Hi all

I took my youngest out to a local open show on Sat and the judge approached me at the end of the class and said that if my girl hadn't been pacing and hackneying she would have done better as he though she was lovely. She was placed 4th. I have been at two different ringcrafts a week for the past few weeks and no one has ever mentioned her doing this. I have however been told that she'll not be an open show dog as she is more suited to a big ring. I asked a few people and they said that she wasn't doing this and that there just wasn't enough room in the ring for her. I am now unsure as to whether I should work on slowing her down or let her go full pelt like she normally does.

Always move at the speed your dog goes at.  We have one dog where we only show if we know the rings will be a decent size for him to move, although he doesn't pace, he just can't get into stride ina small ring and movement looks all rubbery!  I suggest you work on trtying to get her moving in small rings, but also maybe only enter her where you know (or hope) there will be a big ring!

I'm going to have to go on a serious diet then as there is no way I can keep up with her :D :D She is like a steam train once she starts she just keeps going. I was also told to get her in the ring first and then we can set the pace and I'll not be constantly pulling her up behind dogs that tend to 'pitter patter' around the ring. I know she doesn't do this normally as I have watched being taken round by someone else and when she is free running her movement is all forward as opposed to up and down. The funny thing is when she is in the garden she trots around really slowly and her movement is fine. Someone else also suggested it could be pure excitement making her do this and maybe when she has settled into showing again it'll stop. Oh well I'll just replace this lovely bar of Galaxy chocolate back in the cupboard and go get myself an apple :D  Bring on the summer a new suit at least 2 sizes smaller and and those big rings !!!!!

Hiya, was just going to ask you what bred but saw in your profile either red or gordan setter, I have a red and white setter (or 4) and have to run!  It's my pet hate seeing them held back in the ring because the owners can't keep up, especially in the dogs!  I have a bitch who goes and so I do trty to get at the frount, or will wait ages to let the ones infrount go! 

Now the following is up to you, but if you think you need to loose weight to run faster, afew "triangles" in the park on every walk should help!!! :D  I'm quite fit and can be fast (for about 10-15 seconds!) and even I end up getting to the end of the line feeling like I'm going to drop dead, and that was running a 10 and half year old round the ring at crufts!

I'd hate to hold her back as she moves really nicely, I'll just have to try to keep up. I know what you mean about dogs being held back it looks so uncomfortable on the dog. On the other hand it looks really daft if the handler can't keep up as they look as though they are being pulled along. It's lovely to see a dog with the correct driving movement at the back powering round the ring so I guess I'm going to have to get my running shoes on and start speeding up a bit. One of the reasons we used the dog we did to get my baby was for his driving backend movement and at nearly 11 he is still the same as your 10.5 yr old still fit as a fiddle and raring to go.

Hi Alli, Tia is exactly the same.  In her 1st few shows I went quite slowly and she was placed. but it wasnt until a judge at a show came and spoke to me after the intial 1st circle of the ring, when he asked me to do triangle and straight up and down, he told me she had very powerful hindquarters and would do better at speed. So I ran her, and he placed her 1st. He spoke to me afterwards and said Tia was trotting nicley but he could see that she would have a good stride and needed to work it to show better.  I am so pleased he told me this, she was placed 1st at every show bar one after that, but boy do I have to run :D  Strangley enough a judge told me on Saturday to run with Summer (dumpy) as well and asked me to circle again, she was only placed 2nd though, Tia took 1st :D and little Ellie took reserve,

I agree with showing your dog at a speed that suits it's movement but I would hate to see us moving the way or the US/Australasian handlers running their dogs at break neck speed around the ring to try and disguise the dogs faults.  It may look flashy but it's not correct!

No I agree with you there Christine there has to be a limit as to how fast you run with your dog. I'm really hoping that as she settles back into showing and becomes a bit more 'oh right thats whats expected of me' that she will settle into a nice stride pattern that suits us both. I think she gets herself so worked up and is desperate to get on the move as I've always tried to make it fun for her. I don't like to see dogs being dragged round the ring by their handler when the dogs are obviously not enjoying it, my elder girl is like this and I have simply stopped showing her as it's not fair to keep dragging her out for every show I go to. She much prefers to be romping around in the field or swimming in the river :D

Alli,

My older girl (Now almost 14) decided at the age of 4 she hated the showring and I never really took her out again, pulling a sack of spuds along would have been easier!

Your young girl will learn to curb her enthusiasm the more she is taken to shows, as I've said before, it's easier to pull them back than pull them forward!    ;)

Ahhhh but if it's hiding faults, is that not good handling!!!! :D

Saying that it is annoying when you have a big ring, a dog that runs fast AND correctly but the judge tells you to slow down....argh, I have stop and go, not adjustable speeds!!!! :D (as driving instructer has also found out! ;) )

LOL @ roxanne! :D :D :D

sarah xxxx

I have viewed videotapes from abroad and the handlers trundle into the ring wearing dazzling white trainers so they can zoom around the ring with flash 'n' dash.   Any judge worth their salt would ask them to slow down and then all those 'faults' will be more obvious!   Personally I think zooming around the ring the dog garotted on the end of a tight lead is highly unattractive.

:D @ ChristineW

>Personally I think zooming around the ring the dog garotted on the end of a tight lead is highly unattractive<

I agree - it's not in the least flashy - it looks abnormal ;)  When someone shows under me at high speed, dog's front feet barely touching the ground and looking little more than a blur on the move I ask them to stop and literally *walk* the dog - makes quite a difference to some of the supposedly "powerful" movers :rolleyes: quite often one or more turns into a "waddler and pacer"  :D

Regards, Teri