Originally Posted by Giselle
If you ever want to do Junior Showmanship again, you'll need to apply for an ILP if Lily is not AKC reg'd. Also, you must must must apprentice under a seasoned mentor/breeder or you won't succeed. I hate to admit it, but connections will get you quite far in the conformation ring. A lot of it is politics and a novice like you will need help from an expert like a reputable Pom breeder or a professional handler.
You will definitely need grooming tools and special leads :p A lot of Toy breed handlers like Resco leads, although I know many people prefer those leather leads (I can't remember the link, though, sorry!). You can find these supplies either on a website or at a local dog show.
Lily will need to know the basics: She must be used to standing still while a stranger examines her body. She needs to be comfortable with strangers opening her mouth to check her bite. She will need to know a very strong "Watch Me". She will also need to know how to free-stack. This is a rather difficult task because the motion some handlers use to freestack their dogs can look very similar to "Sit". You'll need to recondition Lily so as not to confuse her or use an entirely different hand motion. Most dogs, however, associate the show lead with free-stack instead of a "sit". You can fix this with Happy Legs or a homemade version of them: happylegs.com. You'll also need to learn the quirks of grooming *your* breed and how to handle them. There's a lot of tricks and techniques you'll need to learn but the rewards are sooo worth it :)
