The Cesky terrier is one of the few breeds of terriers that is shown clipped, not stripped. Clipping means actually cutting the hair, usually with the use of electric clippers, rather than going through the length process of stripping, which involves pulling out the long, dead hairs by hand. Since the Cesky can be clipped there is much less time in preparing for show, making them a terrific breed for those individuals that want a terrier breed but not the upkeep.
Clipping
Most show Ceskys will be clipped every month and a half to two months year round. Often owners and breeders try to time clipping to two or three days before the event to still keep the nice, crisp clip but also allowing the coat to look very natural. Professional groomer are often the best option if you are new to working with the breed, however many groomer may not have ever worked with a Cesky terrier before, so be sure to bring pictures.
The overall clip of the Cesky terrier includes features somewhat similar to that of the Sealyham Terrier. The hair across the back and down the sides is short and flat against the body, dropping down to long, slightly wavy hair along the belly. The hair on the front and back legs is left long but is clipped to be uniform and shaped to highlight the leg area. The hair on the neck and chest is clipped as per the back and upper body, drawing attention to the powerful and athletic look of the breed. For showing the hair on the neck, back, shoulders and the sides of the body should not be more than between 1 and 11/2 cm in length.
The hair of the eyebrows and forelock is left natural and long and comes forward over the face as does the long hair around the muzzle known as the beard. This gives the Cesky the distinctive looking face and the serious expression. The hair on the ears is trimmed very short as is the hair on the tail.
Preparing For Show
Once the Cesky is clipped and groomed all that is left is to prepare him or her for the show ring. Always exercise the dog prior to entering the ring and give them time to go outside to go to the bathroom. Usually the dogs are not fed or watered prior to entering the ring to prevent any need to leave the ring. The dogs should be familiar with crowds and should be accepting of following basic commands to sit, stand and walk and jog with the handler. He or she should also be friendly and not nervous or aggressive when the judge needs to check the teeth or do the brief physical examination. A professional handler or a good trainer can help you prepare your Cesky for their first ring appearance.
|
