Training schedule for show - Page 1

Can anyone tell me about how early before a show start the training of  dog/s,and also any informations about training schedule????

Thanks in advance

Specifically what kind of training are your referring to? For an adult already titled dog or a pup/ young dog? What kind of show? German conformation, AKC, UKC? Theresa

I'm reffering to any kind of training ,biking,swimming,etc.For a young dog basically, for a sieger show.

i want to know how many months beefore the show start the training,and what type and duration of training iw suitable and most effective.

If you're talking about a young dog.....say 12 months........then you should have already started SchH training... The dog will need BH, AD, SchH1 and breed survey by the time its 2.5 years old.

If this is a dog that's already titled then this ... http://siriusdog.com/ausdauerprufung-ad.htm is a decent article to get you started.

There are 2 different muscle groups, the long ones and the short ones.... Bicycle work will help with endurance and the long muscles, but the shorter muscles will also need to be developed also... Tug games like Ivan Balabanof teaches will help with this.

If your dog is less then 12 months, first get hips and elbows checked to make darn sure everything is good to go before starting to work and then the work will be much less..... over working a puppy can ruin it.

The dog that is best fit..... (not just thin) is the one that is placed well. He must be lean (1 or 2 ribs showing) and have muscle mass....

think abou it as looking at two athletes who happen to be twins..... they're both marathon runners...... one spends his days training mostly by running, the other also lifts weights. one is thin and rather average looking, the other has well defined abs, lats, shoulders...etc...... if they were dogs, the second would be placed well above the first......

Your dog must also understand what to do in the showring and he must also exude confidence!

Well stated Sita!

To develop the short muscles, tug games are very helpful. The dog runs and jumps for the tug in somewhat tight circles very quickly. These type of work should be fun for the dog. In the classic game of fetch, when the dog is going from a stand to full out run developing both long and short muscles, and it also helps to keep fun and excitement in the dogs life.

If in both of these games, the dog is asked to do something (sit, down, heel...etc...while still in prey drive) before he is given the reward (a tug game or run for the ball), it can increase the quickness of his responses and the dog will enjoy obedience work. Such games also develops a very strong bond between dog and owner.

Ivan Balabanof uses tug games in his obedience without conflict DVD. Michal Ellis had a DVD "The power of playing with toys" also.

Gaiting must also be taught...... this is a special movement where the dog is using mainly his hind legs to propel his body. He must be taught to pull on a leash while his head is in a "high but natural" position.  He is not scrambling with his front legs and neck extended and nose close to the ground... This is very, very important. With this type of movement the dog increases the reach in both his front and hind legs. Special muscle groups must be devleoped for a dog to gait properly and the only way to develop them is to practice, practice, practice...starting out with very short sessions and building upon it.

Many beginners mistake a dog pulling (clawing and scrambling) with its front legs and its head down as gaiting..... Not only does it look bad, but in a very young puppy can cause elbow damage.



If this is your first time showing, I strongly suggest that you find a few club or regional shows to enter before the Sieger Show..... The judge will critique your dog..and you will have some idea of what work is needed before the big show.
The judge will tell you what he thinks your dogs weaknesses are, if its in correct physical shape, if it shows enough confidence, if its need go gain weight or if its muscles are too loose.....all of this is very valuable information as you will need this guidance along the way.

Entering the smaller shows also supports local clubs and helps to keep them going...... this is so very important as we don't have enough clubs and especially dont have enough clubs holding conformation shows.......

 You will also get a much better idea of what the show is all about and what is expected (double handling, water for handler, etc...), and your dog will learn what is expected of him and hopefully enter the ring much more confidence.





 

If the dog will be showing in a class under 2yrs old, then no titles are needed. In that case you need to do ring training and conditioning only, as was mentioned. How old will the dog be at the time of show? The degree and intensity of trainig depends on age. Theresa

Thank you all for your answers!

Theresa the dog will be 16 months at thw time of the show.Now he is 12 months.

#1 get hips and elbows checked

Alright, so technically, there are no training requirements per se, for your age group, which will be 12-18 months. Ideally, if you want to do things correctly, you will start several months in advance, with lower intensity workouts, and gradually increase intensity and duration for endurance. Endurance is important in the ring, especially later on, in the adult classes. Dogs with lower endurance will break down physically after a couple of laps in the ring, and a dog that presents itself beautifully in the stand and first lap, will quickly lose placements if they are overweight and out of shape. Also, ring training is important. You will need to have a handler, preferably experienced, to help guide you through the process and steps. You should have several sessions of ring training before a show for an inexperienced dog and for you too! :-) You will be double handling on the outside of the ring, and the amount of double handling you do is entirely dependent on your dog. Will he or she need a lot of action and enticement from youor little? Does your dog have a nice proper natural gait? This is very important, and why you will need several sessions with an experienced handler. You have to know your dog, and what works best for him or her. Your dog will also need to be comfortable with have teeth checked, and testicles checked if it is a male, as well as tattoo verified. Some dogs have no issue at all with this, others need to get used to being handled by others. Also, very important, your dog will need to get used to hearing gun shots and not shying away or going balistic. Indifference is ideal, a little excitement is ok, as long as there is no sign of fear. Again, this may be easy for your dog, or may not. It may take time, so the sooner you test it the better. Do not hold the gun in one hand and your dog on a leash in the other. This is faaar too close. There is a specific way to do this and an experienced handler can help with this too. With a 16 month old I basically did two ball every other day until he was worn out... along with regular training and a slight decrease in food. It totally depends on your dog's condition. I personally would not do any hard core heavy duty conditioning for that age. Make sure he is not loose- meaning when he runs or gaits, does his skin along his ribs move or jiggle? If so, he is overweight, if not, if he is tight and firm, then that is good. Ribs should be easily felt by running you hand down the side, but not protruding. There should be a visible waistline, and dog should appear well muscled and fit. IMO, these are things important for show preparation. Just out of curiousity, where are you located? There are several very good and experienced people that could help you scattered all over the US. Theresa