# When is it too late to show?



## shadowmare (Jul 7, 2013)

Just wondering what in people's experience is the age limit for teaching a dog of ringcraft? I know it is best to start when the puppy is still young, but did anyone ever try showing an older dog? I never had firm plans to show Axel. One reason for it was because he is not "show quality" (his mother is from pure show lines while his father is pure work dog..hence the blue merle bi). The second is that there are no ringcraft classes available near me and I don't drive... I already have my OH take one day off from work so he would drive me to obedience classes... But I want to get my drivers licence soon and am hoping to do some ringcraft classes with Axel. I would quite like to take Axel to a couple of shows not to attempt and win but just to see what would the judges say about him. But am not sure if he would be too old for it by then? Is it worth trying to get a dog into show world when he is already a young adult or would that just be a waste of money and time?


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## Freyja (Jun 28, 2008)

If you go to crufts on hound day go and have a look round the greyhound rings. The biggest classes are usually for the racing and coursing greyhounds. The majority of these dogs are ex race dogs and so didn't start showing untill later in life.

I have recently retired my veteran bitch she is nearly 10 but I do have a bitch I bred myself Angel who is actually 7 today and so becomes a veteran. She has not been shown since she was a minor puppy. She is black brindle with a white head and so although not classed as miss marked the judges do not like it. She started going to ringcraft just before christmas just to get her going again and people didn't believe she had not been shown since she was 9 months old.


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## Bijou (Aug 26, 2009)

Ringcraft is useful for all dogs not just show dogs and you'll find dogs of all ages there. In my breed a Groenendael male was found wandering the streets in a London suburb some years ago, he was rehomed and traced back to his breeders who passed on his KC papers to his new owners He went to his first ringcraft session at 4 years old and won his first Challenge Certificate that same year 'Joker' ( Ch Out Of The Gloom) went onto become on of the breed greats despite starting his showing career well past his puppyhood.


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## shadowmare (Jul 7, 2013)

Thanks for your encouragement guys!  I hope Axel will enjoy being in a ring just as much as his mother... She is such a great show dog!


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## Freyja (Jun 28, 2008)

Bijou said:


> Ringcraft is useful for all dogs not just show dogs and you'll find dogs of all ages there. In my breed a Groenendael male was found wandering the streets in a London suburb some years ago, he was rehomed and traced back to his breeders who passed on his KC papers to his new owners He went to his first ringcraft session at 4 years old and won his first Challenge Certificate that same year 'Joker' ( Ch Out Of The Gloom) went onto become on of the breed greats despite starting his showing career well past his puppyhood.


I remember Joker I know the person that took him on and showed him.


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## Bijou (Aug 26, 2009)

Here is a link to Joker's' page.

In Loving Memory part 2 - Belpetilon Show & Agility Dogs

As you can see he was a highly successful show dog with a wonderful chracter who in true BSD fashion could turn his paw to almost any dog activity.

He was sadly little used at stud as he was somewhat heavy in head at a time when breeders were trying to improve breed type and I don't think any of his progeny live on .


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## VictoriaRose (Dec 26, 2007)

I didn't start ringcraft with my boy until he was a year old. Because of an accident and an operation. ( mine not the dog) He is three now and just qualified for crufts for the first time &#128522;


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