From Grass to Carpet – Get Ready for the Indoor Show Season
As autumn quietly approaches and the outdoor dog show season winds down, it’s time to shift your focus. The indoor season is just around the corner – bringing with it major events like Swedish Winner, Danish Winner, and Nordic Winner Shows in November, followed by the Finnish Winner Show in December. Germany also offers several international shows to look forward to this fall, including Rostock, Dortmund, and Karlsruhe.
The list of important shows grows quickly if you consider all of Europe your playground.
Here are our top tips to help you, as a handler, adjust your dog, your outfit, and your show-day preparations to shine in the ring – even when the weather gets colder and natural daylight is replaced by indoor lighting.
Train for Smaller Rings and Slippery Surfaces
On grass, your dog can take longer strides, get natural traction, and is often less distracted by echoes and background noise. Indoors, everything changes – and it’s your job as a handler to help your dog feel secure and confident in this new environment.
Tips for Indoor Ring Training:
- Practice on mats at home or in training halls. Get your dog used to different surfaces – some organizers use carpet, while others may only provide concrete flooring. To help your dog get better traction on slippery surfaces, you can have them stand on a towel for a few minutes — slightly moist paw pads provide better grip than dry ones.
- Reduce the range of your movement. Indoor rings are often smaller – both you and your dog need to be able to move effectively in a more limited space.
- Add distractions like noise and movement. Loudspeakers, applause, barking dogs – anything can happen. Reward calm focus in noisy environments. Also, make sure to arrive early to give your dog time to settle in and adjust to the hectic venue.
-Practice entering and exiting the ring. Indoors, ring entrances are often narrow and can cause stress for both dogs and handlers. Smooth transitions can make a big difference.
Help Your Dog Perform at Their Best – Even Indoors
Indoor shows come with a whole new set of challenges: noise, echo, bright artificial lighting, and a flood of scents – all of which can be overwhelming, even for seasoned show dogs.
Mental & Physical Preparation:
-Build environmental confidence gradually – visit other events, large indoor venues, or shopping centers to acclimate your dog.
-Make the ring a happy place – train your dog to associate the ring with connection, fun, and rewards.
-Don’t skip conditioning! Even indoors, your dog needs stamina – smaller rings demand quicker turns and more rapid changes of pace.
-Practice stillness. Many dogs become restless in chaotic environments, so work on focus and staying calm amidst the buzz.
Style in the Ring – Fall & Winter Fashion for Handlers
As the days get shorter and the lighting turns cooler, what looks best in the ring also changes. Many handlers trade in summer’s bright, cheerful colors for deeper, more elegant tones, often with sparkling or glossy elements that catch the light under the spotlights of a show hall. Think about contrast with your dog’s coat – your outfit should highlight your dog, not blend into them.
Ready for the Show Hall Season?
Explore our collection of elegant dog show suits, designed to move with you in the ring and shine under exhibition hall lighting. Made with comfortable stretch fabrics and beautiful details – we’ll help you find the perfect look for the grand finales of autumn and winter.
See the collection here: Products – Canis Certo
