Can anyone suggest any way how i can keep a 10 month old salukis head up in the ring. I have been stringing him up with his lead to run, but i see others in the ring dont do that. So i have tried everything i can think of to keep his head up without doing this. Tried treats but he watches me, and that puts his front end all over the place :(. Anyone with any help i would be so greatful. I walk him every day, and just keep telling him to keep his head up, and give him a little tug on his lead, it works for a SHORT time, and then he is back to having it down again.

kelly and malki x

Kelly, what exactly do you mean by his head being down when he runs? I'm no saluki expert, but most sighthounds - certainly deerhounds and IWs - do not naturally keep their heads high on the move. Its common in the US to 'string them' up on the move at home until they learn tot move in the ring with head high, and to an extent its creeping in in the UK, but a lot of UK judges hate the practice and believe that it completely distorts corect sighthound movement. If he hold his head low when he is standing, that's another matter, and easy enough to fix.

PS I'm doing lots of saluki homework at present in expectation of a little addition to the family, so I'll be interested in seeing replies from them as really know :-).

It is a problem with all dogs but more so with hounds. I would not try and train him when you are on a walk in his walking tack. Try to keep show ring training to when he in in his show ring tack, you can stop a dog sniffing on his walk would be like asking you not to look in a shop window. The way I do it is to put on show tack start to walk, head goes down, sharp upward pull & a loud NO and relax straight away, walk on and praise while the head is up and repeat from the sharp upward pull if the head goes down. Only work for a short time, take his show collar off and have a game. Ja:)kie

edited after reading Sharon's post - had thought Kelly meant sniffing the ground if she just means holding the head in the natrual place then I would not wish to suggest that it was changed

Hi there, I had a Wolfhound bitch that used to drop her head really low, beneath an acceptable level when in the ring. I tried to correct it through training but it didnt work Im afraid. In the end I used to run her holding the lead tucked into the palm of my left hand, run beside her, and put the index finger of my left hand lightly under her chin. That worked a treat, and she went on to win classes at Champ shows, so perhaphs worth a try.

Phillipa you've given me the giggles, have a vision of someone doing it with a Basset. Ja:)kie

Hi sharon

I mean when he is on the move for showing. He doesnt have it at ground level, he just has it straight out and he has a straight line from bum to nose lol. but most of the salukis i have watched in the ring have no probs with this, have i done something wrong???? he has always done it. That is why i started to string him up when showing.

kelly and malki x

Well I would be happy with that it is more or less the norm. I quess it has become a fashion to lift the head higher. Have a word with the dogs breeder, see if they think you have a problem. Ja:)kie

Thanks jackie

I will ring the breeder and ask her

kelly

Hi Kelly,
It might be worth trying to clicker train him to keep his head up, it worked a treat with my 2 mad puppies, to stop them pulling and sniffing the ground. I even managed to get them free standing and correcting their foot positions by 4 months old!
I bought a really good book called 'Click to win'- you should be able to get it from Crosskeys. It's got loads of good tips on how you can clicker train for tail and ear positions, striding movement etc. I never thought it would work so well, but it does.
Good luck, Liz

Kelly,
If you want to consider clicker training I have a video I would be more than happy to lend I think you are near enough that getting it would be easy if you want it email me privately and we can arrange something
Anne

Hi anne

That would be great, can you email me, as your email address is hidden, Mine is klauchlan9894414@aol.com

kelly and malki x

Can I ask what is most of your opinions on Clicker training and when and how does it work/help

Pam

Not sure who you are asking but I used it with a dog who would not respond to anything and I found it excellent. It does work very well, providing you understand how to use it. Ja:)kie

I found it excellent as long as you get the timing right.

Hi Jackie,

Thanks I was asking all of you of course..

will need to read up on it a bit..

Pam

I was very sceptical about clicker training but decided to go to seminar and now I really like it, find it very good for problems or things going wrong. Very quiet and non confrontational. Pam you are more than welcome to borrow my video after Kelly
Anne

Anne that would be great I am not that far from you. I am sure you are in Leslie. I live behind the metal flowers at the leslie roundabout not the house builders but a bit further in I bought a plot and built a house in there just 6 months ago..

I will need to have a search on the net and have a read about it as I know not a thing about it but have heard a few talking about it..

BFN

Pam

just interested to know,because i have never tried clickers or seen them used if you pratice at home and you get agood reaction do you need to take it in the show ring is that allowed?

Hi Carol
No, you don't need to take the clicker into the showring with you (don't think you'd be very popular with other exhibitors if you did!)
When you are sure that your dog knows what you are clicking for, you then begin to replace the click with a word, like 'good', or 'yes', and give a treat after saying it.
Then, eventually, you can phase out the treats, and just give one treat and praise at the end of your turn, or whenever it is suitable to give one.
Hope this helps, Liz

Hi Kelly, agree with Jackie - for a deerhound or IW neck level or just above is fine with most UK judges, as its the 'natural' way those sighthounds move, but maybe it is or has become different in salukis. Agree with Jackie too that you should speak to the breeder, and maybe have a word with a few experiended saluki judges/exhibitors.

Hi Sharon

I phoned the breeder last night, but she couldnt realy help as she doesnt show her salukis. And as for asking other saluki people, most of them dont even say hello when i say hello, so i dont think i could ask a question like that, to be honest with you they are a bit upity, and im the new girl on the block as to speak. But i think i may phone the gentalman that has his dad, and he maybe able to help.

kelly and malki x

That isn't very encouraging since I'm in the process (hopefully) of getting a saluki :-(. Being serious about it though, it does take a while to make friends in many breeds, and if Malki's breeder doesn't show, that can't help. I know a few saluki folks from the saluki/deeerhound coursing meets at Dava, and have generally found them a nice crowd, so hopefully you'll soon find that the 'uppityness' has vanished. I'd still look around for someone who looks friendly and has finished showing their dog, and ask them - usually if 'the new girl on the block' asks polite genuine questions it helps them become less 'new' sooner :-). I'd certainly ring he sire's breeder too.

Thanks sharon, i do hope you are right. I would love to be able to chat to people regarding the salukis, as i too hope to have another in march, fingers crossed, only if malki starts to behave himself with other dogs that is.

kelly and the nutty malki x

Hi Kelly, do you have your new pup booked and if not, does it have to be March? The bitch mine is coming from if all goes well has been scanned, and I think a couple may not be booked yet. Its a well known kennel with a good reputation for show and temperament. Of course you can't be sure on reputation, but I'm hoping to combine a visit to Lewis' breeders and the saluki breeder shortly. If you are at all interested, e-mail me at sight.hounds@virgin.net.

PS - console yourself that when I get my pup (fingers still crossed) I'll be an even newer girl on the block than you :D!

I have met a few Saluki owners, including the lady who judged at the Houndshow, and they have been very nice! I think you sometimes have to make yourself known in a polite way. In numerically small breeds it always seems that they all know each other (which is true of course) so when you are new you have to make an effort not to feel left out, as it is rarely deliberate.

Much what I was going to say Brainless, it is more difficult with a stropy male because you can't approch people whilst you have the dog with you, you have to be a bit stand offish yourself, else they jump on the bitches and growl at the males. Put your dog on the bench and go looking for someone who has finnished showing and is watching the rest of the classes sit down and ask them to explain how best to show a Saluki, I'd be suprise if they are not flattered by your suggestion that they show their dog well, & you will probable have a job to shut them up. Ja:)kie

Thanks jackie
I will do that the next time im at a champ show. I dont have any left this year, as with being the new girl on the block, dont know where they all are. Wouldnt travel to far, maybe 2-3 hours or even a wee bit further. As not very good in a lot of trafic. So if anyone knows of any i can enter i would be greatful, oh yes and to where i can get the schedules.

kelly and the stroppy malki x

I think you should really order one of the weekly dog papers. All the shows advertise in there, and of course there are breed notes, show results and critiques and interesting articles and features. they cost £1.60 each week.

I would suggest you try both for say 4 weeks, and then take which ever you prefer, as they cover the same ground, but the feature writers and style are a bit different.

I am biased as I write breed notes in Dog World :D

The other paper is Our Dogs!

the last Champ show of theyear is Ladies Kennel Association show first weekend of December. It is a great show, as everyone hands out their christmas cards and shares food. also good opportunity for doggy orientated Christmas shopping. It is at the NEC in Birmingham.

Hi Sharon
Please dont think that because Malkis breeder does not show she does not know her Salukis. Having bred Salukis for nearly 20yrs. A natural Saluki does not hold its head too high but the fashion for the show ring is to have the head up high. A Saluki is supposed to flow. but they cant flow with their heads too high.

Who is the breeder of your expected pup. I more than likely know them.
By the way we have another litter for sale.

Sylvia

Hi Sylvia, sorry! Having re-read what I wrote, it came over in completely the wrong way. I don't for one second think that there are not people with deep knowledge of their breed who don't show - I know lots of them, and am not the world keenest shower myself! All I meant was that if Kelly's breeder showed, (s)he would introduce Kelly to people.

Am going to e-mail you privately if I may, re the pup I've provisionally booked - had thought of doing so already but didn't like to as we haven't "talked" on the bboard before.

No problems Sharon. Kelly is right the Saluki show people are upity and think themselves exclusive, but if you plug away they start talkin to you eventually. The coursing people are a different people alltogether and the two very rarely mix well at shows- I cant understand it, but as they say nowt as queer as folk.
Sylvia

Kelly,
Where are you, you haven't been on since you borrowed the video on Sunday hope I haven't scared you away!!
If you don't like clicker it is no problem like other methods it isn't for eveyone
Cava sends a lick or two
Anne

Hi anne

Sorry not been on, bit busy with decorating the house, and when i have a spare moment, i have been doing the clicker with malki. He has got to the bit where i throw a bit of food and he eats it, and then looks at me for another, so i click, i hope im doing it right, as it is very complicated, and then i throw another peice. If im doing it wrong anyone please let me know. We have just started it on sunday afternoon.

kelly and malki x

Hi KELLY,
One thing that no one has suggested to you is before you go in the ring spray perfume under her chin and down her front legs.......what happens is they dont like the smell of it so they automatically keep there head up i had the same promblem a few years ago with one of my Alaskan Malamutes, let me know if this helps.

Regards Leah from polarpaws.

worth a try leah, thanks, i will try it at the next class i go to

kelly and malki x

I agree with polar paws. It works for me with the bullies . they are dreadful for hoovering on the move. Mari

Hope it works for Kelly :-). Unfortunately a high proportion of my crew love licking perfume (must have an alcohol base :-)), and I've this mental image of them trotting round doing their best to lick their chests and front legs :D!

Hi SHARON
Try Vicks instead of perfume then that might work.

Leah

Have tried Eucapliptus Oil, the only thing it put off was the judge who asked me if I had a cold. Ja:)kie