Day 1: Conformation Training (Sowilu) *Pic Heavy*

Beautiful dogs!!

Lucky you to find such a wonderful mentor :)  You'll have a blast!

Hang in there it's a lot to learn, but as things click into place it's a wonderful sense of accomplishment. 

Have fun!!

What a great first day !! And you will actually be happy to have training in the rain, since shows rarely cancel for weather reasons. ( My husband still kids me about losing my shoe and finishing a ring ( yes we took the points too) I had black stockings on and the mud was soooooooo thick I could barely move. It sucked my shoe off about halfway around and knowing this was a movement judge who hated the rain I just kept going!! I tossed a friend my other shoe , honestly it was so muddy you could not tell I was missing them!!  Showing in the cold.. and even in light snow all part of the fun and adventure !

After you have had a bit to think , try to summerize her instructions as if you were teaching another.  When I train juniors after I show them, they then "teach" me it really helps to process everything.

This is going to be fun watching you grow as a handler!! And please tell your friend her dogs are absolutely Lovely!

Hugs Bonita of Bwana

Thanks guys! I will absolutly let her know that but she might read it before I can tell her... !

I am glad I was able to do something today I was looking forward to it. She is such a nice person and will tell me what I am doing wrong but will also tell me how to correct it. I can't wait to meet her friend (Lyric's breeder I believe) who is you can say the pro in Aussies around here. Tracy left me some homework which are a stack of magazines that she gave me and a dvd to watch about conformation by Jeffrey Lynn Brucker I can't wait to see it by the way. We did it for I believe an hour which is good but it passed by so quickly! I will be practicing stacking with Shailer so by the time I practice with Pilot or Lyric I will be able to do it so much better.

JLB's DVD is pretty good, although it can be a bit overwhelming when you are starting.  His seminars were funny though. talk about a picky A** coach!! His DVD assumes everyone has been in a ring , maybe several times... So some of it will not sink in at first. But that man could so handle a turtle and make your dog look out of place!! I have taken other seminars I loved more Annie Schwartz calls every dog "Louie" and encourages talking to your dog, Pat Craig Trotter and I competed so many times she is a hoot in her own "special" way LMBO... 

I tell my Juniors look at every picture at least twice.... once to appreciate the "picture" then to see why it works.... I know I have photos I can send you that you could pick apart of my own handling. ( I have just never been that serious and competitive.. finish the dog and have a great time has been my motto.)  Pasterns off and hocks at odd angles.

I also tell every one I have helped print out a dog anatomy chart... why?? Sometimes the "part" you think you are discussing isn't the one in conversation at all.  It is not pretentious  to have the vocabulary.

Get that large mirror or window that will throw are great reflection ( like the Malls) and as you walk your dog stop and stack, free stack, learn to pace yourself and watch what you are doing, with strangers milling about you begin to learn to concentrate on the dog and you ( unless there are really good sales!!) 

And Movement.... You mentioned why you thought you were moving so POP QUIZ....  Down and Back what do you think the judge is looking for?  Side go ?? What will draw that judge back to your dog when going around??  Why will they send you and another (or several) dog (s) around together and not others??  There is a right answer but more importantly seek the question as it teaches you what the judge is looking for.

When you practice keep in the back of your mind...I MAY have two minutes to catch the judge's fancy with my dog.... or to say it another way, I have two minutes for my dog to be seen and for me not to mess them up.... hee hee  Not a handler on the list can say they have never ever messed up... just not possible.  And all of that is a big part of the fun.

Bonita of Bwana

I will surely follow your advise Bonita! Tracy is like you she is not in for the profit she just wants to finish her dogs and have fun in the process. I can't wait to go to my first dog show, ofcourse I will not be in it but I will get to see and get experience. I will continue to practice with Shailer and with her dogs. I don't think the mall around here has big huge glasses outside I know they do inside lol. I will have to check around town and see what I find.