Actually, there are a few circumstances where one takes a dog to a show hoping they'll lose (I'll explain later), but we didn't pay $20, drive several hours, perhaps pay lots of money for a hotel room, and endure dog-show food without looking to win something. So we take great pains to make sure that our dog and us look our best for the judge.
Every one of our dogs going to a show gets a bath and grooming the night before. There's no greater insult to a judge than to present a dirty, ungroomed dog. My lovely bride gets changed into her dog-washing grubbies - in which nobody, repeat nobody outside the house will ever see her - gets the victim du jour and off they go. Apart from getting the hose and tub rigged up, I refuse to have anything to do with this step.
Experienced show dogs like Miss Lacey get a bath almost every week and are accustomed to it. The younger dogs don't much care for the experience and I occasionally hear from the basement, "No, stop that, stand up!" followed by "Shake, shake! Good dog!" At this point I may have to tender some assistance, so downstairs I go to see my lovely bride damp and flushed and the bathee with that martyred expression Borzoi do so well: "See how I suffer, Daddy? Mommy gave me a bath!"
Drying is done by a high-powered dryer, which doesn't so much evaporate the water as literally blows it from the coat. As this is done, the coat is carefully brushed and combed to remove any tangles. The idea is to create as pleasing a profile as possible, so some trimming behind the ears and around the withers and loins may be necessary. Nails are trimmed and any hair cut from between the toes. If necessary, stains around the toenails are chalked over. The dog is then put into a comfortable wire crate with a clean blanket to lie on.
There's a difference between creating an illusion and actually altering the appearance of a dog. Borzoi have no restrictions on coat color, but some breeds penalize or even disqualify for incorrect colors or patterns. Trying to mask such flaws by dying or coloring is strictly verboten and can result in suspension if caught.
We bring along enough equipment to a show sufficient for the Allied invasion of Normandy. There's a large show box with all the scissors, combs, brushes and other tonsorial paraphernalia; the dryer, fans and power packs, the grooming table, ice beds, extra blankets and towels, leashes and collars, a small generator, coolers, and a cart.
Then we have to get ourselves ready to show. My lovely bride pays attention to her grooming as well. She wears attractive clothes, but nothing flashy that might distract attention from the dog. Some nice Borzoi brooches and always an American flag pin (even though she's not yet a citizen) on her jacket, but no jangly jewelry. We'll be spending lots of time on our feet, so sensible shoes are worn; my lovely bride prefers SAS shoes. Because Lacey is a light colored Borzoi, my lovely bride wears a dark skirt for contrast. In the same vein, a friend of ours who shows a dark brown Borzoi always wears a tan suit.