A Winner Never Quits

Recently I was asked by someone to outline show expenses to get an idea of what a championship would cost. Ever do a hobby for years and finally break down the numbers only to be horrified by the total? Ya.

There are obviously several factors and unless you are a professional handler or are campaigning an owner-handled specials dog you aren’t going to go to every show. Some people have more money and time and are able to hit more shows but for argument’s sake let’s say we’re not in that category.

First consider whether you will have competition - if you know other people in the breed you can organize class dogs and ensure that someone will get points. The average cost for entries is about $25 per dog per day. Based on showing one dog and single pointing your way to the championship (except the 2 point major you are required to win) it could cost a total of $225 but only if you win every single time. If you have several dogs in competition it’s faster because winning against more dogs gets you more points but with more competition it’s harder to win. If you don’t win the cost goes up.

Secondly you need to decide how far you want to drive. I think a reasonable distance for a class dog is about a 5 hour drive. Beyond that I start looking at my gas cost and questioning my sanity. It also depends where you live – if you’re way out in the armpit of the boondocks then you have further to go than people who have several shows a year on their doorstep. Distance driving also means hotels, food and incidentals unless you carpool to a show. Carpooling is great for me because I travel with my mom and since we’ve been doing it for so long we have a pretty good routine down. If you are travelling alone you bear the brunt of the cost.

You will need to bring all the crap that dogs require on the road. Crates, expens, leads, dishes, water (if your dogs won’t drink local water), food, beds, and all the other goodies your spoiled little muffin needs for comfort. A tack box is a great idea because it holds all the things you likely won’t need but are good to have when you do need them. A tack box can hold: leads, shoes, paper towel, towels, scissors, brushes, instant coffee, gum, Rescue Remedy, kleenex, baby wipes, ibuprofen, elastic bands, business cards, pens, paper, poopbags and whatever else you want to cram in there. It should be like a Mary Poppins carpet bag.

You also need to have a show outfit or five and make sure they have pockets. If they don’t you’ll be stuffing bait in your bra, mouth, armband and various other places liver has no business being. At the end of the show you must empty crumbles from blazer pockets because if you don’t you may end up with a chewed hole from a dog trying to get the last dredges of goodness from the fabric. Ask me how I know this …

There are of course other incidentals you have to consider when showing and travelling to shows. Some show venues have free parking and some want your first born. You may want the show catalogue which is usually around $5-7. You may need to eat at the show which I don’t recommend so pack a lunch. Then there are the booths with all kinds of goodies breed specific and dog related. Things you never thought you’d need until you see them and think ‘Why, I really do need a tiny electric fan to cool my dog’s crate during hot weather.” You can buy things you never dreamed with your breed on it that will crack open your wallet faster than you can blink.

I would safely say it will cost me over $1000 to finish Raimi with everything included. I know someone who took years to finish a Golden Retriever, I think he finally got his championship at about 8 years old – anything can finish if you slog away at it. I also know dogs who have finished in one weekend. It all depends on how much competition you have, how good your dog is, who the judges are and what commitment level you have toward showing your dog.

None of the above includes the use of professional handlers, training classes, and your time and effort to get the dog ready for showing. Anything you do will cost you money and you have to also be prepared for things you did not anticipate. If you are committed to a hobby and enjoy the thrill of the win and the expectation of the next days results then you won’t look at the numbers. Sometimes you only win once out of 4 shows but that one time keeps you writing those cheques and gassing up the truck.

Next on the docket for us is tracking, draft dog, and herding … wonder what those will cost me.