the pieces I’ve discussed fit together, is also apparent. A “long, lean” neck, a “rather short back” and “a short tail” can be seen along with a correct topline on the move. The expectation is a “high head carriage” and a back that remains relatively level on the move, not running down hill or overly slopingshoulder to rear. The correctness of the tailset and its relationship to the croup is in evidence at this point. The tail should appear as an extension of the back and be “carried horizontal or nearly so”. The gait should be “bold, strong, driving and free-swinging”. The tail flags constantly while the dog is in motion”. So what constitutes a “free-swinging” gait? It is a “smooth flowing, well balanced rhythm, in which the action is pleasing to the eye, effortless, economical and harmonious”. The dog moves so easily it seems as though he is floating and could move that way all day without tiring. If you’re the handler of such a dog, you can actually feel him ” collect” himself as he starts to move.

Impressions2 — Photo by Ben Perez, 2016 GSCA National Specialty

Temperament also comes into play here. He appears, at this point, “alert, gay, interested and confident”. He is “fearless and willing”. Many of us have had the experience of trying to show a dog who was not exactly “willing”. It’s not what we want to see in the ring but when this happens, I prefer to think of them as “strong minded enough to stand the rigors of training”. Some are just more strong minded than others. We’ll discuss training techniques another day but this can be one of the challenges of showing a Gordon Setter. It may take time and patience, but even the tough nuts can be cracked. As you consider the importance of these impressions, remember, they are the first thing the judge sees on the initial go around. He sees them again when your dog is evaluated individually, and they are the last thing he sees before he points his finger. These impressions are big clues as to the dog’s ability to withstand a long day in the field. Dogs who exhibit these attributes are a pleasure to watch and they draw your eye to them. They may seem elegant but closer examination should reveal substance. They are, after all, Setters.

Impressions5 — Photo by Ben Perez, 2016 GSCA National Specialty

I’ve had a couple of people bring up the amount of coat we are seeing in the ring today. Heavily coated dogs are certainly much more prevalent today than they were when I came into the breed. You can look back through old reviews and see how this factor has changed. The current standard only addresses coat as “soft and shining, straight or slightly waved, but not curly”. It goes on to describe where the long coat appears, but gives no parameters regarding how much coat our dogs should carry. It was once said, you could hunt with your Gordon on Saturday and show him in the ring on Sunday. That’s definitely harder to do today. I truly believe you can still finish a championship on a well constructed dog, under knowledgable judges, without an over abundance of coat.

Impressions1 — Photo by Ben Perez, 2016 GSCA National Specialty

Once you move to the specials ring, the game is stepped up a bit. To compete in today’s groups, coat and presentation become big factors. I believe it would be very hard to pull out group placements and specialty breed wins without it. It’s become an expectation. The dogs who are truly competitive at this level, generally have more than coat and meticulous grooming going for them. I urge breeders and newcomers to politely seek out opportunities to examine as many of these dogs as possible. I will bet you find “hidden” attributes you didn’t know were there. That said, if you bought a dog with an abundance of coat for hunting, but you also want to show him in the breed ring, be prepared to take measures to protect the coat or make choices as to which endeavors you wish to pursue and when. I don’t think we will be returning to the way things were in the sixties or seventies.

Impressions4 — Photo by Ben Perez, 2016 GSCA National Specialty

I really enjoyed seeing many of you at the National. The committee did a great job and I enjoyed the low key atmosphere. It was so nice, as it always is, to see the dogs. Thank you to all who participated in the hands on breeders education and a special thank you to those who shared their dogs with us. Without you, it would not have been a success.

Barbara Manson, Stoughton WI

Photographs by Ben Perez are shared for your viewing pleasure and are not intended to illustrate any specific point in this article.

Impressions3 — Photo by Ben Perez, 2016 GSCA National Specialty

Care, Dog Shows

Grooming, You Need To Know Anatomy To Do It Right!

April 30, 2015 Sally Gift 11 Comments

I feel like I’ve been knee deep in black dog hair for the better part of the last four decades, and I’m not talking about those little black haired dust bunnies that whisper along the tile floor in the hallways of the house. I’m talking big, honking piles of hair that I’ve clipped, stripped, scissored and thinned off the bodies of my Gordon Setters to ready them for the ring. I kid you not, there have been times when I have built a whole other Setter out of the hair left on the floor. Good grief these dogs grow coat, acres and acres of it so that sometimes I find myself thinking “I’m gonna to get me one a them big ole John Deere mowers to tackle this petting zoo”.

15428908811_21f48b12c2_z — Photo by Bob Segal

Well obviously most of you own a Gordon Setter so you know what I’m talking about when I say that they take a bit of grooming to keep them looking less like a Newfie and more like a Setter. And, if you’re heading to the show ring you probably know by now that a proper groom makes a world of difference in your chances for success. Groom that dog poorly or trim him the wrong way and you can end up accentuating or creating faults you don’t want seen. Bad idea.

It is not easy to learn to properly groom a Gordon for the ring, and I for one, will admit that even after all these years I am always learning. New things come along, methods change, equipment is developed, it’s a never ending learning curve. Sometimes I feel like my grooming skill is no better now than when I was in grade school cutting doll hair with those little rounded kiddie scissors. Did you ever notice that doll hair doesn’t grow back? My sisters did. They weren’t very happy with me. Sibling rivalry I guess?

Grooming can be complicated, but it will get a whole lot easier if you start with a clear picture of the dog’s anatomy, the dog breeder’s basic knowledge, and using that mental picture of your breed’s anatomy as your guide when you’re trimming, stripping or thinning your show dog should help you sculpt that dog into a lovely picture of the standard. To give an example, sometimes we might groom what appear to be faults onto the dog by leaving a vertical line of stripped hair going straight down the dog’s side from the bottom of neck to the foreleg. In fact we want to show angles there, the angle where the shoulder and upper arm meet, so there should be a sideways V shape to that line. Leave a straight line down the side of the dog when you’re stripping out coat and the judge will see a straight front, one that lacks proper angle of shoulder to upper arm. It’s an optical illusion that can hurt your chances of winning. Or, ignore trimming the under body coat to into soft flowing lines, leaving instead shorter or longer coat in the wrong area and you destroy the flow of the Setter’s natural body contour, he looks unbalanced and a maybe a bit box or tube shaped, not the picture we’re looking for.

I found a grooming blog, Beyond the Fur… written by Melissa Verplank who published an excellent article The Importance of Canine Anatomy and it teaches about using the structure of the dog to set a pattern when grooming. This is right on the money and I highly recommend, especially if you are a new learner, that before you begin grooming your Gordon Setter, particularly for the show ring, that you take the time to read this article and review her diagrams. You absolutely must have an ideal picture of the structure of a Gordon Setter in your mind in order to properly scissor and strip and shape that body coat. And you must keep that picture in mind so that when you step back away from the dog to view your work, you are seeing all of the excellent qualities you want a judge to notice about your dog.

Here’s the link, simply point and click, a new window will open on her site:

The Importance of Canine Anatomy

4709758732_1776c00c00_z — Photo by Bob Segal

Earlier articles that were published here on Gordon Setter Expert about grooming can be found here for those looking to get started grooming their own dog.

Grooming by Bev Holoboff

Grooming the Gordon Setter by Heidi Moon

Hope you enjoy these articles. We’re gearing up to come back from the GSCA National with some great “how to” videos of exhibitors grooming their dogs, we’re sure that we’ll find some great Gordon Setter folks who will share their tips and tricks with you.

Photos by Bob Segal

Sally Gift, Mesa AZ

Breeding, Catch All, Dog Shows

OMG! There’s a Cat Fight at the Dog Show!

February 3, 2015 Sally Gift 5 Comments

“Come on” you didn’t really think I was going to write about cats today did you? We are here to talk about Gordon Setters aren’t we? I know you know who I’m talking about, those sweet, loving, kind creatures who share our home, hearth and heart?

Well, thinking about Gordon Setters, dogs, and dog shows and how kind dogs can be, and how thoughtless we humans can be sometimes I felt like, maybe, we could talk about starting a “Gordon Setter Breeder Kindness” movement this year. (GSBK – kind of sounds like a new Burger King sandwich doesn’t it?) Alright, seriously, what if we really started thinking about where we each would be without our fellow Gordon Setter breeders? I know that sometimes I feel like I have more in common with other breeders than I do with my family – what about you? And, aren’t many of our friends also – need I say it – Gordon Setter breeders? What if we were all alone instead? What if we were the one and only, lonely breeder?

As the only breeder

we’d go home from the show with a ribbon, but no points, we were there, all alone, at the dog show.
no other Gordon Setters to compare ours too – how will we know who’s are better?
there would be no one at the dog show to congratulate us on our win – we’re there at the show all alone remember.
actually we would win every time that way – but who would be there to care?
no other breeders to bring dogs to the show – oops – no dog show now.
who will breed their bitch to our stud dog?
wait, how long will the breed survive before the gene pool becomes too small and inbreeding slowly destroys what’s left?

So I was thinking that maybe, if we decided to think differently about the bad things we might say, before we say them, we could start to fill our heads with thoughts of kindness instead. Kind thoughts, kind actions, they make us feel good, and that’s a win right? Our dogs you know, they don’t really care if they win or lose in the ring, they just like us to be happy. So let’s think about this, what we might choose to say or do, that may not be so very kind.

If we’re so desperate to sell our puppy that we trash talk another breeder under the mistaken notion that will seal the deal, should we stop instead to consider if we really needed to whelp that litter? If we truly believe our dogs are better than the rest then don’t we simply need to state their best qualities and the reason those qualities are valuable to the buyer? If we need to add to our sales pitch with statements about what’s wrong with another breeder’s dogs, are we instead questioning our own breeding’s value? Let me ask, do you like those political ads that are just trash talk about the opposition?

When it comes to our stud dog, well that’s not much different from selling a puppy is it? As a good breeder we know our dog isn’t right for every bitch, so why would we trash talk another breeder’s dog to increase the value and attractiveness of our own? Hey, did I mention that I despise those trash talking political ads? Tell me why I should vote for you, not why I shouldn’t vote for him. How about we just be kind to each other? It just feels better, for everyone.

And at the dog show, do we need to trash talk the winner when we lose? Is this simply to reassure ourselves? Do we point out the winner’s faults, disperse ugly rumors or maybe blame our loss on a political or a blind judge? Honestly, losing is hard, and it truly feels lousy sometimes, but kindness, well it does make almost everything feel better.

It seems so simple…being kind to other breeders…how about we make this the year we do just that?

Sally Gift, Mesa AZ

Breed Standard, Breeding, Dog Shows

Breed Standard – It all starts and ends here if you’re showing or breeding.

January 11, 2015 Sally Gift 3 Comments

This is a quick and easy blog post peeps. Simply put, if you’re involved in showing or breeding Gordon Setters you must start your learning experience with the breed standard. If you study it hard enough you’ll soon find yourself standing ringside with other exhibitors quoting sections out loud to each other, or maybe under your breath depending on what you are seeing in the ring!

All joking aside, the purpose of this article is to provide you with that all important link defining what should going through the Judge’s mind while sorting out a class of dogs. Once you’ve clicked the link you should find yourself on the AKC website, if you’ve not spent any time there browse around, it’s a wealth of information.

The Gordon Setter Breed Standard