Help with showing dogs

[BorderColliez]

I am showing a new breed of dog - a black labrador. I am used to showing Boxers in general and this will be my first time showing a labrador in 4-H, and overall. I am in need of help!! I have never shown a dog quite like her. I'm asking so many questions that I had already got down and knew about with other dogs I've shown, but she's different and I'm going to need to use different methods with her. I may sound VERY inexperienced :p but I have been showing for years. It's just, like I said before, she is VERY different. She always finds a way to get me frusterated, and I of course hold it in, I want this to be fun for her and I want her to look forward to it, but it's hard. Any tips in general, and answers to my questions are GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Showmanship:
1. She won't hold a stack. Everytime I get her to stand, she sits down. I rolled a log under her to keep her from sitting, but a log isn't always going to be there. I also put my leg under her, but my leg has to move sometime or another. How can I get her to stand and hold it?

2. She won't hold her position. Everytime I get one foot in place, she moves the other. I tried saying "stay" when I put one foot in position, then moved the other and say "stay" but she still moves.

3. When I try to do the down and back, or any other form of trotting she will pull ahead, stop to sniff the ground, sniff while walking beside me, run ahead and strain on the leash, etc. She does everything EXCEPT trotting nicely beside me. How do I get her to trot beside me, with her head high?

4. How do I train her to stack efficently, and free stack?

She's got baiting pretty much down, but everything else she doesn't.

Any other tips and info, I would really like. Thanks.

Obedience:
1. She won't heel, no matter what I try, she won't. How do I get her to heel and not fall behind or pull ahead?

2. How do I teach her to go around my body and sit at heel?

3. Also, how do I train her to sit when I stop.

Other stuff:
1. Ignoring distractions. Any tips on that?
2. In the show ring I'm betting someone will have a ball. And even if I have a ball too, I'll bet she'd see the other persons ball and want it so bad she won't pay the least bit of attention to me. How do I prevent this?


I really need a lot of other tips, too.

Thank you!!

[borzoimom]

I am showing a new breed of dog - a black labrador. I am used to showing Boxers in general and this will be my first time showing a labrador in 4-H, and overall. I am in need of help!! I have never shown a dog quite like her. I'm asking so many questions that I had already got down and knew about with other dogs I've shown, but she's different and I'm going to need to use different methods with her. I may sound VERY inexperienced :p but I have been showing for years. It's just, like I said before, she is VERY different. She always finds a way to get me frusterated, and I of course hold it in, I want this to be fun for her and I want her to look forward to it, but it's hard. Any tips in general, and answers to my questions are GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Showmanship:
1. She won't hold a stack. Everytime I get her to stand, she sits down. I rolled a log under her to keep her from sitting, but a log isn't always going to be there. I also put my leg under her, but my leg has to move sometime or another. How can I get her to stand and hold it?- Easiest way to get a dog to hold a stack is to do this. With the dog standing on the judges side ( ie left) of you- put your hand on the inside of the right left. ( will post pictures).

2. She won't hold her position. Everytime I get one foot in place, she moves the other. I tried saying "stay" when I put one foot in position, then moved the other and say "stay" but she still moves.- Try this - with her standing in front of you, with your foot- step in towards her- she will back up a step- thus staying in a stand position. This is a subtle action. ( attached with videos when I get a free hand tonight to tape it.)

3. When I try to do the down and back, or any other form of trotting she will pull ahead, stop to sniff the ground, sniff while walking beside me, run ahead and strain on the leash, etc. She does everything EXCEPT trotting nicely beside me. How do I get her to trot beside me, with her head high?
Keep her closer to you- and I dont mean just in front of- I mean closer in from the side- ( again I will post videos tonight when I have an extra set of hands to tape.)

4. How do I train her to stack efficently, and free stack? Free stack is the hardest to teach if you do not use in training the right things. I use pieces of hot dog in training- then give on " okay". Why okay? Most judges say " okay one time around etc" second- the o and k has a gentle sound- but K is like a " popping " sound..

She's got baiting pretty much down, but everything else she doesn't.

Any other tips and info, I would really like. Thanks.
Training a dog to show- with a shy dog ( and she doesnt sound like it) you start at home on " safe grounds like the back yard. A dog with alot of character- you go somewhere else- and your house is too much of " reading the newspaper" by sniffing. I use parking lots- . When the dog puts her down to sniff anything- IMMEDIATELY TURN- in the other direction- 180 degrees- and go. She will learn to watch you- or get lost.

Obedience:
1. She won't heel, no matter what I try, she won't. How do I get her to heel and not fall behind or pull ahead? Try the above- as soon as she moves out too far ahead of you- IMMEDIATLY- TURN 180 degrees and go in the other direction- even pick up speed slightly in the first few steps so she has to pick up her trot and attention to follow you..

2. How do I teach her to go around my body and sit at heel? This can be taught several ways. From the old method of - with her sitting in front of you- take a step back with your left foot, and have her follow around in a circle to sit. With large dogs- behind the back is easier for them to learn. Standing with her in front of you- take a slight step back with your right foot- the movement will catch her eye- and on the command gently lead her around. .. Immediately praise as soon as she gets where she is supposed to be- and more praise on the sit. As she gets the point - back off the words- but as she gets to the left side of you- inhale slightly. Sounds stupid- but that puts her attention back to you if she forgets to sit.. ' OHHHH I SEE MOM.."

3. Also, how do I train her to sit when I stop.PRACTICE- PRACTICE- BUT - keep in mind- if you are showing her- she needs to understand the difference from training and showing. I use different collars- and different leads to practice for show- for obedience I use martingales and a leather or thicker nylon lead. Mine all have figured it out pretty quick- based on the collar they are wearing and the lead- do I sit when we stop- or do I stack..

Other stuff:
1. Ignoring distractions. Any tips on that? Keep her focused on you- using a word ( again I use okay) works. I also use the word "okay" when giving cookies or dinner... Pavlov dogs thought pattern again..
2. In the show ring I'm betting someone will have a ball. And even if I have a ball too, I'll bet she'd see the other persons ball and want it so bad she won't pay the least bit of attention to me. How do I prevent this? Same thing- okay means something good is coming- you can say it under your breath- and remember- its okay for them to be animated in the ring- they just have to be under control and not interfere with another dog.


I really need a lot of other tips, too.
If you had boxers- a lab would be a piece of cake. Boxers are much more likely to get " creative " in a ring. Remember- to have fun! Its not just for your enjoyment to enjoy what you are doing- but also- it lets the dog feel like their pressence is more desired by you- than what is going on across the ring..

Thank you!! Your welcome.. lollllllllll..

[BorderColliez]

Your welcome.. lollllllllll..
lol very funny :p I meant thanks in advance I just didnt write it all..lol

[borzoimom]

lol very funny :p I meant thanks in advance I just didnt write it all..lol
When my husband gets home- I will make you some videos- keep in mind = mine are already trained but you will see they they learned the body language- like your foot position and attention etc-. I always drill back to basics at least like 2 minutes a day- before moving on.
It was easier to make the notes off of the form without looking back and forth..

[BorderColliez]

Thank you verry much :)

[applesmom]

By the sound of your questions she's had no ring training whatsoever and it's possible you're expecting too much too soon.

She sounds like she's overwhelmed and confused! If that's the case, you'd need to begin her ring training just like you would with a puppy. One element at a time!

If you're planning on showing her any time soon and since you're already having problems with her sitting when she shouldn't, I'd suggest putting obedience training on the back burner until she has the show ring down pat.

Many dogs can do confirmation and obedience at the same time. But it takes a considerable amount of time and effort for them to learn the difference.

The first thing I'd suggest working on is control on lead. Until she has that down, everything else is just going to confuse her even more. An already out of control dog will just become more confused when new commands are introduced.

From what you've said, you know how to train her. You're simply getting ahead of yourself and need to go back to square one. :)

[BorderColliez]

Thank you :)

[borzoimom]

When you have a dog working on both- it can be done- but it is hard. While my shepherds did fine with understanding the difference by using different collars and leads- Zubin and Galina- we dropped it. As soon as Zubin hit the ring- he would not sit but free stack..lol. Just figure out which you want to do first and the most. Either of these sports can cross over into each other. If you do work on both- make the leads really obvious- I mean a show lead for show practice, and heavier collar and lead for obedience. Zubin was already showing when young- and as soon as he saw the ring, as I said, the " show dog " in him came out.

[BorderColliez]

OK thanks

[borzoimom]

If the wind is better tonight I will get you training videos. Keep in mind- this is how you train for show- .

[BorderColliez]

If the wind is better tonight I will get you training videos. Keep in mind- this is how you train for show- .
ok, thanks so much borzoimom

[applesmom]

When you have a dog working on both- it can be done- but it is hard. While my shepherds did fine with understanding the difference by using different collars and leads- Zubin and Galina- we dropped it. As soon as Zubin hit the ring- he would not sit but free stack..lol. Just figure out which you want to do first and the most. Either of these sports can cross over into each other. If you do work on both- make the leads really obvious- I mean a show lead for show practice, and heavier collar and lead for obedience. Zubin was already showing when young- and as soon as he saw the ring, as I said, the " show dog " in him came out.

Yep! Just like humans, the "blondes" of the canine world often miss the point or march to their own drummer. ;) :D

[BorderColliez]

Yep! Just like humans, the "blondes" of the canine world often miss the point or march to their own drummer. ;) :D
*scoff*scoff* lol

[borzoimom]

Yep! Just like humans, the "blondes" of the canine world often miss the point or march to their own drummer. ;) :D
OHHHHHHHHHH YEA!!! ;) :D Borzois- when in doubt- look beautiful!!! Stop and stack.. lol..