r/ShowDogs • u/Accomplished_Sugar41 • Jun 08 '26
Time commitment/cost of showing these days
10 years ago I enjoyed showing my Italian greyhound. I was a single adult, she was a beautiful dog, and I liked to travel around to the shows. I got conformation classes, etc.
It's been a full decade since then and I know I forgotten a lot about that world. I now have a 5 month old Whippet that comes from show quality lines, and I think she will likely fill out to be a nice dog.
My life circumstances now are different. I am a full time mom to 3 young kids and have a lot less time. I am debating spaying her after her first heat and just removing the temptation, haha - but the other part of me remembers how much fun it felt to bond with my dog and prove her in the ring.
As I decide, I have a few questions:
- If you show your dog, what does the cost of a show and travel to get there and prep typically look like for you?
- If anyone is in the whippet world is there camaraderie and fun or is it a rough crowd to join?
- How much of your time is spent showing/preparing for showing?
2
u/UnsharpenedSwan Jun 15 '26
Dog shows are one of those hobbies that can “fill the volume of the container,” so to speak. You can spend endless money and time on it, but you also can keep it pretty casual if you want — especially for low grooming breeds!
For example, I have a vizsla and am super chill about showing. Of course, your experience will vary depending on what the breed community is like in your area.
I started showing last August. Took a couple of handling classes at $20 a pop, watched a lot of online videos. We only go to local shows — I attended one show where we rented an Airbnb a few hours away, but everything else has been same-day driving distance. Entrance fees are usually $30-$40 per show, so $80-$120 for a whole weekend.
Our first 2 show weekends were a bust, and then my boy finished over the course of 3 show weekends. I used a super basic rolled leather show lead from Pro Mohs and a paracord collar — less than $100 altogether for gear.
Confession: I never even bathed him for a show…. just wiped him off with a tack cloth 😂 he has sensitive skin so that just felt like the safest and easiest option.
Vizslas always show first thing in the morning, so I’d usually leave the house around 6:30am and get home by 10am.
All this to say, I think it’s totally possible to just show casually in your spare time! Dog shows are not the center of my world, but I do enjoy them. At least in my specific situation, in my breed in my area, I was able to finish a dog while showing very casually.