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Author: Ron Drozdick (rjdroz@mtaonline.net)
Comments to improve the usefulness of this document are welcome.
It is my intent to grant permission for limited additional hard copies for distribution by breeders to purchasers of show quality dogs who are unfamiliar with dog shows. Please contact me at one of the above E-Mail addresses.
Showing Your Dog In
Conformation2 - A Beginners Guide / FAQ
or
I'm
going to be brave and show the dog myself
This is the second of two FAQ sheets prepared to assist the person who has purchased, or is interested in purchasing a show quality dog and is new to the world of dog shows. The first (DOGSHW1.TXT) covers the basics. This FAQ is primarily for owners who want to show their own dog.
Introduction
First a bit on my own perspective. I do not breed dogs. A few years ago, I knew essentially nothing about training dogs. My dog now has his championship and all of his points he got while I was showing him. I am writing this because I feel that a novice show dog owner wanting to show his own dog needs some education on the subject. I sure did. This is especially true if you cannot or do not want to go to a conformation class. Most of the 'novices' I have seen drop out after one or two shows.
Hey,
If I can... Before I got my pup, I had never before taught a dog to as much as
sit. In the last two years I have on occasion beaten well known professional
handlers. Then again your dog may not show well for you. Who knows?
If
you plan on doing the showing yourself, start with "fun matches" or
by taking conformation handling classes. No one expects a lot of skill from you
or your dog at these. You both need to get comfortable with the process.
Attending real dog shows just to observe is a good idea too. Take your dog if
he is at least 6 months old. (You may not be able to get a dog who has not been entered into big shows.) Younger dogs are
not allowed partly because they may not have all their shots.
This
FAQ assumes you have already read the first FAQ.
One
of the main things you will have to do in the ring is pay attention. (If, like
me, your attention is fully on your dog rather than the judge, this can be a
real problem.) You have to move your dog, you have to stack your dog, and you
should 'display' your dog. There is no set order to the process, the judge
calls the shots. If you can, it is a good idea to observe the judge before it
is your classes' turn to see what he asks handlers to do.
You
will show your dog on your left side with a show collar (normally a jewelry
type thin choke collar or a nylon choke collar) positioned high on the neck
just behind his ears. Your leash should be long enough to allow you to hold
your hand well away from the dog, with your hand at roughly your shoulder
level. Watch the handlers at the shows. Most will use thin nylon leads that
they can bunch up in their hands. If you have an extra large dog like mine, the
first time he dives for a treat on the floor and you try to hold his head up
you may question the wisdom of using a thin lead. I have settled on a shorter
leather lead 3/8 inch wide. It is a lot less painful. My dog has a very heavy
head. The main thing is to use a lead/collar combination that works, is comfortable for you and that does not distract
from the dog. (No 2" wide spiked collars. No tags)
Please
note that my experience is very limited. What follows is based on one breed. I
will try to be as general as posssible, but watch
YOUR breed being shown to see if there are any deviations from my discriptions.
Now to stack your dog. Stacking means to get him to stand and look pretty while
the judge looks at him from a distance, looks at him from close up, checks to
see how his front teeth align, and runs his hands over your dog. (If you have a
male, this involves checking to see if he has two testicles. Dogs that are
neutered or that are not otherwise fully equipped are disqualified. This is,
after all, an evaluation of breeding stock.) The main thing you have to teach
your dog is to stay still in a standing position. You do not have to do this
overnight. If you show him in puppy class he is not really expected to stand at
attention. The judge is not supposed to be determining how well trained the dog
is or how great a handler you are. The judge will not have a lot of time,
though, and if your dog wiggles so much that the judge can't get a good look at
him he can't judge him.
Your
dog should get used to stand/staying with distractions like petting and people
moving around. You should also get him used to having his lips pulled back and
his front teeth checked. (In only a few breeds is the mouth opened to check
back teeth or tongue color.) Don't overdo teaching your dog is to sit, or sit
stay, since that is what he will tend to do under stress in the ring. Especially when you hold a treat in front of him.
Concentrate on teaching him to stay in a standing position. Have patience, with a young dog this can be tough.
That
takes care of the stand part. Now we hit the pretty part. To me this is the
hardest part of showing a dog. To get him to look pretty means to position his
legs and head, and hopefully get him to look alert. And you have to do it fast.
His front legs should be straight. Straight from the front view, straight from
the side view, and not twisted in or out. (This applies to most breeds.) The
lower portion of the back legs should also be straight up and down, from the
side view. (Further back then this is usually bad. You are better off erring in
the direction of not back far enough.) In this position your dogs leg's will likely be further back than your dog will at
first feel comfortable with. Don't push it. You want your dog to enjoy things.
If your dog gets nervous or uncomfortable, he will not show well. (When
training for show, do NOT punish, reward only.) The back legs should usually be
slightly farther apart than the front. Maybe a paw width or
so. More is not better. You do not want your dog to look awkward or off
balance. Practicing in front of a mirror or reflective window helps. There are
exceptions. Watch other handlers in the ring. Some breeds have specific things
that need to be done. German Shepherd's are usually
posed with one rear leg way forward and one way back. If you have a small dog,
he may have to be stacked on a table.
AFTER
your dog will stay for you, work on moving his legs. (With a heavy dog, this
can be real work!) It helps if you walk rather than back your dog into
position. This should result in a dog that is partially stacked already. It can
help to hold the collar at the slip ring to keep the dog from moving when
adjusting the legs. Try to start off with his body parallel to the ring side.
Then check his front legs. Move the leg that is furthest forward first. With
luck you will not have to adjust the other one. Lift from just above his
'elbow'. Don't lift front or back legs from near the paw, especially with a
large, heavy dog. Try it if you don't believe me. It may help to shift his
weight off the foot by moving the lead to the side away from the foot you want
to move and pulling a bit. Move to his back legs. This is easier in that the
rear legs do not carry as much weight. It is harder in that the dog may not
want to have his legs back that far. Remember that showing should be a pleasant
experience for your dog or he will not show well! Start slow on the back legs.
(If you over do it, his front legs will no longer be straight up and down from
the side view. You will be able to move his legs further back as he gets older.
Now
get him to look attentive and alert. This is usually accomplished by using some
kind of bait. It can be a special food treat or a special toy. Liver is often
used. Whatever it is it should really get his attention. Consider using
something really special in the ring, and something else when training.
Remember that you should not block the judges view. If
you hold it too close, he may jump to get it.
When
the judge wants to see his bite, you may want to hold the dog at the choke
collar to prevent him from moving much. If the judge doesn't want to get his
hands slobbered on or doesn't want to put his hand that close to those teeth,
he may ask you to show the bite. (You really need three hands to do this.) You
should grab the choke collar at the slip ring area with the right hand to
steady the dog. You don't want him to jump up or move out of his 'stacked'
position. Keeping a grip on the choke collar, rotate it down
below his chin. Grab his lower jaw/chin with whatever fingers you have
left. Use your left hand to move his upper lip up without making the dog too
uncomfortable. It takes a little practice. Always remember not to give the dog
a treat in the ring until after the bite is shown. The judge will appreciate
it.
Use
some judgment. If there are a lot of dogs, and you are in for a long wait, let
the dog relax. You don't want your dog nervous or uncomfortable. In general,
whenever your dog is still, check to see if he needs to be stacked. Make sure
the judge will always see a nice looking dog if he looks your way. Do not fidget
so much that the judge looks at you and not your dog. And remember, happy dogs
are more likely to win then unhappy dogs or dogs that look like unresponsive
pretty statues. Personality counts.
This
is a lot more fun that stacking, and just as important. A dog that can be
stacked to look very nice, may move poorly. Training
is easy, but try to include some distractions. One of
the biggest problems I have is the treat someone dropped on the ground.
Basically,
for most dogs, you hold the lead in you left hand and move the dog at a speed
that will result in the dog trotting. Not loping, not walking, TROTTING. If you watch the dog as he moves, at low speeds he
will walk and his rear will swing from side to side. As he moves faster, he
starts to trot. His back becomes straight, with a very and easy smooth
movement. He will be steady and easy to observe and judge. If you go too fast,
he will lope. Again he will be harder to judge. You should be trotting WITH the
dog. If he is ahead of you, you will not be able to steer the dog. He will be
trying to control direction and speed. (Some breeds are supposed to be in front, and maybe even pulling, but not many.) If he is
behind you, you will look like you are dragging him, and he will tend to keep
his head down. When showing a large dog, remember he does not take long to
cross the ring. When you start moving him in a pattern, START at a trot. Don't
gradually build up speed. The sooner he gets to speed, and the sooner he
straightens out, the longer the judge will have to look at him.
Not
all of this stuff is true for every breed. Please check with your breeder or
someone who should know if your breed is handled differently. Some, for
instance, are supposed to pull you around the ring.
Getting
him to trot nicely will take some practice. You do not really want the dog to
'heel'. He would be too close. The dog is the center of attention. Keep your
arm out. If you move smoothly and with long strides it help keep him smooth. If
he gets ahead or lopes, jerk on the lead just enough to slow him down. If he
lags, he is not having fun. Use treats and praise to
get him to speed up. He should enjoy trotting with you. If he does OK in
practice, but lags in the ring, he is probably nervous. Don't get mad, praise
and treat him. Remember he needs to get accustomed to this and build his
confidence. Don't trot with a piece of bait held out. The dog will tend to keep
his eye on the bait and run sideways. Treat him after he is finished trotting.
Always
(almost always) keep the dog on your left. When running by a fence or whatever,
always (almost always) keep between the dog and the
fence. This will keep you on the side away from your judge. The judges gets an unobstructed view. This means the judge
really only gets to see your dog's left side most of the time. If you are moving the dog directly toward or away the judge, the
DOG should be moving toward or away from the judge, not you. If you run
directly toward the judge, the judge will NOT get a straight on view of your
dog.
After
you have him trotting well, it is time to worry about the tough part. You don't
get to trot him just anywhere. You have to learn the patterns. You more than the dog. The first and simplest pattern is
almost always used to view a dog in movement from the side. The ring is, of
course, square. The judge will almost always stand in a corner of the ring on a
diagonal. Call this home plate. The judge will tell you (or you and all the
other handlers in the ring) to take the dog(s) 'Around'. That means you move
the dog along the outside of the ring with you between the dog and the fence.
Don't worry about making sharp right angle turns. That would throw your dog off
stride. Turn on a curve when you reach the corner. The main thing is to keep it
smooth. Stopping is required. Bring your dog to a gradual halt (to try to get
him to look nice after stopping without major restacking) behind the last dog
(if any).
The
next most common request is to take the dog 'across the ring and back'. The
first thing is to take the dog (a walk is fine) in front of the judge. Most of
the patterns start this way. Handlers that have big dogs may then move the dog
around their body so that the dog ends up facing directly away from the judge
on the diagonal and across the ring. That way you start out with the dog in
position and moving, while still close to the judge. Another big dog option is
to start beside or even behind the judge to get the dog moving sooner. In this
pattern you will trot on a diagonal from home plate to second base and back
again. Remember that a large dog may move in a gradual curve and take longer to
get going and longer to line up for a true rear view. A large dog will not take
many steps before he crosses the ring. You want him to get in as many straight
smooth strides in as possible. Remember, the DOG should be moving directly away
from the judge, NOT you. In this pattern, the dog runs on the diagonal, you run
alongside him. Now the hard part of this pattern. A U-turn. When you approach the far corner, you move across
the diagonal while moving the dog around your body to head him straight back
toward the judge (Especially with a loage dog.). With
a little practice, you will end up with the dog headed back right on the
diagonal with you by his side.
Well,
you have to stop somewhere here or the judge will be irritated when you knock
him over. Most of the time, unless the judge tells you otherwise, you start
slowing the dog down and 'walk' him into a nice stack about 5 or 6 feet in
front of the judge. DON'T touch the dog to adjust his legs. The dog can be in
any attractive position. It's usually called displaying the dog. If the dog has
a fault, take this into consideration when deciding on a position. I pull out a
piece of bait and move him so he ends up diagonally in front of the judge. Kind of a three quarter view. You can stop with him facing
the judge, but don't be holding a piece of liver so it blocks the judge's view.
You can present a side view. This requires more handling, but it can allow you
to display the dog's right side if you have a reason to want to. A lot of
spotted or multi-colored dogs have a best side. Remember,
don't get between the judge and the dog. A lot of handlers throw bait at this
time to get an alert expression on the dog's face. (I've been told that in
Another pattern you will see is the 'triangle'. It isn't any
harder than the 'across and back'. It is kind of a combination of moving you
dog 'around' the ring and the 'across and back'. You start out moving your dog
toward first base away from the judge along the fence just like an 'around'.
Try to remember that the judge wants a look at the dogs
rear straight on. Keep him moving further into the corner than before if you
can to give the judge a longer time to look. Then turn and continue along the
fence until you hit second base. While you are doing this the judge gets
another opportunity to see the dog's movement from the side. When you reach
that corner stop the dog, move him around your body until he is facing the
judge just like in the 'away and back'. Treat the rest like you are on the back
leg of an 'away and back' going from second toward home plate, display your dog
and get him back in line.
The 'L' pattern used to be a lot tougher. Originally, you have to
keep the dog between you and the judge at all times. That meant that you had to
change hands. Twice. Hardly anyone does that now,
thankfully. Start this pattern like a triangle. When you reach second base you
execute a full 180 turn and retrace your path heading back toward first base.
After you do the 180 you will be on the wrong side of the dog, between the dog
and the judge. Not to worry. Most likely so will everyone else. The rear view
is presented on the first leg to first base. The dog's left side on the second
leg to second base. The dog's right side on the third leg back to first base.
The front view (burglars view) is shown on the final leg. Slow, stop, display
your dog, go to the back of the line.
There is yet one more pattern, but it is rarely requested. The 'T'. In this pattern, the judge usually stands half way
down one side. You will start from in front of the judge, and trot the dog
directly across the ring (NOT on a diagonal). This is the bottom of the 'T'.
Then take a right hand turn. This will place your body between the dog and the
judge. (In olden times you turned left instead and had to switch hands.) You
are now on the right top of the 'T'. When you reach the corner you take a U
turn and trot all the way to the opposite corner. You are now drawing the
entire top of the 'T' with the dog between you and the judge. U turn it again at the opposite corner and go back to the
center of that side. You are following the top left part of the 'T'. Again you
are on the wrong side. Now do a right turn and head directly back to the judge
retracing the bottom of the 'T'. Again, slow, display
your dog, go to the end of the line.