Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mary & Mr Bill on May 6, 2009 at 5:57pm

Wow, I hope you get some good responses. I am also new, and always had working (obed) dogs so this show thing is new to me too. I'll take all the advise I can get!!!!!

Permalink Reply by Flicker on May 6, 2009 at 9:10pm

I have seen a few different ways to groom a corgi for show; most of which depends on your own dogs coat. I have also seen people trim their corgis neck (ie sculpting) to get the desired results.

All I have to say about chalking is (and this was told to me by a groomer/handler of 20+ years) if everyone in the ring is chalked, and you're dog isn't, it can make it seem like you are the "odd dog" in the ring and therefore may attract the wrong perception from the judge (if all the other dogs are blazing white from chalk, and yours isn't it may make your dog look dirty-even though it isn't). So just watch what everyone else is doing, this is also a great way to learn new techniques.

I have been told that Chris Christiansen makes some of the best brushes, I however am too cheap to spend $55 on a brush that may get stolen at a show (it happens; in fact Teresa on the group here had all her brushes and combs stolen right out of her bag a few shows ago). I use All Systems pin brushes, my comb is some off brand that I bought as a last minute emergency that I found that I really liked, and my favorite slicker I bought in the Wal-Mart cat food aisle-the bristles are soft and it's small enough to use on feet and legs. Again, just use what you link and what feels comfortable to you.

Here is how I pre-groom for an AKC show (in the UKC they are very strict about not using any products in your dogs coat, so all I do for that is bathe and blow the coat out). Before I bathe I use a forced air blower (not a hair dryer, you need something high powered to get the dirt and dander out from the undercoat otherwise the coat will cake to the body). Then I bathe, because my Eddie is a deep rich red dog, I use a red-enhancer shampoo on him. There are several brands out, I would suggest trying a few different kinds of shampoo and see what you like (I think I went through about 5 or 6 before I found one that I liked). After a bath I blow out again using forced air till he is dry. Also, don't forget to trim the feet and pads, they should be round like a cats paws.

Now for the actual show grooming. If you can (and I highly recommend it) do your final grooming in front of a mirror, this way you can check your work as you go. Starting at the chest I make sure the front is a straight line. (If you look at the profile of show corgi's you will notice the side profile of the chest looks flat-and I recommend looking at lots of pictures of professionally groomed show Corgis, for example CH Coventry Vanity Fair is the top Pem in the AKC now and is a good example), I will always try the slicker brush first to get it to lay flat, if that doesn't work, I may use anything from thinning sheers on the undercoat to a stripper brush to get the undercoat out enough to make the guard hairs lay flat. From there I move to his pants. I use Crown Royal Bodifier diluted down 6:1. I spray (the finer the most the better) his pants and then using a hair dryer and pin brush I dry and brush the hair in the direction I want it to go (this will give a fuller appearance to the hair-great for feet also if you are lacking bone). I also use the Bodifier on Eddie's under chest to bring the coat there forward to give the appearance of a deeper chest (unless I am at an outdoor show, at an outdoor show the grass tends to hide a Pems feet and actual depth of chest). From there I chalk, and I always chalk (on a side-note if you are going to use Bodifier on your dogs feet, chalk first, then bodify). I know from being at past shows generally who is going to be there and who chalks and who doesn't, and I know that as a general rule, they are all chalked. (lAlso, on a side note, the joke in the AKC is make sure you use all American-made products in your dog this way if someone asks, you can say there are no foreign products in your dogs coat lol)

Generally I bathe the night before, this way if the coat isn't 100% dry it will have a chance to air dry. Depending on the distance I have to drive to the show I may groom at home (it isn't often that shows are close enough for that but it does happen). Before I step into the ring I always give a quick re-puff of the pants with my pin brush. All in all the bathing part takes the longest, I can usually get Eddie in show coat in about 15min. Also, I never leave product in his hair overnight. I always use a waterless bath on the areas I chalked or used product on right after the show and just start over the next day. Some dogs are able to tolerate leaving chalk in and then just touching up as necessary, I for one am too afraid of Eddie breaking out into some horrible itchy rash to try leaving it in lol. After the final day of the show I usually give a warm water soak and use a very mild shampoo to remove all the product completely from his coat.

Best thing to do is trial and error on a non-show day and practice till you get the results you like. Study pictures of show Pems at their Best of Breed/Show pictures to see how they are groomed and do what you think you can do to get your dog to look like that. Overall corgis are not hard to groom. Good luck! :)

Permalink Reply by Karen on May 6, 2009 at 10:31pm

Thank you so much for taking the time to post. I have printed out the post and will but it in my show notebook as well as make another copy for my grooming room(2nd closet in our master bedroom - this was ment to be a grooming room right) Getting a smooth look and having the pants right will the two areas I have to work on.Too bad that don't take show picture from the back view LOL Well it looks like I get to put my chalking skill into action again. I know what you mean about expensive brushes, the Mason Pearson never leaves the house. Vanity Fair is so pretty, I have seen many wonderful pictures of her as well as some video. We are going to start going to a handling class next week. Our first real shows well be in August, and I also plan to enter her in a match in June. Thanks again for the help.

Permalink Reply by Wind Dial on July 25, 2009 at 2:41am

What kind of products do you recomend for blowing the coat for the pre and post bath?

Permalink Reply by Flicker on May 6, 2009 at 9:15pm

Several months ago I found this on a grooming forum. It's titled, How to Show Groom a Corgi. Enjoy! :)

******************************************

Bronte got a full "dress rehearsal" show groom today before obedience class, because she needs to get used to the high-velocity (HV) dryer and the smells and sounds of the sprays and so on.

My kids were making fun of me as I was doing it, because I told them that I was going to show them how to show-groom a Cardigan. So here it is.

HOW TO GET READY TO SHOW A CORGI

1. Lift 25-lb dog into much-too-small sink. Curse once again that you do not have a big dog wash station. Use sink sprayer to thoroughly wet dog.

2. Apply Plush Puppy Ginseng Whitening Shampoo ($10 for 6 oz) carefully to front legs and white ruff. Apply more to back feet and then obsess about white tip of tail. Whiten? Will it look purple? Is it big enough? Should I strip some hair away from around it so it will show up more?

3. Dilute Plush Puppy Wheat Germ Shampoo ($20 for 12 oz) in warm water, using best coffee mug because it's the one that pours nicest. Pour over dog by tablespoons, working into coat. Sing to dog to keep her quiet.

3. Steal baby's Mustela shampoo ($9 for 4 oz) and work into face and ears. Continue singing.

4. Realize that purple whitening shampoo has been on too long. Screech. Grab spray wand and freak out when purple color does not immediately leave paws. Have visions of bringing lavender-legged dog in ring. Rinse more. Purple leaves. Huge sigh of relief.

5. Rinse entire dog for 20 minutes or so. Sing "Raindrops keep falling on my head." Rinse, rinse, rinse. Worry that I am not rinsing enough. Rinse, rinse, rinse.

6. Realize that there is no towel. Tell dog in commanding voice "STAY!" Bolt for bathroom. Grab husband's new terry spa bathrobe off hook, sprint back. Find dog seriously considering kamikaze jump to floor. Wrap dog in $75 bathrobe. Sing "I wanna be loved by you." Realize that you are swaying like you do when holding babies.

7. Hold wet squirming dog in bathrobe under one arm, get HV dryer ($210) out of closet. Take both out to deck. Spread bathrobe on grooming table ($140). Place dog on bathrobe.

8. Stand dog up.

9. Stand dog up.

10. Stand front of dog up while back remains collapsed.

11. Stand back of dog up while dog tries another suicide leap to the floor.

12. Give up and begin HVing the side of the dog that is exposed. Dog immediately tries to shrink self to size of tiny bug.

13. HV tiny bug.

14. When hair reaches the just-damp stage, begin adding product. Plush Puppy Puffy Dog mousse ($12 for 4 oz) for the six-square-inch section of chest hair that needs to stand out more. John Frieda creme pomade ($8) for section of back hair that needs to flatten down more. Plush Puppy Quick Fix Conditioner ($12 for 4 oz) for "pants." BioGroom mink oil ($7) for coat on topline.

15. HV dog with product, brushing with Chris Christensen slicker brush ($28). Quickly realize that when air is applied, there is exactly no difference between mousse, pomade, conditioner, and mink oil. All make hair stand off dog as though dog has been electrocuted.

16. Stand back and look at shapeless mass of hair that used to be a corgi. Step forward and experimentally press hair against body. Fail to turn shapeless mass back into corgi.

17. Get bright idea and begin HVing dog from the front only, on the theory that wind makes Ferraris sleek, so why not dogs. Dog looks like reporter in hurricane.

18. Wrestle hair into shape somewhat resembling a very startled corgi; turn off HV. Begin singing again.

19. Get tub of Kolesterol ($13). Rub in hands and apply sparingly to front legs and back feet. Sing theme from "Grease."

20. Apply scientific mix of cornstarch and Plush Puppy Pixie Dust ($10) to "chalk" front legs and back feet.

21. Turn dryer on and HV away all excess cornstarch and Pixie Dust, leaving approximately 3 grains of product actually on hair. Worry that there's too much left. HV again. All cornstarch and Pixie Dust now in grooming table grooves.

22. Go over entire dog again with slicker brush. Sing "These boots were made for walking" as you pick up dog's feet to carefully comb, trim, and arrange every hair between every toe.

23. Apply organic food-grade coconut oil ($9) to pads of each foot; give dog massage.

24. Practice stacking her on the grooming table. Tell four-year-old to take her picture on the digital camera so you can see if you've done it right. As 4-year-old focuses, move back feet forward 1.5 micrometers, then worry that they're too far forward. Move feet back a distance approximately the width of a bee's tongue.

25. Four-year-old takes picture of grill.

26. Realize that you are late to leave for obedience class. Yell at older kids to come in from yard. They come in, filthy and wet from wading pool (which you set up for the dogs, $25). Urge them and green-popsicle-covered four-year-old to car. Nurse baby, who you realize may be wearing yesterday's onesie, while trying to find shoes for older kids.

26. Remember that you haven't showered today. Latch off baby. Turn on dryer and HV own armpits and face. Strip on deck and throw on husband's polo shirt (free) that advertises obscure operating system. VMS--RULER OF THE VAXIVERSE.

And go to class.

Permalink Reply by Karen on May 6, 2009 at 10:17pm

Now that is funny!!! Thank you for posting this, it made me laugh so hard.

Permalink Reply by Wind Dial on July 25, 2009 at 2:45am

You forgot to put how the dear ole woman had to run to wally world to grab another gallon of draino because the one she had on hand didn't cut through all the corgi hair now stuck in her bath tub drain and now her kids can't take a bath until all the corgi hair polluted water is out.

Disregard my typo's, I have been looking at corgi pics all night trying to figure out what to add to my grooming procedure.

Permalink Reply by Cathi on April 10, 2010 at 1:30pm

That is quite funny! Had my morning laugh reading this!

Permalink Reply by Melissa S. on April 15, 2010 at 11:41pm

this link I am goin to share is a very helpful link! I really respect what this breeder shared on her site! ")
http://www.welshcorgi.com/grooming.html