Find a Ringcraft Club

If you've bought a puppy you hope to show, the breeder is usually the first person to ask for guidance. A good breeder wants their puppies to do well and will talk you through the basics. If that isn't an option, perhaps because the breeder lives too far away or isn't active in showing, you'll need to do more of the groundwork yourself. A ringcraft club is the obvious place to start.

Before joining anything, spend some time at dog shows. Watching is one of the best ways to learn. Even experienced exhibitors still pick up tips at ringside, so there's no shame in being a beginner with a notebook. Most people involved in showing are happy to chat about their breed, but pick your moment. Never approach someone who is preparing a dog to go into the ring.

If a particular dog or handler catches your eye, watch their class first. Every exhibitor wears a ring number, and you can match that number to the catalogue to find out who they are, the dog's breeding and who owns it. Once they're finished in the ring, that's the time to go and say hello. If they bred the dog themselves, ask whether they have any litters planned. If you liked the way they handled, ask where they train. Bear in mind that a class winner may be called back into the ring later for best of sex (the best dog and best bitch from each breed compete for best of breed) or group judging, where the breed winners go on to compete against other breeds in the same group. They may not be free for long.

The catalogue is worth more than a quick glance. As well as identifying the dogs in each class, it lists exhibitors and often their general area. You may spot someone in your breed who lives reasonably close, which helps when you start looking for a club. It also gives you a sense of who's competing regularly and which kennels are producing the dogs doing well.

Not every ringcraft class will have handlers experienced in your particular breed, and presentation varies enormously between breeds. A Yorkshire Terrier is shown in a completely different way to a German Shepherd, and a Pekingese is handled differently again. A class that's strong on gundogs may not be the right fit if you have a toy breed, and vice versa. It's worth visiting a couple before you commit.

Finding a registered club

The Kennel Club keeps a list of registered training societies, covering ringcraft, obedience, agility and general training. Check that the club you're looking at actually runs ringcraft sessions, as the listings cover a wide range of activities. Your vet, local breed club or breed health coordinator may also be able to point you towards something suitable.

Once you've found one or two within travelling distance, it's a good idea to contact them in advance rather than just turning up. Most clubs run on specific evenings and some have waiting lists. Ask whether they have handlers familiar with your breed, what the session involves, and whether your puppy is old enough to attend. There's no legal requirement in the UK for specific vaccinations to attend a club, but most clubs set their own rules and will usually expect the standard course (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis) to be complete and up to date.

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What goes on at a club

A typical session involves dogs being stacked, examined and moved as they would be in a real ring. Someone takes the role of judge and checks each dog's teeth, body and movement. It teaches the dog to stand still while a stranger handles them, and it teaches you how to present them properly. Puppies often find the first few visits a lot to take in, so don't expect miracles straight away.

Because the club will be local, you'll get to know other people on the local show circuit. You'll see the same faces at shows, and they'll usually be happy to explain how to fill in entry forms, the closing dates to watch for, what time to arrive on the day and the small bits of etiquette that aren't written down anywhere. Lift-sharing is common and helps with the cost, which adds up quickly once you factor in entry fees, fuel and overnight stays.

Many clubs run seminars and talks on breed standards, ring procedure, grooming and handling, sometimes bringing in experienced judges or breed specialists. These are worth going to even if you feel you're not ready, because a lot of what's said only really makes sense once you've seen it in practice.

Most clubs also hold match nights, where an invited judge assesses the dogs present and places them in order. It's good practice for your dog, good practice for you, and it gives the judge experience too. Many people who go on to judge at championship level start out at club matches. Occasionally a club will invite someone who has judged at Crufts, which is a useful chance to get a knowledgeable opinion on your dog.

Clubs tend to have a social side as well. Christmas parties, fancy dress nights and silly games are fairly standard, and there's something quite cheering about watching a Mastiff in a tinsel collar or a row of Whippets in jumpers. End of year evenings are usually when clubs hand out awards to the dogs that have done well at shows during the season.

Ringcraft clubs welcome dogs of all ages, from young puppies through to veterans. Older dogs returning to the ring after a break often benefit from a few weeks of classes to settle back in, and puppies can usually start once their vaccinations are complete. Even if you decide later that showing isn't for you, learning to be handled by strangers and stand calmly in a busy room is useful for any dog.

If you're not sure where to begin, the Kennel Club website is the most reliable starting point for finding a registered club near you. From there, a phone call and a visit will tell you fairly quickly whether it's the right fit.