What to wear to a dog show

What should you wear to a show?

This is something that often comes up in discussions, what should you be wearing in the ring, what colours are best etc.

So, here’s a list of guidelines to think about when choosing your showing outfit;

1)      Comfort – You will spend a lot of time standing up so comfortable shoes and clothes that YOU feel comfortable in are a must.

2)      Suitability for the weather – Good old British weather will never let us down and will give us a variety of weather, possibly in one day! So make sure you have something suitable for the hot, cold or wet!

3)      Colour – you want the colour to compliment your dog. A black dog will get lost in black clothes. So choose something that makes your dog stand out from you.

4)      Where to put the bait/toy/bags – Think about does your outfit have pockets or do you need a bait bag?

But what is acceptable and what isn’t?

Today I was at a show in freezing conditions. The show is half inside for small dogs and half outside for the big dogs. Knowing the temperatures and show I opted for many layers including thermal leggings and tops, nice thick 3 in 1 coat and my lovely thermal boots, designed for use in ice and snow! Was a smart today? No! But it followed my guidelines above!

Generally Champ shows are seen as smarter than open shows, and of course Crufts is the occasion many people will buy a new outfit for.

So, for smartness a suit, one that compliments your dog in colour and is comfortable to move your dog in. A smart pair of jeans with a jacket can look just as good and many people will feel more comfortable in this then they might a full suit. Others might prefer a pair of trousers with a smart blouse/shirt. This is where comfort really is important, not just how it feels, but how you feel in your outfit.

Another idea that many people go by when in the ring is wearing something that stands out from the other exhibits. Something the judge may remember to go “I really liked the dog whose handler had a bright pink jacket on.” However, these days you see lots of bright colour jackets/suits around the ring. The fashion is now turning to Swarovski Crystal to help handlers ‘sparkle’ in the ring.

Remember, you spend plenty of time getting your dog ready, spend a bit of time on yourself too!

So here’s me on a cold day, dressed for the cold weather

And here I am smart as can be (It was Giles’ first champ show)

I will finish this blog with a list of what not to wear;

1)      High heels

2)      Low cut tops (think about what will happen if you bend over!)

3)      Very short skirts (men too!)

4)      Dangly jewellery

5)      Anything see though

Thank you to Ray McDonald Photography for use of the photo’s