How much will it cost to get your dog ready for a dog show?

Ever wondered what it takes to enter your dog in a dog show? Read below to learn about the costs involved and the steps to take to ensure your dog gets first place.

While each dog holds a special place in its owner's heart, dog shows are a place where they're judged by more than just their personality, it's all about their looks, breed, and ability. Therefore, preparing and participating in a dog show can be a harsh process for both the owner and their dog. Read on to find out the financial and personal commitment required should you consider participating in one.

How To Get Started: Registration and Membership

First of all, it's important to note, your puppy must be from a purebred lineage in order to qualify for participation in a dog show. You must also be in possession of your puppy’s pedigree papers, which is a certification of your puppy’s purebred heritage. With this, you can register for membership and certification by the Singapore Kennel Club (SKC), a national body for canine affairs. Membership with the SKC is necessary for participation in dog shows and importing of dogs into Singapore. The SKC also organises obedience training courses and a variety of dog shows for their members.

Singapore Kennel Club Membership Fees

Depending on the application month, membership ends either in June or December.

Source: Singapore Kennel Club

Training

In order for your dog to perform well at the dog show, it needs to be trained as obedience and adaptability is one of the key judging criteria. As an owner, you can opt to train your puppy on your own, or send it to dedicated obedience schools as it is one of the key components it will be judged by. Below is a list of recommended dog training establishments offering obedience training.

Dog Training Classes

To ensure that your dog stays healthy, alert with sufficient energy to perform well during training, be sure to provide them with nutritious dog food such as bosch.

Grooming

The next step in preparation for a dog show is grooming. Your dog should be brought to the groomer at least 4 weeks prior to the show. The long lead time allows you to address any potential issues with their skin, coat, ears and nails, prior to the show.

There are several reputable local dog grooming salons.

Typically their services are broken down by dog size and service type: wash and blow, basic grooming and full grooming. Basic grooming typically includes nail clipping, paw pad shaving, shampooing and blow dry. Full grooming typically includes shaving and trimming of the pet’s whole body, in addition to the services covered under basic grooming.

Professional Grooming Rates for Small Dogs (Yorkshire, Toy Poodle, Pomeranian)

Professional Grooming Rates for Medium Dogs (Shiba Inu, Corgi, Cocker Spaniel)

Professional Grooming Rates for Large Dogs (Golden Retriever, Labrador, Husky)

A great bonus of having your Singapore Kennel Club membership is that you also get a discount at several pet grooming salons. Also, when paying for your dog's grooming services, make sure to use a cashback credit card to earn rewards on your purchases and save even more money.

Pet Grooming Salon Discounts

Dog owners can save money on their grooming efforts in the long run with LILA LOVES IT range of pet care products from brioPets. LILA LOVES IT animal care products are the epitome of natural, organically & sustainably grown ingredients in combination with innovative medicine. They are formulated by a team led by senior veterinarians, pharmacists and laboratory experts, based in Munich Germany since 2013.

LILA LOVES IT Shampoo Shine & Comb is a firm favourite with many local show dog owners as it ensures shiny fur and eliminates tangles. Formulated with sea salt, natural oils and botanicals from jojoba, macadamia, coconut, vebena, yuzu and lavender, the concentrated shampoo does not contain silicones, parabens and PEGs. Specially formulated to adapt to the pH of the dog’s skin, LILA LOVES IT Shampoo Shine and Comb greatly eliminates tangles, gives your dog remarkably soft fur, separates every fur strand, and a shiny and fluffy coat.

Show dogs will also benefit from LILA LOVES IT Intense Silky & Shine fur treatment as it ensures wonderfully well-groomed, shiny and easy to comb fur. Rich in high quality ingredients such as coconut oil, lavender and rose oil to intensely nourish fur and calm irritated skin. It also contains aloe vera and argan oil, to infuse fur and skin with vitamin E and protects against further loss of moisture. Together with modern ingredients such as zinc and hyaluronic acid to support skin regeneration and improve the moisture and nutrient balance of the fur.

Another wildly popular grooming favourite with show dog owners is the LILA LOVES IT Bundle for Ears, which comprises their flagship Ear Cleanser and Ear Gel.

Formulated with nano-free Microsilver, which has been proven to only be deposited on skins surface and functions as an antibacterial barrier without compromising the good cells, LILA LOVES IT Ear Cleanser, cleans ear gently, instantaneously reduces itching and eliminates odours and helps to prevent inflammation resulting in bacterial and fungal attacks. Complementing the LILA LOVES IT Ear Cleanser, the LILA LOVES IT Ear Gel is a quick acting gel that aids in the recovery for inflamed ears or infestation of ear mites.

An often overlooked part of pet care, serious show dog owners will also benefit from the use of LILA LOVES IT Bundle for Dental, which comprises their Liladent Dental Care Toothpaste and Dental Micro Fleece. Made in Germany, the Liladent Dental Care Toothpaste is mineral based, no-rinse enzymatic cleanser which cleans teeth gently, while optimising the mouth’s flora. The accompanying LILA LOVES IT Dental Micro Fleece is incorporated with silver ion technology, free of chemical additives and suitable for fingers of all sizes. 

Finally, Conformation

Conformation is another word for a dog show, in which the participating dogs are evaluated based on their appearance, movements and temperament. It is crucial to know the breed standard your dog identifies with and train them based on the qualities specific to that breed. This where your dog gets to shine, and hopefully impress the judges with its abilities.

brioPets is proud to be the sole distributor of LILA LOVES IT products in Singapore. You can explore an extensive range of pet care products here - LILA LOVES IT.

This article is contributed by ValueChampion.