Hi all, I would like to show my dane and am looking forward to taking him to ringcraft!
Ive phoned round and found a couple near me that have been reccommended and am very pleased to have found them so near considering i practically live in the sticks, but was wondering because i want to show him, should i just take him ringcraft or take him to puppy classes as well as? I dont mind doing both, but would like to know your thoughts/advice? :)

If you are happy doing botht classes then go for it :D Socialisation is very important so I think it would only do him good, so as long as the classes are run well.

I take Idõ to ringcraft every week and have been since he was about 15 weeks, as well as making sure he had as many new experiences as possible and I don't think it's done him any harm at all. I didn't take Kayla to any classes at all and she is very good with other dogs and people, probably due in part to her out-going nature and the fact that she has been around other dogs since birth I suppose.

Good luck with him, we have two Danes at our ringcraft...boy do they grow fast!!!!

Emily

His my first dane, i haven`t even got him home yet, but im very prepared and very exited as is my G Retriever!
Thanks emily

Theres no problems doing both, infact it's better.  However if you only want him to show I would advise to turn sits into stands! :)  You don't want a Dane sitting in the middle of the ring! :D

There is no reason that you cannot teach a dog to sit and stand and down, correctly trained a dog should not carry out any behaviour unless cued.

You can simultaneously train a dog for a number of disciplines, none of which should be to the detriment of the other.

That may be your way the tohme.

I never teach a pup sits untill they are 6 mths and have got the hang on standing.  I encourage downs, Just not sits.  The last thing I want my dog to learn is stopping means sit!!!!! (I mainly train setters aswell :D )

I don't teach my dog that stopping means sit either! :D

They learn that sit means sit, stand means stand, and down means down etc etc etc I don't find my dogs have any difficulty getting the hang of any of these positions.  Neither breed of my dog has anyway nor has anyone that I have taught............

At the obedience class I went to the trainer told me that their intention was to get the dogs automatically to sit whenever the handler stopped. I'm sure this wasn't the only class that aims for that.
:)

Well as in all things JG there are differing qualities/standards of classes and trainers.

If they are any good and offer/understand other disciplines they will encourage you to be a litte more unpredictable.

Pattern training is somewhat outmoded now.......

I'm glad to hear it. I went to ringcraft instead. It taught me and the dogs all the essentials without getting too precious about precision.
:)

This is the same with the 3 obedience clubs I have attended, although 2 of them were more then happy for me to stand my dogs insted!  I have also found this a problem when obedience trained dogs come to ringcraft.  The owner stops and they sit, it takes alot of work to get them out!  I never aim for competitive obedience anymore.  and just go to classes to socilise a puppy and teach them the basics (and abit more ringcraft seens I don't get to work my own dogs much!) 

Ok so I am just talking about my experiance and the way I do things, It is all MY way and you may find your dogs a fine with YOUR way.  I had one confused dog and never did it again but did successfully get a setter trained in ringcraft and then obedience and then went into a class at a australian shepherd funday, beat a load of aussies and was handled by her dad who's never done obedience before!!!!!!!  My dogs can learn both, eventully! :)  I just concentrate on the more important things *to me* first (stand stays!) :D

Do you think then maybe its best to start with ringcraft and then when he knows how to stand, introduce obedience? or stick with ringcraft only? as i have been to puppy classes with my retriever when he was young and know what to expect, so maybe like with sitting/down/walking to heel, are things i can teach him myself at home/whislt out - walking to heel.

Still go to the classes! :D You cannot over socilise a puppy IMO as long as it's all positive.  Do go, it's different experiancse and different dogs to play with.  It's important any dog is trained the basic "come" "leave" "heal" and of course playing with other puppies.  I would just say don't go for the full obedience.  explain to the instructor that you want to show him and is it alright if he stands insted of sits.

Or you can take the full plunge with doing abit of obedience training and ringcraft at the same time if you think your dog will be able to tell the difference and will cope (Tohmes do so im assuming others must and it's up to you! :) )

Just whatever you choose go to both, you'll make many more friends that don't mind you talking dog 24/7 :D

Mine cope with Schutzhund, Working Trials, Gundog, Agility and Showing Training ok! ;)

There are differences even between "obedience" tests ie the about turns in Schutzhund are different to that of obedience and working trials etc but I found no problem training both.

I agree, my dogs all went to ringcraft and pet obedience. As long as you teach them to stand at the end of heelwork exercises it seems to be ok to teach them to sit or down on command. It also gives you something to do to keep them occupied in a show ring, doing sits and waits and walking round them and so on. My show Cavalier just passed his Gold Good Citizen test, but I forgot to warn the judge he was a show dog and had to hastily explain when he ended his off lead heelwork with a perfect swing round in front and show stand!!