Quick question please.

How would I go about teaching my pup to "stand up" at the end of the run up (when I'm back in the line). At the moment at ringcraft it is very hit and miss - but he never self stacks.

Advice much appreciated.

You don't say how old he is but do everything you can to keep him standing so you can praise him when he does and if you bait, give bait. I would start by training the stand then as you return to your place turn you and the dog in a circle and say stand, with luck your pup will stand but you need to teach him what stand means. Once he knows stand then say it every time you stop in the show ring as you only wish your dog to sit and lay when told to relax.

Hey thanks - sorry I think you misunderstood me a little - I mean stacking him as he stops running.

He is 5.5 months old - I can stack him for the judge, but watching classes I noticed when people stop running they self stack for a few seconds before they relax.

on a similar topic..... my breed had a judge from usa at weekend and when he was doing the challenge he chose 2 finalists and asked them to be walked into middle of ring together and then, without touching them or setting them up atall...he wanted to see where they ended up standing. have to say in nearly 30 years it was 1st time id been asked to do this!!!!

Yes, I did know what you meant, we always free stand in our breed and you have to teach a stand, in other words you teach the dog to free stand with it's feet in the proper place, most dogs will stand on a loose lead with out much trouble but it takes a while to teach them to stand still.

Sometimes think if pups were taught to stand before any attempt was made to stack we would not see so many poorly stood dogs who look better when free stood than they do stacked but that is another subject altogether.

This is what those of us with a free-standing breed (ie, never, ever stacked)have to do. :-) It's best started from a very young age, when the pup has to stand still, with all four feet on the floor, before it gets its food. As the weeks progress the position is more finely tuned until the pup is standing in the desired position.

I've been able to use it with my two youngest quite easily via clicker training.  Get them to come to me if they stand click then throw a treat away. Dog then comes back and if stands click, then throw a treat away.  It literally took both of them 10 minutes in total to learn it and they stand lovely.

A well put together dog will naturally stand correctly, so yes it is just a case of catching those moments (which will occur over and over during a normal day) and rewarding them, and then after a while throw in a verbal cue. :) Dog gets ignored if it sits, rewarded if it stands.

Dog then comes back and if stands click, - and - yes it is just a case of catching those moments (which will occur over and over during a normal day) and rewarding them, and then after a while throw in a verbal cue. :-) Dog gets ignored if it sits, rewarded if it stands.


Have used both the above methods the second one to get the dog to stand rather than do anything else and the first 'clicker' to fine tune like move a foot or lift a tail. It is in most cases not that difficult although I have had dogs that seem to take ages to understand, expect it is my fault not the dogs but in the end they all get the message to some extent. Had one dog I could say 'right front' and he would move that foot until I said 'that's good' but I have not reached that stage with all my charges by any means and one is a total failure as far as doing as he is asked in the ring.