Showing your Maltese
"Ch. Barbarellas E-Z Doz It"
(Completing his Championship title under respected Judge
Mr. Merrill Cohen...Handled by Hillary Knoeppel)
The sport of
purebred dog showing can be a fun and exciting part time hobby for some, and
for others a serious full-time profession. If you are interested in learning
more about getting started with showing, a good place to start would be your
local kennel club. There would be dog fanciers from many different breeds who
could share information about upcoming local shows as well as confirmation and
obedience training classes in your area. They may be able to put you in contact
with someone in your area who are involved in the breed that you are
particularly interested in showing. Many kennel clubs sponsor AKC sanctioned
puppy matches and "fun matches"as well. These "fun matches"
are extremely helpful for the novice just starting out who wants to learn more
in a "hands-on" environment.
The Maltese can
be a challenging breed for a novice to start off with...The coat of the Maltese
requires much care to attain the length and condition neccesary to be
competitive in the show ring. Many people who have become successful in showing
Maltese will candidly chuckle as they refer back to "blowing" the
coat of their first Maltese show dog. However, if your love for the breed and
your determination are strong enough you can learn pretty quickly to care for
the beautiful long white silky coat of the Maltese show dog.
At a glance, most
inexperienced people would be hard pressed to be able to tell the difference
between a well-bred pet puppy and a potential show prospect. An experienced
breeder may recognise a "potential" show prospect as early as 10 to
12 weeks of age, however the permanent teeth are usually not completely in
until around 6 months of age and until that time the alignment of the teeth can
be somewhat uncertain. There are quite a few "cosmetic" as well as
structural qualities to be considered when evaluating a potential show
prospect...The texture and color of the coat...the pigment of the nose and eye
rims...length of the muzzle...the ear set...the topline...the tail set...the
puppy's size as well as the overall structure, balance and movement of the
puppy...Another very important consideration is the puppy's personality. A show
prospect puppy should have a very happy, friendly, outgoing personality to be
successful in the show ring...And last but not least there is also a certain
"type" or "look" that each breeder looks for in a potential
show prospect puppy...
Many people seek
the help and services of a professional handler to show and finish their show
prospect puppy/dog to Champion. Some breeders may require in their "show
contract" that a professional handler be used to show the puppy to it's
best advantage...especially if you have never shown a dog before.
Most breeders
require a "Show Purchase Contract" when placing a show prospect
puppy. The Purchase Contract is an important factor when placing puppies which
may go on to be bred...The Breeder's bloodline and reputation go along with the
puppy. Certain requirements and/or expectations will understandibly need to be
addressed and placed in writing. Purchase Contracts vary from breeder to
breeder so be sure that you understand the breeder's requirements and
expectations by reading over the contract before committing to a puppy
purchase.
..Be sure to visit the
rest of our "Always Maltese" website by clicking on the links below:
Customer Quotes
Thinking about purchasing a puppy from the local pet
shop...
(click here)
All of the
pictures displayed on the "Always Maltese" website are of Maltese
Dogs and Puppies that belong to or were bred by Alan and Veronica Fawcett of
"Always Maltese". Contents of this website, including all pictures
and text are protected by Copyright and may not be used or reproduced in any fashion
without written permission from Alan and Veronica Fawcett.
©2007 "Always Maltese",
All rights reserved.