My last words on this subject (I think)...
I have a friend who for many years has bred, owned, exhibited, and for not so
many years, judged Golden Retrievers. She gave parent club approved seminars,
etc. She also never won much...I think she had maybe 2 champions in 20+
years...
Her biggest complaint was always about the trimming, the sculpting, etc.
The Golden is supposed to be natural, she always stressed.
Then, a very successful Golden breeder who was also a professional handler
hung up his leads and took up judging. He gave a grooming seminar in
Maryland...and my friend went.
He talked about drying the dogs without heat...mentioned the kind of dryer
he used. Showed how to trim, neaten, strip.
My word...my friend was so excited! She raced out and got one of those
dryers...she bought thinning shears, a couple of stripping knives (all things
she always swore were illegal). And she tried to use all these
things...eventually got to where she could do a reasonable job.
The light went on in my head...the reason she always condemned the "groomed"
dogs was because she didn't know how to do it...and was always too proud to
ask! Once she got the names of the tools from one of the best Golden exhibitors
around, she bought everything (he kept no secrets, it seems) he named and set
about learning how to use the things.
She'd have done better years ago if she'd asked somebody for help rather
than condemn the winners and the handlers, instead of waiting to hear all about
these tools at a seminar.
Her dogs still don't win much, because they aren't very good...but they
certainly look more competitive. It didn't take much grooming, but it did take
more than a bath and a quick runthrough with a brush. She still has a long way
to go to learn how to make her dogs look really good...but at least she is no
longer the only one in the ring with a curly coated hairball.
Peggy
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