Well, I have finally decided to try Ringcraft Classes with Boris. The ones near to me are in small halls with wooden floors. I tried one this afternoon but Boris was not secure on the floor surface. I could use Paw Wax but really I want to find a club with outside classes.. Does anyone know where I could go within reach of NWKent?

Su

I was looking in the Watford area before and never found anywhere, so a hall with wooden floors would have done!
Where abouts in NW Kent do you live? My HO is in Tunbridge Wells, irrelevant I know, but I had to ask!

We live in Bexley. I am planning to at least go and look at a show in Maidstone this Sunday!( I can do this...I can do this! ) I have also downloaded an entry form for a show in December:unsure:
I intend to try the wooden hall again but wondered if anyone uses Paw Wax as Boris was definitely not feeling secure today. When I have tried putting it on before, he hasn't seemed very co-operative...not that I will worry about that if it is the best thing to use!
Su

Never heard of paw wax:unsure:

Go to your show, have a look at what they are doing and go out there and have some fun. It will get you to meet other Deerhound people and hey, you may even get placed and be very proud of yourself.
I did it, if I can, anyone can and I go on my own as hubby isn't intersted and takes the micky! I went to my first champ show at Peterborough last year and qualified for Crufts, so go and have a bit of fun, though your first few times in the ring won't feel like fun, it will feel embarrassing, but it gets easier and you will get the bug!

You will see how the others are handling theirs on Sunday,watch them closely and practice standing him in the garden, and get someone to 'go over' him, so he gets used to being poked and prodded about. No one will expect him to be the best behaved dog in the world,he's a puppy and puppies are naughty, especially big grey hairy muppets like outs!!
Let us know what you think of Maidstone show.

GO FOR IT and HAVE FUN!

I live in Kent and I go to ringcraft in Hersden but it is too far from Bexley. There are ringcraft classes on Friday night at Detling village hall they are used to Irish Wolfhounds. I have two pups I need to start so I will try this club and let you know how it is? You can try coke as it is stick and also orange juice but the dog will lick it off. Hope this helps.

Just thought I would let you know there are Deerhound classes at Maidstone this Sunday. Show starts at 09.30. Martin Saunders is juding I think he is a whippet person. Please come along and meet other deerhounders who live in kent and sussex. We are a friendly lot honest, it will be nice to meet you.

Thanks for the information about Maidstone tomorrow. I have 'family things' this weekend but could hopefully escape until 11 am. I went to Maidstone the other week and although there were no deerhounds there, I did get to talk to some lovely afghan people.
Boris had a bit of an unstable walk after the ringcraft, enough for the vet to suggest a hip X-Ray. Thankfully that turned out fine which is good to know for the future.
He is growing so much that I expect he will be too big for the show ring:blink: !! He is just under 32" and not yet 8 months! At what age do they stop growing upwards?

Su

When do they stop growing? We've all wondered that! Have a look at his front legs - see the 'knuckle' on his wrist joints? When that's all grown out and he has a smooth line down the front of his legs, he's stopped growing upwards and has reached his maximum height. However, shoulder bones stop growing later, so he may actually drop in height before he's finished growing. If you can get to one of Donna McDougall's lectures on growth in puppies, do go - they're fun and fascinating and most informative.

Sumac - After reading your post about Boris being just under 32 inches at the shoulder I measured Murray as was interested as they are brothers. Murray is also just under 32 inches too. Sid - that is very interesting about the growth plates and I have checked Murray - he has a bit more growing to do!!

Well, I went to Maidstone. I have just got back, having seen Boris' and Murphy's brother Wolfcastle Idole for Honeytail win Post Graduate (no puppy class) and BOB! Very small numbers but what lovely, friendly people are the deerhound owners. I think probably Boris and I could go to these things to 'make up the numbers' as it were.
Thank you for the bit on growth. It was good to talk about such things today and know he is one of many.
Now back to family matters for today.
Su

Lovely to hear that Wolfscastle hounds are doing so well

I remember at a show that Lockie's height was mentioned and the woman I was talking too, a vet and DH owner took one look at him and said "he is still growing". That was going by his growth plates. He was 13 months old. I don't think he stopped growing taller till he was around 15 or 16 months. He will be 2 next month.

Still quite elated about yesterday, so now considering the showing part, specifically this thing called 'pacing'....or rather not pacing!

Am I right in my understanding that pacing is where Boris moves both legs together on one side...something like a camel?

If so, then he paces well:ohmy:

Could you kindly people please explain to me, how to stop the pacing?

Su

Hi Su
I think there has been mention of pacing before
do these help...
www.scottish-deerhound.co...amp;catid=7#622
www.scottish-deerhound.co...;amp;id=556#621
Rob

Well thanks for the links. I am still chuckling over the technical terms...Such as 'bump' and 'crap shoot'.

So, quick start and then slow down, stack the opposite way to 'deceive' the sweet lad, throw with a slight bump, keep an eye to the swaying rear end.
Is that the general idea?

I should add that I haven't done a quick start for 20 years now let alone managed a straight line! When in obedience classes a few years back,I was even told to walk the line of the floorboards to avoid walking into my dog.

Poor Boris...what has he been lumbered with?

Su

It's funny cause I do the opposite. I start of by walking him and then speed up. Well used to anyway as he doesn't pace now, he only did a couple of times as a puppy.

Well, Boris and I toddled off to a Ringcraft Club this evening in a local hall.
The flooring was much better for him and once he felt it was firmer, he was quite happy.
However, this pacing/ gaiting thing is worrying me. I mentioned it to those in charge but they didn't give me guidance. So, when we did our 'runs', I was worried that he is 'practicing' the wrong movement.

Now I am filling in show forms, can someone please advise on my classes. I do understand about the different categories but wanted to enter as many classes as pos in order to get the experience. So, do I go for all DH or just puppy DH and AV Hound ?
Also do I concentrate on Shows with DH classes or go to others as AVNS Hounds?

Off to Discover Dogs as per every year and hoping to go to Ardingly. Thanks for the suggestions.

Hi Sumac

Maybe at ring craft classes for the moment you could practice the standing/stacking and having people go over your dog. This is just as useful as running the dog. Then whilst you are still concerned about pacing you can practice the running outside in a large flat grass area (local park perhaps).

For pacing another idea to stop it is to keep the dogs head up but not in an exaggerated manner. Try and have the rings of your show lead under the dogs neck quite high up and as you set off on the run check gently so the dogs head comes up. Then try and keep this gently checking as you go round.

Also when you are generally walking your dog on a lead check what your pace is e.g. are you walking quite slowly which is encouraging pacing perhaps? If so try and speed up a bit or do more exercise off lead.

Only you know best though as to how your dogs is going and these comments might not work for you.

Good luck

It's tempting to enter all the classes for which your dog is eligible, but it's also very easy to scunner a young puppy by overdoing it. I'd stick to DH puppy and/or AV Hound puppy until he gets the hang of things. The main thing is that he and you have fun in the early days - he'll last longer as a show dog if you take it easy. Oh, and good luck!