Did You Know? – The “BASICS” Should Still Be In Play

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124 – July, 2026

By Michael Canalizo

One reads lots of comments about how someone “Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda” done something in the ring–or, to a certain degree, how they “Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda” improved their results. I see exhibitors making “rookie” errors both inside and outside the ring. So, I think this month we will have a little review of some basic show skills to bring into the ring with you.

Know where to stack your dog. Take a moment to watch the class before yours. Judges will stand an entry in the same place almost 99% of the time (sudden weather-related conditions notwithstanding). If you’re judged on the ground/floor, move up and start to stack as soon as the judge starts to gait the entry in front of you. If you’re first in line, know where they examined from in the previous class. If you’re a tabled breed, go right on the table once the dog before you leaves. If you’re the only one in the class, be mindful if the judge wants you on the table before taking you around. If you’re a judge reading this: almost every exhibitor prefers to be moved before just going on the table.

For both floor and table breeds: You should master how to stack a dog in less than 20 seconds. Don’t waste time dropping the front of a dog unless you know it will drop perfectly every time. You wind up rearranging feet after the drop, and that wastes time. Master how to move “one leg to meet the other.” That saves time, and remember, when moving any extremity, pick it up from a joint. For the front, it’s the elbow (not the pastern, which goes limp when lifted). Holding the elbow allows you to swing the leg as needed into the right place. For the rear, it’s the hock joint.

Click here to read the complete article
124 – July, 2026

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