Hi all, when standing my dog i'm finding it really hard, i just seem to be all fingers and thumbs then i drop the lead.  When i'm trying to stand her i put bait in my right hand and hold her head up by the lead, it might sound funny but then i have no hands left to make her stand square, looking at this my self i'm laughing i need help, does it get easier?
what makes it worse is she is only a puppy and i'm not experienced either.
regards frank

What breed are you showing ?

i'm not showing her yet as she is only 16 weeks, so we are practising but i'm finding it hard she is a bullmastiff. i do 8 mins training each night and ringcraft of a Wednesday thanks moonmaiden

Ah all is clear now at this age you do need three hands if you intending to show her stacked  ;)

Irrespective how you are training her(ie walking her into a 4 square stance or placing her into same)it might be easier if you train a stand stay so that she understands the stay word separately from the show stance so that when she is in the right position you can get her to stay there

A little & often & once she gets it right don't repeat it, this way she will remember(hopefully)the last thing you trained

If you are doing training at home walking into the stand might be easier & as soon as she is stood almost or competely 4 square treat her If she has learnt the stay command she should(in theory anyway;) )stay & allow you to do minor adjustments in her legs. having a totally free standing breed in cavaliers I teach a stay stand for the end of the individual & a "show stand"for when we are in with the other dogs

Thanks moonmaiden is it best to train with treats?  also when i try to move her legs she starts picking them right up in the air like pooring something mainly my hand.  What do you think about obedience in ringcraft as a girl who i speak to wont do the obedience because the dog is always told to sit instead of stand, does it really matter if she knows the diffence between the two or is it best not to do obedience?

Regards Frank

I never teach my dogs the sit until they have grasped the showing idea & I stand them when everyone else does a sit(I tell the trainer tho')& I actually take a pace into the middle & walk the dog into the stand. it does help for moving & standing in a full class at a show(classes are always big for cavaliers at Ch Shows)

If the puppy wants to sit I walk into him & if he is stood but not quite right I take a pace backwards. I personally prefer to use treats(cooked chicken)as I look on it was the dogs "wages/reward"for getting something extra right. I always thiink it looks better in the ring to have a dog that stands itself  rather than being placed & held in position. You can try to walk her into a stand by holding the titbit so she can't get a full hold of it & getting her as near correct as possible

She's only a baby & won't realize it isn't all play yet lololol I'm glad mine are only little & the worse bit is getting them to stand on the table without leaping into the judges arms

Thanks moonmaiden it's quite refreshing how people just part with their experince in horses it was like getting blood out of a stone.

Once again thanx Frank

LOL I often teach people obedience training techniques & then they beat me :D

I know it's always the way.

I don't mind really as we should all be here to help each other, I gave someone their first first in obedience at a time when they were about to give it all up. As a result she got a second dog & bred a litter from her that produced one of the best producing sires in obedience & from him came another friends super dog & gave her a love of obedience & dogs that I don't think will ever wane. He was the only dog belonging to some one else I really coveted & would have really wanted for my own, I usually admire other dogs but Rookie was so special he was like one of my own & when he died I felt the same heartbreak & loss as I do when one of mine leaves me