Do you talk to your dog when setting off on or during your triangle/up and down etc to encourage him/her to move faster, get ready for the turn, etc?

Or is it silence from you till the bait at the end?

Just curious.

Definately talk :)

Yes, communication all the way :)

I have to admit, I always forget to speak while moving my dog - I always quite fancy saying 'turn' at the points of a triangle, but I have to concentrate on staying upright and not stepping on my dog :-D

Thanks claire_41, that's interesting. I talk to mine, but I've only been showing for a couple of years and class myself as a beginner. Most ringcraft classes I've ever been to strongly emphasise talking to your dog. I tell mine to turn and if they are giving less than 100% I try to gee them up a bit. I went to a private session yesterday with a very well known handler and was told not to talk to the dog. I have to say he went better without.

It depends on the dog. Unhelpful I know! With my 2 earlier dogs I needed to talk, either to keep Henry's attention off sniffing the floor, or to ask Ellie not to go so fast. With Hetty, not that I show her anymore, I needed to pretty much ignore her and not even look in her direction, because as soon as she thought she was 'performing' and not just walking with me, she started prancing and kicking her front feet out like a min pin! With Lottie I seem to be talking again, but am trying not to be too excitable or she will start bouncing around like an idiot. :-)

I went to a private session yesterday with a very well known handler and was told not to talk to the dog. I have to say he went better without.

Would think that is why you were told to stop, often if you change things just a little the dog becomes more on his toes because they are not sure what will happen next so concentrate better but in general I am all for talking to any dog except those who are already over enthusiastic.

I talk to my dogs when we are in the show ring.  Mainly 'stand' obviously :) but when i'm running round, if my lad is going abit too fast I just say 'steady' and he will slow up abit.  Then I say 'turn' when I want him to and as soon as I say it, he will do it so I have to make sure I say it at the right time :)

I talk to them a lot when they are pups, but tend to only say 'turn' and 'stand' with the older ones.

I suppose it depends on how you want your dog to move.
Mine are told to "GO" and they take off in a straight line, head up at the end of a long lead. 
If lots of movement is required I encourage them to "go on" to really reach and drive.

I communicate with mine, turn is used as is wait.. Come on when they need geeing up a bit.. However I have watched some well known handlers say nothing to their dogs on the move and their dogs move very well for them.. Handling is very interesting and wondering who you saw for your training session?!

With pups, talk most of the time while moving, and of course while free standing to, to direct and praise as appropriate.  With a trained dog, yes while free standing and on table, always when starting off to move, after that depends on how dog is going - if encouragement or steadying is needed then ye, if dog is moving great, then I leave them to it!

> Thanks claire_41, that's interesting. I talk to mine, but I've only been showing for a couple of years and class myself as a beginner.

Me too.

Thats interesting though, i think sometimes it takes someone who knows the breed to observe and tell you where you can improve. were abouts was your 1-2-1 ? can you pm / email the info please.

Thanks :-)