I think the poster below makes a real good observation about clothes and showing.
This is simply one person’s opinion but I think the way some of the exhibitor’s dress for shows and especially at Specialties is atrocious.
How we dress for a sport is definitely a mirror in to our lives outside the show ring.
I have seen more than a few that pay no attention to how they look in the ring. This is our time to shine in the ring not look like a slob. I have stood next to people that had the most awful body odor imaginable, unkempt hair, ripped, ragged, dirty and inappropriate clothes.
The judge is a human being and I believe that the whole picture handler and dog go hand in hand. This is your time to shine with your beautiful dog.
A few nice outfits doesn’t cost that much considering the amount of money we spend on our dogs.
You only have one chance to make a first impression…just my two cents.

LOL! Glad I haven't been in the ring with stinky people!! That must be awful!
Stinky dogs, YES!
Another word of advice - PEOPLE - BATH YOUR DOGS FOR GOODNESS SAKE!!!!

I agree, some people look like bag ladies in the ring.
Iam proud of my dogs and they are clean and spit polished when they go in the ring. And Iam dressed just as nice. This has been discussed before, the judges do not like to have to go over dirty smelly dogs. Was at a show a couple of months ago and after going over 3 dogs that belonged to the same breeder had to wipe her hands with wipes and had the most unhappy look on her face.

Funny you should mention this, I showed on Saturday and in the back of my head I could hear my girls breeder's jaw dropping as I showed my yellow girl in khaki's and a blouse.

We literally ran from the obedience ring to the show ring...and I feel guilty about it.

So if anyone saw us and thought how awful I looked, know that had I had more time, I had a skirt to match my blouse and dress shoes in the car ;)

There, that was cathartic.

Well maybe I haven't been around long enough but I go to dog shows to see the dogs not the person on the end of the lead.
Cheers
Dawn

True.

But of course there are times when you can't help but see the person on the end of the leash--and not in a flattering way.

Like the 13-14 year old we saw once (different breed) who had a white sundress and a very visible through her skin-tight sundress thong which quoted something in rhinestones which we found very amusing and exceedingly visible, but I don't remember now exactly what it said.

And conformation for sure.

Doesn't it all come back to the dog although I like and buy nice clothes as much as most.


If your dog moves like they're on a cloud in a correct fashion you shouldn't even notice the handler.

In the Obedience Ring we like our dogs to match our pants (black lab black pants)it's a little harder for the Judge see the dog.
Now in the Breed Ring I think you should dress with a little respect to the Judge. I feel men should have Tie & Jacket, and women nice pants or dress. I feel some people think they are going to a New Years Eve Party but I have not see it in the Lab ring yet?

The last time I was in the show ring I was caught off guard! I was wearing flip flops, jean shorts and a tee-shirt! But the bitch had to go back in the ring for Reserve - and SHE GOT IT regardless of my attire LOL.
Granted that is NOT something I would normally wear. I was just there for obedience that day :o)

Hey was the Judge a Male?
Maybe it was the Tee-Shirt? Only Kidding

you are absolutely correct - sometimes you just can't help notice the end of the lead and I saw a similar situation with a Jr Handler at a show - my comment who ever let that girl in the ring like that needs a shake. I do like to see the juniors all dressed up but in many things don't you learn the "very correct" way to do things then as you get experience go with what works for you?
Part of the problem with "dressing up" is that fashion ( like dog judging) is very subjective. I could have on an outfit thinking I'm dressed to the nines and someone else could think I'm a 3 dressed up as a 9 ( old song reference *LOL*)
Clean and neat is good.
Dawn

It's a dog show, not a fashion show. Your attire should be very subtle, but neat and clean. Not alot to ask. Common sense.

Hey, it all comes down to the fact that when you win, you want to look good in the picture!!!

LOL! That reminds me of the day I FORGOT my "ring" shoes!!! I had to show in flip flops because thats what I walked out of the house in at 4am!!
I realized it 45 mins into the drive - too late.
Learned my lesson though, I triple check the shoe situation now!! LOL

I think people should be neat and clean, but I see nothing wrong with wearing nice jeans (not ragged)and a shirt. It seems foolish to dress to the 9's to run with the dogs - especially an athletic breed. And the hair...

Maybe if people would dress more casually instead of trying to make a fasion statement, more of the focus would be on the dogs instead of the other end of the lead. JMHO

I have to disagree. I for one, enjoy getting dressed up and going out with my dogs to shows.
It kind of makes it special when you dress up! More fun.

I would rather wear khakis and a nice blouse than polyester ANY DAY!

I always thought it was important to dress up to show. Then, when I started judging, I realized I had no idea what people wore.

Certainly neat and clean is expected. I prefer that women wear pants so that those long skirts aren't distracting and blowing in the dogs faces.

When you show your dog properly, the handler should disappear. Strong contrasting colors make me wonder if you are trying to take the judge's eye off the dog because it isn't a good one. (Same thing with bright colored leads strategically placed where the layback of shoulder SHOULD be, but probably isn't!)

Concerning the bathing of the dogs comments, the dogs should be toweled clean and odor free, but not recently bathed. Many people destroy the natural oil in their Lab's coats by bathing them. Remember head, coat and tail! The judge shouldn't have to guess if your dog has a correct weather proof coat if you hadn't bathed and blow dried it. Just hose them with plain water and dry them with white towels until the last towel doesn't show any more dirt coming off the dog.

And yes, there is at least one particular exhibitor whose dogs are always disgracefully dirty and smelly, often urine stained. I cringe when I see her at a show. I always have to wash my hands after examining her dogs but some judges don't clean their hands. The dogs behind her dog always cringe when the judges try to examine their heads with her dogs smell on them. There is no excuse for the dogs having to live in such filth. And yet, she still wins a lot. Go figure!

Laura thank you for the very insightful advice! It's wonderful that we can get advice from a breeder/judge like yourself!
My question to you is about the bathing of the Labs.
I like the idea of just water and white towels and will do that with my darker guys and gals from now on.
However, what do you suggest for the extremely light yellow dogs? It seems all they have to do is look at dirt and they are stained! LOL!

Laura,

Just out of curiosity is there any movement towards having exhibitors show the judge the bite and teeth? Cross contamination issues scare me to death!

Johanne

Technically...can't an exhibitor be excused from the ring if their dog is not in condition to show?
ie-dirty and smelly?

"Strong contrasting colors make me wonder if you are trying to take the judge's eye off the dog because it isn't a good one."

Hi Laura,

When I took classes with my dog to learn how to handle
(which I'm still learning)I was told to wear contrasting colors than my dog. I usually wear white pants and white shirt with a pink, teal or sometimes black jacket and white tennis shoes. Are those colors too much of a contrast with a black dog?
If so, what would be better colors?

Thanks,
Donna

Oh BOY! Lots of questions.

Q "what do you suggest for the extremely light yellow dogs?"
A. Blue No-Rinse shampoo and spot clean them where necessary. I use baby oil to remove tree sap and other sticky stuff in the coats.

Q. "Just out of curiosity is there any movement towards having exhibitors show the judge the bite and teeth? Cross contamination issues scare me to death!"
A. It has been discussed in some of the judges newsletters and forums. However, you would be surprised at how many exhibitors don't know how to show the mouth. And it really slows things down at all breed shows where the scheduling is more strict than at a specialty.
I always ask the exhibitors to show me the mouths. Most of the time I end up looking at the back of the handler's head! YOU don't have to see the mouth, only the judge.
When you show the mouth of a Lab, the teeth should be CLOSED. Don't pry open the mouth like they do with a Doberman. Just lift the top and bottom lips on the front and both sides.
Please practice this at home and learn to show the whole mouth to your spouses or kids without YOU having to put your head in the way. I'm sure they will be more than happy to tell you if you are doing it wrong!!.
Even if the judge doesn't really care about missing teeth, the standard lists it as a serious fault and the judge has to look or risk the chance of being reported. So learn to show the sides of the mouth as well.

Q. "Technically...can't an exhibitor be excused from the ring if their dog is not in condition to show?
ie-dirty and smelly?
A. No. They can be excused for foreign substance in the coat changing the natural appearance of the dog or for lack of merit. I don't think either of those would hold up to being excused for poor hygiene.

Q. "When I took classes with my dog to learn how to handle (which I'm still learning)I was told to wear contrasting colors than my dog. I usually wear white pants and white shirt with a pink, teal or sometimes black jacket and white tennis shoes. Are those colors too much of a contrast with a black dog? If so, what would be better colors?
A. Most of the handling classes are geared toward people who stack their dogs. Therefore, they tell you to wear a color that MATCHES your dog to HIDE a bad fault like a soft topline, etc. or to wear a contrasting color to SHOW OFF your dogs strength like a good topline, etc. because they expect you to be standing behind your dog when the judge is looking at it.
In Labs, we mostly free-bait so we are standing out in front of our dogs and the dog is not against our clothing. Personally, I like when the outfit compliments the dog - tans, beiges and other soft colors with the yellows; suedes, browns, mochas, sages with the chocolates; and bolder colors like hot pink, blue, red with the blacks. Instead of saying strong contrasting colors, I should have said loud patterns, prints, florals, etc.
I think the outfits you described sound lovely.

You're aweful brave to wear white around Labs.

I think I own one white garment (a promo t-shirt) and I don't buy khakis anymore either.

Laura,

Thank you so much for your input on my questions and everyone elses. It really helps.

To the person who said I'm brave to wear white.
With all the dog hair I have at home and on my clothes I just brush the black hair off and everything is cooool.

Donna

Laura thanks so much for the lessons!! Much appreciated!!

Yes, great info - thanks for the input!
Valerie - Bibsmom

Laura
Can I bug you for a couple more things that I have always wondered about ...

1. At the last specialty I went to a couple of dogs shown by the same breeder were limping, one puppy quite obviously and yet they were not excused, although not placed either. Was that because judges keep them in to keep the points up? Would you excuse a dog for lameness or keep it in?

2. I have been pleased to see lately at a couple of all-breed shows a couple of dogs excused for temperament. One almost took the judges hand off. What is the policy/guidance for judges on this issue. I think it needs to happen more as temperament is such an important part of the breed standard.

Thanks so much, I am a relative newbie to showing but enjoying it tremendously.