DS250 Best in Class: Conformation Show Skills and Conditioning

Week 1

• Terminology
• Understanding your specific breed standard and how important this is.
• Stacking “Balanced Stands”
o What is stacking?
o What does a stacked dog look like?
 Do’s and don’ts
o How do we teach our dogs to stack?
 Hand stacking
 Free stacking (we will talk about this later in the class on teaching it)
• Equipment
o Stacking boxes (purchased or homemade will give DIY instructions)
o Inflatable equipment (pieces you will need)

Week 2

• Anatomy & angulation knowledge
• Continue working on stacking our dogs.
• Equipment and how to use it.
o Leads
o Collars
• Conditioning exercises for teaching a “stacked” stand.
o The do’s and don’ts

Week 3

• Target training for the ring
• Conditioning exercises
o for pulling over their front
o Strengthening dog’s topline
• Introducing inflatable equipment and how to use it.

Week 4

• Form and Function
• All about gaiting your dog.
• What is gaiting?
• How do we teach it?
• What should it look like?
o If there is a table or ramp in the ring, what do you do?
• Conditioning exercises to support gaiting.
o Cavaletti poles for the breed ring
• Train your dog to move ahead of you in a straight line in the ring.

Week 5

• Total body conditioning exercises for a strong stand and movement in the ring
o Exercises to target the front, core and rear and how to advance them for your dog specifically.

Week 6

• All about the judge’s exam
• Showing the dog’s bite
• How to support your dog in the ring during the exam
• What is the judge looking for and feeling for and how can you make your dog feel their best to the judge.

Equipment needed.

• Wooden Blocks or a stacking box
o I will give DIY instructions on building your own in week 1.
• Fit bone or propel inflatable or flexiness stacking bars.
• Foam pad
o I will demonstrate how to use the fitpaws wedge inflatable but it’s not a required piece of equipment.
• Yoga mat (a thick one in which you can cut up and some tape)
• A pivot disc.
o A paver, a bowl with non-slip placed on top of it, something stable that won’t move with your dog putting weight on it.
• A wardrobe (long) mirror is useful.
• A tripod to video your sessions.

How the judge sees your dog. See image below. Here you have nailed the perfect stack for your dog in the ring. Things are going amazing! BUT do you know how to properly present your dog in a manner that will support your dog’s structure while the judge goes over (examines) your dog? To fully understand this, we must know what the judge is “feeling” for.

What the judge is feeling when they “go over” (examine) your dog. See image below.

What is the judge feeling for during their exam? The above picture outlines what they are looking and feeling for and explains why their hands are placed where they are during the judge’s exam.

How can you make sure the judge feels what they are needed to on your dog? With a proper stack!

The stack is the most important component of dog showing.

It provides the judge with the outline of your dog.

The outline paints the picture of “type” along with overall conformation. Remember it matters.

The stack can have multiple different looks depending on your style of showing.

The stack will make your dog feel good to a judge or it will not.

The stack will affect how your dog’s structure feels to the judge as they are examining.

We don’t want to stack our dogs poorly as it can render the dog with more movement. Think about a dog wiggling around or sinking into their structure. We have all seen it or experienced it.

Now consider if you have stacked your dog properly, the dog is standing with balance and intention in their stance. This dog will feel better to the judge.

Your ability to control your dog’s head during the exam can make a nervous or make them confident in examining your dog.

Why does the head position and control matter?
The head being under complete control controls the dog and the spine of the dog. We want the spine of the dog to be straight. Maintains stillness in your dog’s body.

DON’T: stack your dog then step away leaving your dog to undergo the judge’s exam alone.

DO: support your dog during the judge’s exam.