How To Take Your Dog To A Show
Taking your dog to a show may sound great, but it takes a lot of dedication. Most of these events are dedicated to selecting and improving various breeds, choosing the best specimens for breeding. For this reason, they usually require certain requirements to accept the participation of the dogs.
Here’s more about dog shows and some tips to help you groom your best friend.
Tips for taking your dog to a show
Before registering your dog for any event, it is essential to prepare to meet the registration requirements. In addition, training your pet will be essential to be successful in competition.
These are some practical tips to facilitate your planning:
Attend different exhibitions
We can tell you a lot about dog shows and competitions, but the best way to learn is to participate in them. Attending these events will allow you to know the criteria of the judges and have contact with the most experienced competitors.
It is important to know the club tent, where they offer information on how to register and prepare your dog. Often times, the clubs themselves also offer training classes for beginning dogs.
Ensuring your dog’s qualification
If after attending the events, your decision is to take your dog to an exhibition, it will be necessary to ensure its qualification. For this, it is essential to pay close attention to the requirements for participation in each exhibition.
The American Kennel Club, for example, only allows the participation of pedigree dogs, older than six months, and that are not neutered. These criteria derive from the objective of the exhibition, which is to choose the most suitable specimen for breeding.
However, there are various events with different purposes and many accept different kinds of dogs. Also, if your dog is a beautiful mongrel, there are also exhibits dedicated to these types of animals.
Acquire the most suitable strap for the display
Each dog that goes out to compete on the surface of an exhibition must be held on the most suitable type of leash. The choice should be guided by the dimensions of each can.
If your dog is small, the ideal is to prefer a collar accompanied by a Resco leash (‘all in one’ type). For medium-sized dogs, or large and thin, gamarra style leashes should be used. And large or giant breeds, with well-developed muscles, often use show chains.
It is recommended to accustom your dog to his new leash a few months before the competition. We must always remember that adaptation is a process and our pet must feel comfortable to perform its role optimally.
Take ringcraft classes
Ringcraft classes teach beginning dog owners and dogs to get used to the dynamics of exhibits. They also tend to favor the socialization of dogs. Although it is not a requirement to participate, they usually facilitate the training of the animal.
Train your dog’s gait
Whether or not you opt for ringcraft classes , it will take a lot of training to bring your dog to a show. The smoothness with which the competitors walk is not a coincidence, and it is the fruit of a lot of dedication. The first step in preparing your canine for such an event is to practice gait.
In this type of exhibition, the trot is the most appropriate rhythm, since it allows to show the physical structure and the ability of each dog.
A well-trained dog should start trotting by simultaneously moving his right front leg and left hind leg. You should then continue with the balanced movement, moving your left front leg and right rear leg at the same time.
Teaching your dog to ‘handstand’
This is another requirement to be successful if you bring your dog to a show. ‘Handstand’ means that your dog should stand straight ahead and be completely still. This allows the judges to judge your bearing and physical qualities.
To begin teaching it, it will be necessary to manually put each of its legs in the correct position. To get your dog to learn to do it alone, it is essential to use positive reinforcement to recognize and stimulate his learning.
If your dog is tired or lacks energy to carry out his training, it is essential to consult your trusted veterinarian. It is important to remember that the welfare of the animal should always be above any event of this type.
