I'm curious if anyone has any tricks to make an out of coat tail look a bit better for a show?

I've noticed a lot of dogs out of coat right now but their tails look to have been "poofed up" somehow to where it looks semi-normal at least

Tips anyone? Handlers? Groomers? Breeders?

Thanks in advance!!!

Bath and hair spray. :)

I use hair gel

Try dampening the hair and then using volumizing mousse on it and back blow it with a power blow dryer, makes it look twice as thick, i've seen the golden people do this and it really poofs up the coat but I doubt it would fool any judge once they go over the dog.
Aloha,
jackie

Isn't all that stuff illegal in the show ring?

I wouldn't enter her... Yes, all of that stuff is technically not legal, and even if you do it, the judge will run his or her hand down the tail and flatten it right out. I've come to accept that bitches just can't be shown year round.

"Yes, all of that stuff is technically not legal"

I don't prescribe to bathing and fluffing Labradors but I am curious. Why is it illegal to use products and a hair dryer with Labradors but not Poodles? Is it written in the standard or in show rules? Only some breeds can be groomed for the show but not others? Again I'm curious.

It is illegal for all breeds, but is overlooked. Most of what the poodle folks do is illegal.

Hair dryers are fine for any breed!

You know, I just looked through the rules and the closest I could find was "changed in appearance by artificial means except as specified in the standard for its breed", which could apply to gels and hair spray and such, but would depend on the judge.

But using them just doesn't seem "sporting" to me.

LOL. I was watching a televised dog show last year and after BIS, I noticed that the dog's handler's black suit had a stripe of chalk across the skirt at exactly the dog's height.

You could just wet the tail down and blow it (backwards - against the grain of the hair); I do this when bathing my GSDs. If you do this right before you go in the ring, it may make her tail look a bit fuller.

This doesn't use any "illegal" products and although a judge will tell that the dog is out of coat when examining, it would give the dog a prettier outline to match her body than just seeing a nice dog with a rat tail.

Some good ideas, and yes all I am looking for is a better outline. I do realize judges aren't stupid and will know the dog is out of coat of course.
It just just looks so silly with a poof halfway down the tail and nothing at the base
Thanks!

Being in coat is only part of the equation. If the dog looks good otherwise and is in shape, a good judge will see that. JMHO