Loose Lead – Total Control

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116 – March, 2022

By Sandy Weaver

You’ve seen them–those dog/handler combos that go around the ring with perfect elegance, in perfect accord, and with no tension on the lead. The dog stays in the optimal position as they move confidently around the ring, and you wonder how on earth you and your dog could make that picture.

It’s not magic–it’s training. Conformation handling looks so simple–run around the ring, stand there with your dog, maybe collect the ribbon and do it again another day. It’s because it looks simple that many people don’t put in the time it takes to create a fabulous team in the ring.

“It takes time. It takes training. Here’s what you need to know and work on.”

First, you and your dog need to have a good, trusting relationship. Your dog needs to agree that you’re the team leader and you need to remember that you’re not the big, bad boss; you’re the member of the team with the most seniority. To get this relationship takes time, patience, and a lot of fun training games. Look at what your dog already likes to do–chase, fetch, catch, etc.–and add a command and praise to it. This allows the dog to play a game it likes and puts you in control of the game. You stay calm and fun–your dog will stay engaged and ready to learn while the two of you play. If you’re playing with a toy, when you’re finished with that training session, put the toy away so the dog learns to associate that favorite toy with you and with fun learning sessions. You can think of tricks you could use in the ring, like catching bait, spinning in place to the left and right, or posing in a “sit pretty” position, and begin to teach those, too. Short, fun work sessions several times a day is the prescription for building a good working relationship with your dog.

A vital skill that you and your dog need to master is head position. You need to be able to control your dog’s head. If you can’t control the head, you can’t stack the dog well, or gait the dog well. Look at the way the top people in your breed stack and gait their dogs and focus on the position of the dog’s head; that’s what you need to teach your dog to do, too.

Click here to read the complete article
116 – March, 2022

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