# Crufts 2014 advice pls



## Newbee (Feb 22, 2014)

We have entered our working gun dogs in the open class on Sunday. We have never done anything like this before or been to crufts as visitors and would really appreciate any tips/advice.

I understand the dogs will be allocated a 'bench' space. What happens if they're not together? 

We do not want to leave our dogs so can we walk with them round the public areas/shops/displays etc? 

Can we use shampoo/conditioner before hand to make the spaniel look pretty? (In the rules it says no substance other than water)

Thank you for your time


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Newbee said:


> We have entered our working gun dogs in the open class on Sunday. We have never done anything like this before or been to crufts as visitors and would really appreciate any tips/advice.
> 
> I understand the dogs will be allocated a 'bench' space. What happens if they're not together?
> 
> ...


All dogs which belong to one exhibitor are benched together.

You are not supposed to leave your dogs unattended on the bench and yes you can walk the dogs around but as gundog day is on Sunday the place will be HEAVING and can be difficult to negotiate with dogs, you may wish to do this with one staying with dogs and the other having a walk around alone and swap.

Most people who exhibit shampoo their dogs, do not wait until the day before, I find three days before is the optimum time.

Good luck


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## Freyja (Jun 28, 2008)

If your dogs are all the same breed then they will be benched together. If they are different breeds then they will be benched with the relevant breed. This used to happen with us when we showed greyhounds and whippets not just in different areas but also in different halls. We used to decide which benches we were going to use as a base and keep both dogs there. There are often empty benches around that are either spare or the dogs are absent.


If I am showing a black or dark coloured dog I would usually bath it 3/4 days before hand but if my dog was white or contained a lot of white I would bath the day before. Take baby wipes with you just to clean off any dirt that they may pick up on the way from the car parks to the halls especially if it is raining or wet.

The rules do say the dog should be on its bench at all times unless in the ring or exercise areas but they also say the dogs must not be left unattended on the benches. I have always walked round with my dogs but remember as you are on the last day the halls will be packed. Try to get there as early as you can and do your shopping first thing before it gets too crowded.


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

If you look at the removal passes sent in the same envelope as your entry passes, the dog number on there is your benching number. If the numbers are all consecutive, they will be benched together. If you have different breeds, as Freyja says, they will be in different areas and may even be be in different halls (this year we have border collies in Hall 1 and bergies in Hall 4).

There is also a leaflet in the same envelope that shows which ring each breed will be in - your benches will be somewhere near the ring (look for signs for each breed on the end of each benching row). Also, have a look at the start times on this leaflet - lots of gundogs have an early start because of the high numbers entered.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

Hi
I presume you've been to other shows before if you've been able to enter your dogs in Crufts? 
I used to give Bonnie a bath day before the show. I never went to any benched shows with her though so can't help you there, but I think as long as the dog looks clean and doesn't have any traces of conditioner spray or whatever in the coat on the day, they'll be fine.
And as above, I'm sure Crufts will send you information to read and have your questions answered, if in doubt, ring them!


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## Newbee (Feb 22, 2014)

No,we have never been to any kind of show! The dogs are entered into the working dog class and we had to have our entries signed by the shoot captain to say they regularly went on shoots. They are a black lab and a cocker. Thanks for all your responses. They are very helpfully x


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

Oh I see. I'm glad I've been able to help, hope you do well.


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

Newbee said:


> No,we have never been to any kind of show! The dogs are entered into the working dog class and we had to have our entries signed by the shoot captain to say they regularly went on shoots. They are a black lab and a cocker. Thanks for all your responses. They are very helpfully x


If you would like to see what benching at Crufts looks like, have a look at the pictures on this link:

https://images.search.yahoo.com/sea...ge&fr=ytff1-foxload&sz=all&va=benching+crufts

Cockers are in Hall 2 and labs are in hall 5, so your dogs won't be benched next to each other. As the lab benching will be more spacious than the cocker benching it will be easier to put the cocker on a spare lab bench than to put the lab on a spare cocker bench, so if I were you I'd make Hall 5 my base camp.


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## Tollisty (May 27, 2008)

Are you in the gamekeeper classes?
I hope the cocker isn't docked.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

Tollisty said:


> Are you in the gamekeeper classes?
> I hope the cocker isn't docked.


I think if they're proven working dogs, they can go to shows viewed by the public with docked tails.


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## Tollisty (May 27, 2008)

Docked dogs not allowed to be in the show ring where the public pays to get in, that includes the gamekeeper classes. A stupid law!


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Tollisty said:


> Docked dogs not allowed to be in the show ring where the public pays to get in, that includes the gamekeeper classes. A stupid law!


If your dog was docked either in the UK or in a foreign country before 6th April 2007 then it may compete at Crufts.


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## Tollisty (May 27, 2008)

Yes, I can never remember the date :lol:


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## Newbee (Feb 22, 2014)

No we are not gamekeepers just owners of dogs who accompany us on regular shoots. The lab spots and retrieves and the cocker beats with me. It is not docked by my choice but having seen it streaming blood and the dogs flanks bright red after a days beating I do now see the value if the dog is working regularly


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## Tollisty (May 27, 2008)

The gamekeeper classes are for working gundogs, not just gamekeepers. If you are in breed classes you either have to qualify or have the working gundog certificate or have awards in field trials.

The gamekeeper classes are in hall 5 in their own rings, these are the classes you need to get the form signed to prove your dogs work.


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

Tollisty said:


> The gamekeeper classes are for working gundogs, not just gamekeepers. If you are in breed classes you either have to qualify or have the working gundog certificate or have awards in field trials.
> 
> The gamekeeper classes are in hall 5 in their own rings, these are the classes you need to get the form signed to prove your dogs work.


Quoted from the 2014 schedule:

"_The Gamekeeper classes are strictly confined to gundog owners who are employed as bona fide head, single-handed, beat or under keepers, or those retired.

The Working Gundog classes are for dogs who have regularly worked in the shooting field, and they must proivide written confirmation from the keeper/shoot organiser that they have been members of his regular beating/picking up team._"


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## Tollisty (May 27, 2008)

They are both held in the gamekeeper rings, you can't miss them because they have big BASC banners round the ring! but obviously only held on gundog day.

Here is the judging order
https://basc.org.uk/gundogs/basc-at-crufts/order-of-judging-2014/


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## Newbee (Feb 22, 2014)

Thank you. Knowing the times has made things so much easier. We will need to be there before 10am in good time for the black lab but the cockerel not in till 1:30pm


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

Newbee said:


> Thank you. Knowing the times has made things so much easier. We will need to be there before 10am in good time for the black lab but the cockerel not in till 1:30pm


they show cockerels now?


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## Newbee (Feb 22, 2014)

Lol! Predictive txt! What a pain x


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

Newbee said:


> Lol! Predictive txt! What a pain x


same with cockapoos - if I'm texting cockapoo, it can turn into cockatoo :laugh:


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