We've got about 10 classes under our belt now, and I can see the progress.  My husband shot this video last nite, and it's actually the worst part of the nite.  Unfortunately his back was aching, so he went and sat down before Brandi had actually settled in.  But I'll bet that's probably how she'll act at our first show too, which is just around the corner.   

Brandi wants to be a social butterfly and there are always a dozen or more dogs in class and on the sidelines to preoccupy her puppy brain.   Once she settles in, she is holding her stack nicely and even lets me get out front to show her off.  She's also doing pretty well at holding the stack while the judge inspects her.  Brandi hasn't quite caught on completely to the free stack, but she is starting to square up on her own at times...although in the transition from the trot to stop, she usually has her hind legs too far under her.  I have to remember not to stack her post legged and to bait her up and onto her front.  Recently, I'm tending to put her front out too far and if she moves as the judge is approaching, I'm not taking my time to restack her properly.  Have to work on that...as the video showed me! 

I'm going to guess our first time in the show ring will be far from perfect, but I am tickled pink to see the progress in my 11 month old pup.  Thanks for the previous comments and suggestions.  I am always open to them, and I'll probably be posting another question or two in the next week...before our first show on 4/3.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3UGcEVNH9U

Wow, much improved.  She will do better than you think in the ring.  Take her early to get her used to all the sights, sounds and smells.  I think you will also have more control on her if you shorten up on the leash.  You won't have to jerk her around so much to correct her.  Later when she knows the game, then you can let out of the leash.  Right now with the long leash she is all over because she can. Also, to help fix the front when stacking, hold her by the collar and walk her front into the stack.  Most of the time they will line those front feet up and all you have to do is fix the back.  Same when you go around or down and back.  Slow down and let her walk into the free stack, that way she won't end up with her back legs up under her.  She did a nice free stack when you went around.  She was nice and square.  Don't know if you noticed that or not.

Another hint.  Shorthairs are leaners and if you give them something to lean against they will.  When you put your hand at her waist when she was stacked for the judge to go over her, she leaned into your hand.  Don't hold your hand there just reset her if she moves her butt.  She won't lean because she will fall and she will learn to keep her butt in place if you put her back.  Then when the judge finishes the head, hold her head at the nose and hold the ears up.  She can't turn her head to sniff the judge that way.  Also, you don't have to worry about any appearance of the dog mouthing or snapping.  Judges like it too. 

Those are just some little things.  You guys have made awesome progress.  Can't wait to hear about your first show together.  Have fun!!

Well, in a crazy qwest to try everything (or at least it seems that way lately with our first FT under our belt  , Brandi and I went to our first AKC dog show this weekend.  It wasn't a big showing for shorthairs, by any means.  Last year, this local show had 13 entries, but only 6 GSPs entered this year...with 5 showing up.  There was only one other bitch puppy in Brandi's 9-12 month old class, and Brandi got first both days, under different judges.  There was also one Open Class bitch, so then Brandi had to compete against the older female for "Winners Bitch", and she wasn't able to beat the older dog.  So we were done at that point, and they continued on to Best of Breed with the winning bitch and the two already titled champions entered.  The good news is that I didn't get tripped up and take a nose dive in the ring and Brandi behaved perfectly...to my total surprise.  So we survived and I'm sending in entries for the next one.  Denise

*As an edit--a big thank you to all who have made suggestions.  I don't have a lot of time to post sometimes, but I am listening!

She's very cute! keep up the great work with her!!

Thanks everyone.  I have to give a lot of credit to my  instructor Shelly for getting Brandi and I to our first show.  She has been very supportive in class, and after she showed her weim both days, stayed ringside with me--giving me a few tips but mostly letting me know that we were looking good.  Shelly is our biggest fan and even got a shorthair hug from Brandi last night at class...

I know what a specialty show is, but what is a special dog, as in "my male special"?  Are these the dogs that already have their CH, that are going for BOB and such?  Why do people continue to show after attaining CH?  Is it to try for BOB or BIS and do you get another title if you achieve those? 

Showing my lack of knowledge, I had read several things on the point system, but couldn't figure out how my dog would ever get any points if she had to compete against CHs.  Not that theorhetically she would never place above one, but it seemed like a daunting task.  But in cramming en route to the dogshow, I read "A Beginner's Guide To Dog Shows" AKC pamphlet that my instructor gave me...and I finally got it.  Wish I'd read that first.

Thanks for the info.  Being new to this, I didn't know how the rankings worked.  I'll have to thumb back through my magazines.

Bev, that would definitely be exciting.

The next show for us, is the middle of May, and Brandi will turn 1 year old on 4/24.  What is the next class that would be strategically smart to enter?

And for anyone reading this, how many GSPs are typically entered at your all breed shows?  I thought 6 was tiny, but after looking at results for last year, for the upcoming premiums...I was sad to see the numbers were even lower.  Looks like it would be hard to score a major.  I even thought looking at premiums from the Chicago area, which is about 3 hours away, would net a lot more shorthairs.  But I was still seeing just 6-8 at most.