If you want to show the rest of the world how special your pet is, you might want to enter it in the local county fair or pet show. Some Breeders spend years training for these events because it isn't easy to get into a winning cycle. The main thing is to have fun, even if you don't win. Here are some steps from the experts to give you a head start.
Bathe and brush the dog before the show. There are special "brightening" shampoos for dogs with light or white fur, and conditioners to make their fur shine.
Trim the nails. Judges don't like to hear a lot of clicking as you walk on the floor.
Do some research on the breed's desirable characteristics. Judges look for the dog that is the best example of its breed. If your dog is not a pure breed, general appearance and personality are what count.
Give the cat a bath. Experts use three kinds of shampoo before the show. One to remove grease and oil, one to remove residue from previous shampoos, and one to leave a glistening coat. Conditioners leave the hair silky to touch.
Trim their nails.
Do some research on the breed's desirable characteristics. As with dogs, judges award the best examples of their breed characteristics. In the domestic cat categories there are no breed standards. Grooming and personality make the difference.
Train your cat to be affectionate and comfortable around new people. If she "talks" a lot, she/he will win extra points.
Feed your fish a pinch of frozen brine shrimp three times a day to keep them in peak condition. Be sure the quantity is appropriate for the size of your fish, and never over-feed your fish.
Make sure there is nothing in your fish tank that can cut or shred your fish's fins.
Use a net to scoop the fish out of your tank. If you use a container, you may cut the fins or damage the scales.
Encourage a fish to grow by keeping it in its own tank and change 30% of the water every few days.
Train your fish. Judges look for a fish that swims around a lot and hold its fins up like its variety should.
Feed baby chicks high-protein food until they are about 18 weeks old. Then they switch to a feed that contains corn and soybean meal.
Before a show, give the chicks a mild dish and give them a final rinse of lemon juice to bring out the feather's highlights. Don't get any in their eyes.
Preen the feathers so all of them are pointing in the same direction and are not pointing in the different directions while they dry.
Rub a little canola oil and rosemary on the legs to kill mites and make the legs shine.
Do some research on the breed's desirable characteristics. Winning chicks are those that show all of the characteristics of their breed and are easily handled. If you handle the chicks every other day for 10 minutes or so, right from the time they hatch, they will be well mannered when the judges inspect them.
The rodents can't take the heat of the competition!
Feed the rodent lots of fresh fruit and whole grains to keep their coats in good condition. Rats and mice spend a lot of time cleaning themselves, so you shouldn't have to do too much grooming.
Handle rats and mice everyday, beginning at birth. This way, they will be more accustomed to people. Judges say the perfect rat or mouse is pleasing to the eye and should be curious and active.
Train your rodent to do special tricks. If you train your animal to give kisses, walk on a tightrope, or jump to you on command, you will definitely catch the judges' eye.
Feed your cattle need a basic diet of protein, corn, and oats. You may need expert advice on how to adjust the amounts of each so that the animals fill out at the right time.
Keep cattle inside during really hot weather. They may even need fans to keep them cool.
Don't keep them on cement, though, as this can make them stiff-legged; the judges like to see animals that are flexible and able to take long strides.
Brush your cattle at least three times a day. Groom them before a show by washing them with dish detergent and rinse them well so that they don't have flaky skin at show time.
Some experts trim their cattle's coats so that their muscles are emphasized.
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