Show Experts my Hubby Needs Help

[Falconara]

I just thought I would make one note to the show folks who have alot more experience than I do :

The White Shepherd should be shown more moderatley than the German Shepherd...less extreme side gait and less extreme stack...the emphasis in movement isnt placed on the side gait - the front and rear gait are seriously important as well to these folks. The last judge I asked about it said that their trot / stack is 'more functional' (behind his hand )

Soooo...that's just the note I had O.o lol - I have given some suggestions...but I am not gonna lie...I am so new and frequently screw up so royally that I just try to go in an have fun and not make a fool out of myself. (like that time I forgot to stack Ruby, or that time when I went into the ring with my keys on my carabiner still attached to my pants...or that time I tripped over Leo....hmmmmm.) Most of you have seen more shepherds showing than I have...and if you can apply the above to that I would really like to hear what you have to say....because...well...as my SchH buddies say, I'm a clutz and do everything in a clutzish fashion O.o

~Cate

[Spiritwind]

Also another thing I just noticed.. you need to hold the lead in one hand.. not in both hands at the sametime. Your show lead will be a MUCH thinner lead that you can bunch up and hold in one hand....

So I guess the first things I would do is make sure you get a proper show collar and lead.... and hold the lead the right way... make sure the collar sits a little higher up on the neck (not as low a bucket collar)..

Like I said before I can't watch the videos, so I'm not sure how fast your husband was moving/gaiting Ajax... with a shepherd you should pretty much be running with the dog to get him to move at his correct speed and move correctly... front and rear movement (like in the quote below) can really be thrown off if you move the dog to slow or to fast...

When I show my Collies I have to run with most of them to get them up to the proper speed to show off the correct movement...

I just thought I would make one note to the show folks who have alot more experience than I do :

The White Shepherd should be shown more moderatley than the German Shepherd...less extreme side gait and less extreme stack...the emphasis in movement isnt placed on the side gait - the front and rear gait are seriously important as well to these folks. The last judge I asked about it said that their trot / stack is 'more functional' (behind his hand )

[lute]

There is a lot of work ahead of these two. For both being novices they aren't too bad. Every one has givin you some great advice.

When stacking the dog in the ring you are presenting the dog. The handler needs to be as invisible as possible. Use as little movement as possible. Pull the collar to the top of the neck and hold it up. You have total control of the body when you have control of the head. Hold the collar up the whole time you are stacking the dog.

Bait should only be used as a reward. Never during stacking. The dog is concentrating on getting the bait instead of stacking. When I am handling I don't even give bait until we are done in the ring. The dog must finish the entire task before being rewarded. I use bait to get ears to stand and get expression.

You can totally eliminate fiddling for bait if you stick it in your mouth. Some bait tastes horrible, but you just have to deal. It's easy access.

I don't know much about shepherd movement. I do know, like everyone else said, that they are moved quick and in front of the handler. Almost looks like they are dragging the handler.

When the judge is going over the dog back away, but keep your hand still holding the head up by the collar. Stay out of the judges way. That's another part of the "invisible handler" thing.

A WONDERFUL book and training and the mind set while showing dogs is The Winning Edge by George Alston. I bought mine from dogwise.com They have a ton of informational books.

Good luck!