Corgi show grooming

We just got back from the show in Burns lake, BC. Alas, no other Cardigans turned up so we went straight to Herding Group and after three no places, we took a third. Lots of people thought Chief was a pretty good Cardigan though two said, "try to build him up a bit in front", indicating though not specifically that grooming can lead to a "bigger" look around the shoulders. We do have some Super Foam coat dressing but I'm wondering if other corgi handlers and show-ers have longer term suggestions for accomplishing this.

More generally, has anybody ever found a good book or other resource on show grooming cardigans?

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Shepdog on May 7, 2010 at 6:09pm

Hey, Congrats!!! :D How cool!

Hmm... I'm not personally seeing a whole lot of things I'd want to build up on those shoulders -- I think there's a good chance of making him too heavy, and he's a sturdy guy!

Perhaps they're meaning to fluff him out under the chest and make him appear deeper there? I see your profile photo has him a bit on the leg, but he may be younger there too. I have to do a similiar thing with my Caleb's chest when I groom him, I fluff and set the heck out of it to make him look a little deeper, brushing the hair towards his front and using the grooming foam to set it. Heck, I've used a little hairspray too, but you want to make sure that's totally brushed out before you go into the ring. Judges do not like crunchy dogs, haha! ;) Does that make sense?

I haven't found a good book - it's too bad you don't have someone up there who would be willing to show you in person; I learn better by hands on.

Congrats again on your placing! :D

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Michelle on May 7, 2010 at 6:56pm

Believe it or not there is an awesome video on you tube...in two parts of a professional groommer grooming a cardi.....Check it out. Just search for Cardigan Welsh Corgi grooming on you tube and you will see the videos....^-^

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Joanna Kimball on May 7, 2010 at 9:21pm

Congrats!

I doubt they meant to build up the shoulders; I think they meant to fluff out the neck and chest. Do you have a grooming table and a force dryer? If not, you need both - and being on the table will help him feel more confident on there as well (so he'll stack nicely for you).

What are you doing right now to groom him for the ring? I generally bathe the morning of the show (or the night before if I have an early ring time), do a second shampoo with whitening stuff, rinse with After Bath, and then that day at the show site I spray the dog down completely with water, put in the product I'm using on various areas, blow completely dry, and bring a bottle of water and a slicker brush down to the ring with me. I can give you the whole list of products and so on, but I don't know what you're already using or what you'd like to fix or improve.