Silverbolt Prime Question for ya. - Page 1

Hi.  You offered advice about showing your dog etc.  I need a little.  Would like to know how my dog and become 1?  I was told by a judge that we don't work as a team!  How do you work on that etc.  Some told me to take him out to a track and run with him over and over and it will finally hit us onto what the correct speed is for us etc.  Any suggestions for us?  I am going to show him in Nov, I hope when his hot spots are cleared up and his hair is grown back.  They are looking awesome and I think he will be ready then.   Thanks for any advice you can give us.

You didn't say if this is German showing or American showing, so I'll give a few tips that wil help with either one. The methods for both are similar at the communication level, but differnece in actual ring-talk.

Speed is only part of the issue. Infact I think it's one of the latter things. First is learning to communicate with your dog, letting him know how to keep pace with you, working out some method between the two of you for passing the word back and forth. Just running with him won't help unless you start communicating first.

And to do that you have to appreciate how dogs communicate to each other. It's like learning another language and it's important to understand dogs and humans aren't born knowing what human words mean.

Dogs, first and foremost are a non-verbal creature. Barking and growling are their last line of communication in most cases the best way to work with them is through non-verbal cues, then develope a spoken vocabulary off of that. I key sound that can later be attached to a phrase. And thus the language developes.

Dogs also use physical means of communication. That's something humans never really think of except in the cases of corrections. They bump each other, nudge, and paw... Humans have access to that, but a lot of folks don't realize it. Take the leash, for example -- A leash can be used as a wonderful means for the handler to relay information to the dog, and vice versa. It's often only seen as a restraining device; and if the handler sees it as that the dog will to... hence struggling against the leash or being unresponsive to lead corrections.

When running a dog I use a gentle tug on the lead to let the dog know to slow down; a stronger tug, or multiple tugs is a correction.

I cluck my tongue to let the dog know to speed up. That same "clk-clk" that a lot of people use with horses. Then I start using "hup hup" at the same time as the click, and soon the dog learns that both the tongue clicking and "hup hup" mean "go faster."

The advice you got, taking him and running with him, comes later. Depending on how you work your dog, you can either start with leash-talk, or verbalizing. Start with walks, even inside the house, with your dog on the leash. Get him used to responding to your cues. Dogs are remarkably perceptive, and once he learns to pay attention to you through the leash you can move it outside. The third step is running and finding a comfortable speed that best shows off his gait. That is the point of moving in the ring, letting the judge view the lenght of his reach and the fluid mechanics of his gait.

Let me know what type of show you're training for, and I'll give you a few more suggestions.

~Silver

We show in UKC United Kennel Club, American shows.  He finished for his championship 2 days under a year old and we are now going for his grand championship.  I was told by a judge in July that we are not a team and I need to work on that!  I can say that the day he told me that, I was not even in to showing him!  I was very upset and he Chaos could feel it, I know he could.  I didn't even really want to be there.  My father had died the day before the 2nd show day.  I only went because I had already paid and didn't want to lose out on the money.  I know Chaos could feel it through the leash.  I haven't shown him since July also because he started getting hot spots and scars etc above his right eye.  Can't show a dog with scabs etc, lol.  Any way, he is looking great now and I hope to show him in Nov.  Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

SW =

I still can't get over how beautiful he is! :)

Thank you so much ladywolf : - } 

Just wish the judges would start thinking so too, lol.  Well most of them do, but there are some that they that they are not long coat lovers and the pick the other over him.  But as soon as we can get this down, I think he will go a long way : - }

Thanks again

(sorry it took me so long to get back to you; work traveling... fun fun.) --- Sounds like you two are pretty in sync if he's picking up your feelings during that show. Dogs are sensitive like that.

On showing:

First myth debunked on ring gaiting: fast doesn't equal better! 

I see people sprinting around the ring and it doesn't show how the dog moves any better, especially if the poor fellows are just under breaking into a gallop. 

I'm sure you know that the speed should be a trot, that two-beat gait where the feet are diagonal from each other at the time they hit the ground. Speed realy isn't important as long as the dog is trotting ,and he looks good. As for yourself, you'll be running, so try and glide; nice, long, easy steps. Picture running like a shepherd with that flying reach. It takes a bit of practice getting used to, but the results are worth it. 

In this style of ring showing, your presentation of movement is just as important as his. When dog and handler are moving in a sychonized measure, the judges love that.

So, starting off:

 You can practice setting out an item in the field (a chair, bucket, whatever) to represent the judge and concentrate on him moving in a straight line going away from the "judge" and back. Always start the run, don't let him do it, otherwise you'll never catch up and it'll be apparent who is leading who. Practice this back and forth, away and back to the "judge" at several speeds until you find one that works best to show off his movement.

This also lets you check to see if he's sidewinding; where he'll keep his head closer to you, and swing the rest of his body sideways. This is not a fault of structure, but if he's uncertain about his situation he sways outwards in his movement. Some dogs are especially prone to this, especially if they're highly sensitive to leash corrections -- in which case using a leash correction on this movement problem only makes it worse. Sidewiding can be improved by running the dog between you and a hedge, fence, or wall, and building up his confidence in you.

When it comes to circling the ring encourage him to move even with you, not ahead. Always start in the lead, encourage him, and don't slow up on the turns. If he's holding his head down, don't worry about that yet. Focus on place and setting that trot. Once he stars feeling more confident his head should come up on its own. Jerking at the leash to haul his head up can only make him rebel, and might promote sidewinding, depending on his temperment.

If you can, set up a ring area with straight ways and turns. Get him used to moving in this motion, and this is where you can really work on speed and teamwork. Count "one-two, one-two" in time to his trot. He'll hear your voice, and start to associate the movement with the beat. That's where the real teamwork starts to come in. Mutual understanding.

Since you'll probably be working on a loose lead -- as long as he's shoulder-to-hip heeling with you he has some leeway insofar as how far he is from you. You don't need to pull him tight to your thight if he seems to prefer that extra space. That's only a requirement for Obedience showing.

Make sure he doens't fall to a pace, that four-beat movement where the feet on front-right, rear-right connect at the same time. This gives a rolling impression of movement, and many judges often won't look twice at a pacing dog.

If he's prone to pacing, start him on a hard lead, fast. One's he's jumped into a trot you can slow down if you must, but if you loose that trot, it's almost impossible to get it back. I've watched a lot of dogs loo

not knowing anything about showing in American conformation shows - you are allowed to show him if he's long-coat? 

molly

Different Kennel Clubs, different standards. You're allowed to show a coated dog, just have to be aware that it's not agreeable for the breed standard in most cases. While most standards agree that a long coat is a fault, serious fault, or disqualification, other clubs support the appearence, and do not dismiss a dog from the ring for having it.

Here are a few standards for the German Shepherd Dog, starting with the FCI standard, which is what I breed to. It's an international standard. The others are localized to specific countries / clubs. There is a sepperate standard for pro-coated GSD clubs, but I have not included it becasue specialtiy club events are not always regarded with the same credation as national/international clubs and events.

The theory behind the coat is utility, buit many people prefer the plush and long coated GSDs for aesthetics. It is a simple recessive trait, easy to breed for through combining two coated parents. It surfaces unitentionally if both parents are 50% heterozygous for the trait, resulting in a 25% chance per pup that the dog will express the coated trait, and a 5-% chance per pup that the idividual will carry the trait.

FCI on Coat

a) The medium smooth coated German Shepherd Dog

The outer coat should be as thick as possible. The individual hairs are straight, coarse and lying flat against the body. The coat is short on the head inclusive of the ears, the front of the legs, the feet and the toes but longer and thicker on the neck. The hair grows longer on the back of the fore- and hind legs as far down as the pastern and the hock joint, forming moderate breeching on the thighs. the length of the hair varies, and due to these differences in length, there are many intermediate forms. A too short or mole like coat is faulty.

b) The long smooth coated German Shepherd Dog

The individual hairs are longer, not always straight and above all not lying close to the body. The coat is considerably longer inside and behind the ears, on the back of the forearm and usually in the loin area. now and then there will be tufts in the ears and feathering from elbow to pastern. The breeching along the thigh is long and thick. The tail is bushy with slight feathering underneath. the long-smooth-coat is not as weatherproof as the medium-smooth-coat and is therefore undesirable; however, provided there is sufficient undercoat, it may be passed for breeding, as long as the breed regulations of the country allow it.

With the long smooth coated German Shepherd Dog, a narrow chest and narrow overstretched muzzle are frequently found.

c) The long coated German Shepherd Dog

 The coat is considerably longer than that of the long-smooth-coat. It is generally very soft and forms a parting along the back. The undercoat will be found in the region of the loins or will not be present at all. A long coat is greatly diminished in weatherproofing and utility and therefore is undesirable. --- http://www.workingdogs.com/standard_fci.htm

AKC's stance on Coat -- USA
The ideal dog has a double coat of medium length. The outer coat should be as dense as possible, hair straight, harsh and lying close to the body. A slightly wavy outer coat, often of wiry texture, is permissible. The head, including the inner ear and foreface, and the legs and paws are covered with short hair, and the neck with longer and thicker hair. The rear of the forelegs and hind legs has somewhat longer hair extending to the pastern and hock, respectively. Faults in coat include soft, silky, too long outer coat, woolly, curly, and open coat. --- http://www.akc.org/breeds/german_shepherd_dog/

The Shepherd is normally a dog with a double coat, the amount of undercoat varying with the season of the year and the proportion of the time the dog spends out of doors. It should, however, always be present to a sufficient degree to keep out water, to insulate against temperature extremes, and as a protection against insects. The outer coat should be as dense as possible, hair straight, harsh and lying close to the body. A slightly wavy outer coat, often of wiry texture, is equally permissible. The head, including the inner ear, foreface, and legs and paws are covered with short hair, and the neck with longer and thicker hair. The rear of forelegs and hind legs has somewhat longer hair extending to the pastern and hock respectively. Faults in coat include complete lack of any undercoat, soft, silky or too long outer coat and curly or open coat. --- http://www.ckc.ca/en/Default.aspx?tabid=99&BreedCode=GSD

Universal Kennel Club Coat

The German Shepherd Dog is double coated. The outer coat lies close to the body and is dense and straight with harsh texture. A slight wave is acceptable in a particularly harsh coat. The undercoat is short, dense, and fine-textured. The coat on the body is of medium length but not so long as to detract from the dog's ability to withstand bad weather conditions. The coat is shorter on the head (including the inside of the ear), the legs, and the feet. The coat on the neck is longer and thicker, forming a slight ruff, particularly on some males. The hair on the back of the legs is longer and thicker, forming trousers on the hindquarters, and extending to the pasterns in front and the hock joint behind. --- http://www.ukcdogs.com/RegistrationBreeds.htm

Serious faults: Short, mole type coat; long coat that stands away from the body; soft coat; absence of undercoat.

Thanks for all of the info on showing.  We have been in a few shows so far and in only one show, I don't know what the heck I did, but people said that I looked like I owned the ring and so did Chaos!  So I know he cannnn show when he wants to.  I think in that show, I thought my butt was kicked so I just went in the ring and ran him with out even thinking about what I was doing.  He took best of breed over a female and that was HUGE because that gave him his Championship.  I was shocked to say the least that he beat this bitch out!  She was beautiful.  That's when they said that I was a totally different handler in the ring!  We are hopefully going to do a show Nov. 17th and 18th.  If his hot spots are completely cleared up and his hair is fully back.  So far he is looking good.  I have only felt very small scabs under his fur in some places.  I wish they would just go away!  I will set up a small ring out side in my back yard and practice with him to see if we can get it down.  There are plenty of distractions out there.  Thanks again for the info : - }