November 9-10

This weekend was a huge learning experience for us. Nick has never been interested in conformation shows at all and I have only had a mild curiosity in it. Our biggest interest in it was that it is something that Walter can participate in and eventually Zeb.

The other conformation shows we have been to have been combined with something we were already doing (stockdog and rally). This was the first show we have gone to just for conformation. Nick showed Beru because they had a special stockdog category. I showed Lucky again, but this time I showed her in a harder category with more dogs. Walter showed Hilda again in Peewee.

In junior showmanship the dogs grooming and stature is important but not as important as the relationship between the junior and their dog. They (and the rest of us) have to follow the directions around the ring that the judge give and then at the end stand their dog so they look their best. The judge will then check the musculature and bone structure of the dog including their teeth.

There was one other junior there. After the first show he came over and congratulated Walter and they quickly became friends.

Walter and Hilda won 1st place in every show and also won several prizes. Nick and Beru won 1st and 2nd throughout the weekend. Lucky and I won 3rd, 4th and then worked our way back up to second by the last show.

We had an amazing time and learned a lot about our dogs! Walter was not ready to leave and has been asking to go back to the dog show. We have signed him and Hilda up for one in December so stay tuned!!