Maverick061106
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Sep 2007
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Posts: 366 |
I have found that it is different from dog to dog as to how to keep them on thier toes.
My young dog, Heckler, I made show CH at 7 months old. With him, I would place his foot where I wanted it, then push his foot pad under his foot more from behind, so that it made his toes scrunch up.
With my redtick, Wyatt, that did not work. Wyatt has only been in one bench show and won Best of Show with competition at every level. When I was training him, every time I would go to push his pad under his foot, he would pick up his foot. What I have to do with him, is gather his toes together in my hand when I place it where I want it and scrunch them together as I place it on the bench surface - all in one movement.
With my female, Shy, it is different, still. She does not like having her feet messed with and is still new to being on the bench. I have 50 points to her from when she was a puppy, but it has been over a year since then and I have just recently begun working with her to try to title her on the bench. She tends to want to pick up her foot every time I place it where I want. When I place one of her feet on the bench, I have to hold it there while I go to pick up a second foot, otherwise, she will try to pick up the one I just placed. Same with the 3rd and 4th foot. Fortunately, she has excellent toes, so I don't have to worry about how they look, just where her foot is positioned.
Hope one of those methods might help you! A lot of folks will pinch or grab the area between thier front legs to make them stand a little straighter also. With some dogs it works, some not so much.
As far as any rule regarding placement of the head, the position does not matter as long as he is looking straight forward. Some dogs tend to hold it higher or lower, but it really does not make a difference as far as judges are concerned...
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'PR'Maverick's Smoke 'n Moonshine (two 1st place wins towards NITECH)
Last edited by Maverick061106 on 09-19-2009 at 05:05 PM
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