German Shepherd Dog Show Tip (Grooming)

Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge

I recently read an article and survey asking American Kennel Club (AKC) conformation judges what their biggest complaints in regards to the dogs being shown to them. Overwhelmingly, the majority of judges said that their pet peeve was long toenails followed closely by dirty or poorly bathed dogs. The third least acceptable grooming blunders were dirty teeth followed closely by dirty ears.

The sport of conformation and showing dogs is extremely time consuming and expensive, as well as highly competitive. At many shows, your German shepherd dog may be competing with some of the best German Shepherd Dogs in the country. The more competitive the show, the harder it is for the judge to pick the winner. A grooming blunder could and probably is, a lot of the time, the deciding factor.

Do not overlook the details when preparing your German Shepherd Dog puppy or adult for a conformation show. A thorough bath right before the show is paramount, but several days before the show, clean the teeth by gently scraping the tarter away with a dental pick. Clean the wax and debris from the ears at least four days before the show using a good quality ear cleaner. Clip your German Shepherd Dog’s nails at least once a week for several weeks before the show.

The nail quick will recede if you trim your German Shepherd Dog’s nails on regular basis. This will allow you to clip the nails very closely and tighten the feet up on your German Shepherd Dog so that they do not appear to have splayed toes.