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Handling There are as many styles of handling as there are breeds of dogs! The basics of handling are pretty much the same, however, everyone has their own hints and style of handling . And all of these vary with each different breed and with each dog within a breed! The possibilities and variations are endless. We will present some of the basics here and encourage you to contact your local AKC all breed club for information about training and handling classes that may be available. In this section we will also include a listing of books that are available and links to websites that offer handling and training tips. The Basics The main objective in handling is to present the dog in a professional manner that accents the dog's good points and minimizes the dog's faults. A handler and his dog should work together as a team in a way that the presence of the handler is almost non-existent. You want the judge to see the dog, not YOU! The first step in learning to present any dog correctly is reading and understanding the standard and the anatomy of the dog. The example shown is the silhouette of a Siberian Husky
The rear should be set so that the hock is perpendicular to the ground, this will accentuate the bend of the stifle. The hock should not turn in or out. The topline should be level. The tail is allowed to fall naturally, or in some cases wag! When presenting the dog for examination to the judge, you should have control of the dog with the collar. Normally the judge will check the dog's bite, you must accustom the dog to having someone look at their teeth. Some breeds require the judge to check for full dentition, some judges will check all dogs for full dentition whether the standard calls for it or not. Some judges will ask you to show the bite. In this case, the dog's head should be slightly tilted upward and firmly but gently one hand should hold the lower jaw and the other hand should lift the lips to show the bite. The most important thing to remember is NOT to bend over the dog while you are doing this and obstruct the judges view! you should already know what your dog's bite looks like! As the judge goes to examine the dog you can control the front end of the dog by keeping control of the head. The judge will normally examine with his hands the shoulders, the chest, topline, the tuck up, the croup and bend of stifle. In the case of male dogs he will make sure that both testicles are normally descended. Some judges will put slight pressure on the rear quarters of the dog to see how solidly they stand. The next step is to move the dog and see if the structure that they just examined is used properly in the way the dog moves. To see proper movement, the judge will use a pattern that will show rear movement (down), front movement (back) and side gait. Various patterns can be used, but the most common are the down and back, the " L" pattern and the triangle. The dog is always moved on the left side of the handler.
After all dogs in the class are examined and moved individually, the judge will usually take all the dogs together around the ring to observe and compare side gait. It is very important to work with your individual dog and find the speed that will allow the dog to show the best movement in the front, rear and side gait. Normally, most handlers will move the dogs a bit faster on the go around to show reach and drive. You want to achieve movement that is fluid not plodding. The dog should move at a trot, not a pace. A pace means that both legs on the same side are moving in the same direction. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE ARE JUST THE BASICS! You really will benefit from handling classes and seminars. Also, go to the shows and observe others as they present their dogs. Listed below are some books on handling and training dogs and links to handling and training sites. |
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front legs should be set under the dog to show the proper angulation of the
shoulder and upper arm. They should come straight down from the shoulder
neither too wide nor too narrow.
