I have continued going to dog shows as spectator, and even joined an owner handling seminar in July 2022, but the last time I joined a conformation dog show was 7 years ago in August 2017 when I entered Perico Black Wolf as baby puppy to support our Pomeranian Club specialty shows. I was busy with work as banker from 2018-2019, and had covid sickness and canine deaths during the pandemic years. I started rebuilding our kennel only in 2022 with only a lone, 5th generation Perico male (Perico Noli Me Tangere) mating with newly acquired females. I joined our club's Pomeranian specialty shows last weekend (Aug 10-11) with a 7.5 month old, orange sable male BTS (Perico Born to Show). His father is Noli and grandmother is Perico Black Vixen, littermate of Black Wolf.
In two generations between Wolf and BTS (both at 4 months in the photos), the coat development of my Perico line has changed significantly. While my earlier Perico pups go throug a heavy puppy shed, my new line goes through what I call a rolling of coat, where the puppy coat does not shed rapidly in one go, but rather slowly transitions to the harsh adult coat. The result is less ugly stage, a transition still to the harsh adult coat, and fuller undercoat courtesy of the mix of the old English (through Hadleigh and Canton) and American lines (through Thai dogs). There is still an awkward teen stage (6-9 months) though where a sudden growth spurt makes the dog look tall and gangly. While the coat is not as bad as classic monkey stage, it is still not long and profuse enough to give a more balanced silhouette. That balance is usually achieved at 10-12 months. At 7.5 months, BTS is still in the awkward stage, but I badly wanted to return to showing and support our club.
In our puppy class (6-9 months) of 4 males, it did not help that tall, gangly and heavy (6.6 lbs) BTS came right after a very small, fully coated, Vietnamese dog - a recent best baby puppy in show winner of Thai Impact show. Another dog (Filipino kennel Sunbriar) in the class was similarly sized and coated. BTS looked like a giant and I felt very small. My only consolation is that another class entry, a Canton dog, is closer in size and coat to BTS, who has Canton dogs in his pedigree. For 7 times under different judges over Saturday and Sunday, I have to swallow my pride as Viet, Sunbriar and Canton take 1st, 2nd and 3rd ribbons, while I consoled myself with: At least, my dog trotted proudly and behaved well on the examination table. I think my handling was good, and I am proud that BTS free stacks (poses by himself) after being trotted.
BTS and I will be back to the shows better prepared, at 10-12 months when he grows fuller coat and better silhouette. In the meantime, I will relish the thought that I am back in the show scene. A doctor-dog judge and breeder of world-class Pekinese even quipped: I only see you like once a year. Not anymore, doc :) I also plan to show my smaller, fluffier pups. The Pom competition has gotten much tougher with more foreign dogs flying in for competition, but this Filipino breeder loves the breeding challenge and healthy competitions.
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