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Post by mtndog on Dec 28, 2005 23:08:07 GMT -5
We have a puppy we plan to show with the assistance of the breeder/handler. We were asked to not teach the dog to sit to avoid the dog sitting in the ring. Pretty much everyone has looked at us cross-eyed when we try to explain this.
We are at a point where we would really like to teach the dog to sit. We don't want to disrepect the wishes of the breeder though, so I'm looking for some support on the subject either way.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
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Post by sibemom on Dec 29, 2005 7:57:33 GMT -5
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Post by willow on Dec 29, 2005 9:51:59 GMT -5
Having also competed in ob, I agree with Sibemom. Go ahead and teach your pup to "sit", but also teach him to "stand for examination" like is taught in ob. The stand also comes in real handy for grooming etc., or anytime you don't want your dog to sit down. You can also train your dog to a hand signal so you don't have to say anything to him in the ring....just give the signal.
Our KC also had ob classes and classes to train the dog for the "show" ring if you wanted to go into that, and if it were me, I would first thoroughly train my pup in ob, and then "groom" him for the show ring.
JMO, which means nothing, but I can't STAND the way they hold the dogs head up with a tight leash while running around the show ring! With the smaller dogs, their front feet are literally being lifted off the ground!
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Post by mtndog on Dec 29, 2005 22:55:53 GMT -5
Sibemom - Thanks for the advice. Our dog is a 4.5 month old Greater Swiss Mtn Dog.
Willow - Thanks as well.
We've actually been working on stand from day one, and our little (make that big...) Swissy does well with this command. He knows that hand command as well. Sounds like everything should work out just fine. Not having been involved in this whole show thing before, we didn't want to screw anything up!
Thanks again.
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Post by Aussienot on Jan 2, 2006 21:29:29 GMT -5
Here's what I have picked up from show people in obedience classes. Teaching sit as a command in isolation is ok; good, in fact, because it's such a handy thing for the dog to know.
However if you are raising a show dog, when training heeling, don't teach the automatic sit at the halt. Teach an automatic stand/or stack when you halt. You want the dog to associate moving with standing when the moving stops.
Basically you only want the dog to sit when commanded, not sit everytime you stop moving. Never ask the dog to sit in heel position, only a front sit or on your right. Save the heel position on your left side for the pretty stands.
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Post by ripley on Jan 4, 2006 13:59:53 GMT -5
You actually can have a dog that will heel correctly (sit at halt included) and have a dog that can freestack after gaiting. I know dozens of obedience titled dogs who show in conformation, and they definitely have been taught to sit. When you're showing and gaiting the dog, they are not heeling although many are near your side. They aren't supposed to be looking at you, they should have their head facing forward and they just.... go! Treat this like you would treat an automatic sit. When the dog is done gaiting, give them a cue to stack before they can even consider sitting. Sooner or later they will catch onto the difference between gaiting and heeling. (And if your dog does sit in the ring, just quickly get him back up. Judges are pretty good about things like that with puppies.)
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Post by Brooke on Jan 4, 2006 20:22:25 GMT -5
You actually can have a dog that will heel correctly (sit at halt included) and have a dog that can freestack after gaiting. I know dozens of obedience titled dogs who show in conformation, and they definitely have been taught to sit. When you're showing and gaiting the dog, they are not heeling although many are near your side. They aren't supposed to be looking at you, they should have their head facing forward and they just.... go! Treat this like you would treat an automatic sit. When the dog is done gaiting, give them a cue to stack before they can even consider sitting. Sooner or later they will catch onto the difference between gaiting and heeling. (And if your dog does sit in the ring, just quickly get him back up. Judges are pretty good about things like that with puppies.) Hey! Where you been girl! Good to see you again! ;D
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Post by willow on Jan 5, 2006 9:23:27 GMT -5
"Freestack"? "Gaiting"? So that's what they're doing in the comformation ring! I am glad to learn the correct terms and it sounds like someone has been hanging around the "show circuit"? How are you doing? ;D
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