What should I do?
One of the pleasures of owning a quality, purebred
beagle is showing him off to other
people. Of course not every beagle is going to
make a good show dog. Even though you and your friends may think
he is the most handsome beagle you have ever seen this does not
mean an experienced dog show Judge will think the same. It is advisable to
attend a few dog shows, see lots of beagles and talk to
breeders so you can to
understand what showing is all about before making any decisions.
Dogs NSWhe (formerly the Royal N.S.W. Canine Council)
will be able to tell you what shows are coming up and whether
there will be beagles being exhibited. Here are their contact
details
Phone : (02) 9834 3022 or 1300
728 022 (NSW only)
Fax : (02) 9834 3872
E-mail :
info@dogsnsw.org.au
Beagle Club of N.S.W. Shows (where only
beagles are shown) are
held on Easter Saturday and Sunday each year. This would be an ideal place to see lots of beagles,
watch how they are shown and talk to breeders and exhibitors.
Details of the next Beagle Show can be found on the following
page.
It
is important to get to know the beagle
Standard
so you can visualise what the "perfect" beagle looks like. A dog show judge will compare your beagle to the
Standard when he does his assessment, the one that is closest to
that standard (in his or her opinion) will be awarded the ribbon.
Don't be surprised if you win under one Judge and are completely
overlooked by another. This is actually a good thing, because if
the same dog won every day, there wouldn’t be any incentive for
other owners to even enter after their first few shows.
Once you decide that you would like to show
and are looking for a "show quality" puppy then you will need to
be advised by the breeder of your pup. Most breeders can tell
whether a puppy will make the grade but there are no guarantees -
assessment can only be based on the construction and temperament
of the young pup and experience with their own bloodlines. No one can
tell what may happen a few months or or even weeks down the track!
Having decided on your puppy, make sure it
will be registered with the Royal NSW Canine
Council on the Main Register (blue certificate).
This indicates the breeder is of the opinion that the puppy is
worthy of being shown and bred from.
Pet puppies are usually registered on what is called a Limited
Register (orange certificate) which indicates that the pup is not
to be shown or bred from.
Your puppy will be able to be entered at a
show once he has reached the age of three months and you can show
him/her up to the age of 6 months
without becoming a member of the R.N.S.W.C.C. yourself. However if
you get "bitten by the bug" and decide
to show your beagle past that age then you will need to become a
member. The
Canine Council will be pleased to forward the relevant
information and application forms to you. They
also have a great web page that guides you through the things you
need to know about showing.
New Exhibitors Guide
Here's another site that gives lots of
advice
A Beginners
Guide to Dog Showing in Australia
Showing can be time consuming, expensive and
frustrating but it can also bring a great deal of joy not to
mention the friendships that can develop. Why not give it a try?

Go
to the next page for details of upcoming
Beagle Club of N.S.W. Championship
Shows
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