For those of you with experience, would I be wasting my money using a handler on a nice boy under a year, or even up to two years. Thinking ahead. Do you find many judges put up pups? The competition these days can be so great with the grown dogs. Then you throw in all the handlers showing these grown dogs. Do I need to just show on my own and let him grow up ?

perhaps you and a mentor can evaluate what he's looking like now. I think ring practice is valuable, but boys DO take quite a while to mature. Some breeders have really nice dogs that do well as pups, some pups need lots of time to grow up.

If you have a handler in mind, talk to THEM, they'll know if the dog has potential to win or if you'd best save your money. Keep him in a few local shows and when he's ready try a handler.

I think it depends on the boy and the line he comes from. My boy matured very quickly and was a CH by 10.5 months and was specialed to great success last year. He comes from a line that matures quickly and didn't go through "ganglies". I would venture to guess that he is an exception.

In my experience a nice puppy will get put up. However, I think it helps to have a handler or be a well known breeder as it is tough to get judges to look down the line to a young dog at least for me as I am not known nor am I a particulalry great handler.

IMO if you are going to show a dog getting them used to the ring and showing them young is a good thing. Sometimes having a pro at the end of the lead can really help develop your pup into a show dog quickly.

Good luck with your boy!

Toni

If the puppy is very nice, balanced, in full coat, and can move then by all means get him out. Lots of judges will put up such a puppy if it is the best thing in the ring that day.