It is highly important, first, that you yourself can recognize the trot, as opposed to the pace. The TROT is a two-beat gait in which the feet at diagonally opposite ends of the body strike the ground TOGETHER. (right front, left rear strike the ground at the same time, left front, right rear strike together, etc...) The dog in the picture at the left is "trotting" which means the same in dog show language as "gaiting".In the PACE the feet strike the ground together on the same side of the body. Also, they usually move in the same direction in the pace, in other words, both right front and right rear move forwards together and strike the ground at the same time.....both left front and left rear the same.
One of the best training methods is to use a CLICKER to train your dog. If you simply can not master clicker training, just substitute the words "say good dog" or "offer praise" instead of the word "click" in the following paragraphs and you will have the right idea.
To train your puppy to trot, always use the SAME SIGNAL and click at the appropriate gait. (most puppies who are well built will pick up into a trot right away.) I use the word "HUP!" and train the pup by trotting a few feet (perhaps ten feet) clicking as the puppy breaks into the trot and giving the reward after he/she has trotted a few feet. I prefer to do the actual show training ON LEAD (with a harness until the puppy is accustomed to a collar and is no longer "fighting" the collar) and as soon as I stop the puppy, using the words "easy....stop", I walk the puppy into a stack and offer the treat (show ring: bait is allowed), At this point in time I do NOT worry about placement of rear feet but do try to get the front feet nicely positioned and not too close together, I do this by walking the puppy into the stack before I will give the treat. If you are clicking, you should be clicking twice during this exercise, once when the puppy goes into the gait, (but do not offer a treat at this point, onnly click him, or say good dog and offer praise), and once again as the puppy is standing with front feet correctly placed. At this point you offer him a treat. You are going to be carrying the clicker in your LEFT hand and the treat in your RIGHT hand, and you are going to be watching and BE SURE that you only click or praise when the pup is trotting.
TRAINING TIP: Use a broom handle (or any type of long stick) for helping the pup switch into a trot if it is a "pacer". Simply lay the handle in the path as the puppy begins to move, so that it must go over the handle. The pup will automatically switch into the trot. CLICK this behavior.(or verbally praise) If your dog still "paces" rather than trotting, you can begin the trot by making a short circle to the left or right and then straighten the dog. Indeed, many show handlers will make a circle at a walk with the dog, directly in front of the judge or to the sidc, and then briskly take the dog out on the down and back.
Speed should be moderate to start with. You will find that it is easier later on to regulate speed to a SLOW trot vs a FAST trot as you and the puppy become accustomed to each other's movement and also, as the puppy grows, the speed will change. If you start by just walking fast, yourself, then usually for most medium to large dogs this will end up being a wonderfully moderate gait for the dog, and will allow the judge to truly see the movement. In reality most judges do NOT like to see the dogs running around the ring at breakneck speed.
HINT: If you have a large breed male, you will need to learn to STRETCH your legs. Practice the "power walk" and stretch each leg as far as you can to get yourself into condition. If you have a small breed, it will NOT be correct to take smaller steps. It is better to practice taking the same length step that you always take, simply walk SLOWER or FASTER to change the gait of the puppy.
ALWAYS start the trot from a stand, and practice trotting several feet, then standing and "baiting", trotting several feet, and "baiting" again. Practice this at least five or six times before doing a different exercise or stopping the training period.
HINT: Does your town have any window/store fronts that extend clear to the sidewalk? These windows, especially if there are a group of them together, are WONDERFUL mirrors. Your town will begin to call you "the crazy dog lady" (like me) as you take your puppy DOWNTOWN to practice trotting and stacking in front of the windows! Not only will you be able to watch how you and your puppy look together, your puppy will become accustomed to bikes whizzing by, traffic in the street, strangers walking by, and city noises.
Training for all possibilities - Train your dog at home to eat in different places. Indoors, outdoors, in different rooms, and at different times of the day.(This will help so the dog will eat when you are away or when you take him to a show.
- Train your dog to a crate from the beginning so it will consider its crate its bed. That way you can take that crate into a motel, into the show site, set it out on the grass when it is a hot day and you are stopped at a restaurant....with no problems.
- Train your dog to go potty on a leash!! Flexi leashes are great for this!
- Train your dog to "settle" in the crate and in your vehicle. A raging noisey dog is NOT a good advertisement for your breed or yourself. Set up training situations if necessary and reward the dog for quiet behavior.
- check out these crate training tips for even more suggestions
- Train your dog to be familiar with blowing flags and things flapping the breeze! This is vital at an outdoor show and at a show where there are tents and awnings set up. The best way to train your dog for this is to set up your own tent or awning in your dog's fenced in yard for a time, (Borrow one if you don't have one)!
- Train your dog to be familiar with children in strollers and people in wheelchairs . If possible ask your obedience class trainer or your handling class trainer to preview these possibilities. Or you can always take your dog to a local mall. If you are not allowed to go in, hang out in the parking lot. A shopping cart is a great thing to take a dog around!
When gaiting, train your dog to keep his head STRAIGHT. If he turns his head to look up at you as they do in Obedience, it will throw his gait off. Reward him with praise or click each time his head is straight in front of him. Do not reward with a treat as this will make him look sideways and upwards instead of straight.
Your dog needs to become accustomed to crowds, noises, people, traffic, standing on a grooming table (depending on the breed), and a lot of incidental stuff. Try to expose your dog to as many sights and sounds as possible. Take him to parades, flea markets,softball games, football games, ....also as many indoor stores and malls that you can find that will allow dogs inside, (Petsmart and Petco, for example) and expose him to walking in high traffic areas whenever you can. A dog that grows up in an isolated country area is at a disadvantage when it comes to a dog show uless you give him the skills he needs to cope with the noises and confusion of a dog show, and you can not epect to win, even if you have the best looking dog in the world, if he does not behave well. So...the first job is to train your dog well. Do not say, well, I'm going to put my dog with a handler....that may or may not do anything for you. Handlers are not the dog's owner and they are not miracle workers..they can not turn a country bumpkin into a city slicker and even if they can it doesnt happen overnight, so it will cost you more in the end.
WHAT IS THE CONFORMATION RING?
THE GROUP RING AND BEST IN SHOW
copyright Kaylar.com 2007