Hello all,
Now that we are at the beginning of a new year I am trying to get a rough idea of what i am going to do with little Steve this year. I don’t have nearly as much time as I would like to devote to him so I am looking at just picking one or two events to focus on so I don’t overwhelm myself.
I am considering having him shown in AKC conformation this summer. His groomer told me they are much more open and accepting of the German lines now. She told me Steve has a gorgeous head on him and he may do quite well? Anyhow, this one weekend in May there is conformation and obedience (assuming I can get him off his prong collar by then!) This is the event I was looking at
https://www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm?action=plan&event_number=2016062706&cde_comp_group=CONF&cde_comp_type=&NEW_END_DATE1=&key_stkhldr_event=&mixed_breed=N
Thoughts?
Right now we are just keeping up on his training from last year and he has a couple private lessons booked early next month (one will be re-testing for advanced CGC/ I think he was too young last time and was really worked up during the testing)
Did you ever consider Rally? If you plan on showing him, it is a nice compliment prior to starting regular obedience and the novice classes are on leash. It looks like AKC still considers long coats to be a fault according to their standard. http://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/GermanShepherdDog.pdf?_ga=1.102469506.2063769820.1421257877. I think UKC and CKC allow them, but I’m not sure. Maybe Carole or Julie can advise you. Nosework is also fun and you can do quite a bit right in your house. Let us know what you decide so we can keep following the adventures of Steve O!
I don’t know Brian Meyer but his original breed is Boxers. Usually, someone who started in Boxers appreciates good movement. As for showing a Long Stock Coat at an All-Breed Show: try to find out if they will be having Long Stock Coats in their own class. GSDCA did for their National Specialty Show last year, but I don’t know if that is the norm for all AKC conformation shows since I no longer show in that venue.
As far as getting ready for an AKC performance event: This is my standard advice for ALL of my students. If this is your first competition dog, start off with RALLY. It is a great place to start since your first title will be earned with your dog on lead. Perfect for young dogs!
The difference between Novice A and Novice B:
If this is your first competition dog and the dog is registered in your name, enter Novice A.
Novice A is for those of you starting out. Novice B is for those people who have already titled a dog, including professional trainers.
So why Rally Novice A and not Obedience Novice A? Rally Novice competition is all on lead. Obedience Novice competition is both on and off lead. YOU ONLY GET ONE NOVICE A DOG! Use Rally Novice A – let your young dog get experience being in a competition environment earning three Rally Novice legs and a title all while being on lead. It will help to boost your confidence as well as your dog’s confidence.
This is great advice. Thank you. Gives me something to do in the last few hours of my shift at work… check for rally competitions! thank you!!
I personally would compete in UKC. I competed with both Ember and Cabrera in UKC and still do. They allow long coats in conformation and there are many performance events. The events are smaller with less people as well, so its less intimidating for you and less overwhelming for your dog. I love competing for Total Dog as well: a qualifyer in conformation and a performance event in the same trial, usually the same day. Rally is by far the most fun and relaxed and the dogs really enjoy it. Many clubs offer both rally and conformation so you can try for Total Dog.
I’ve competed in AKC Agility and the number of people was amazing. It made for a very long day waiting to show. I have not shown in AKC rally yet but I know there are less people that show in rally.
Good luck with Steve O!
I will have to check their website again for shows in the Spokane area… I had gone on it a couple times and had a hard time figuring out some of the abbreviations and such.
Ia m with you on that! The abbreviations are hard to figure out.
Conf Alt JS: conformation, altered, junior showmanship
RO: rally obedience
OBED: obedience
AGIL: Agility
NW: nosework
WPull: weight pull
LC: lurecoursing
There’s I and O after the city for indoor and outdoor. S1: show 1, S2: show 2 (these are right after each other on the same day)
DOS $25; JS $5; NLC $10; PE $20; Weekend PE Special $70 same dog all 4 shows received by January 23, 2016:
Day of Show $25; Junior Showmanship $5; Non-Licensed Class $10; Pre-Entry $20; weekend Pre-Entry Special $70 same dog all 4 shows received by January 23, 2016.
You can do day of show entries for UKC, but not AKC. Pre-Entry is cheaper and they give you the date to send in your pre-entry by.
Hope this helps. Let me know if there are any other abbreviations you need help with.
Thank you. I went to their website and searched rally events specifically and found this one right in my city… may be a good place for us to start!
WASHINGTON
LILAC CITY DOG TRAINING CLUB
SPOKANE (I) OBED RO
TRIALS LIMITED PER DAY AS FOLLOWS: OBED 40 / RALLY 35
Obedience events
Jun 11; Cindy Leung Entries 8-8:30 am Trial 9 am NLC: Sub Novice, Graduate Novice, Graduate Open
Jun 12; Cindy Leung Entries 8-8:30 am Trial 9 am
Rally events
Jun 11; Cindy Leung Entries 8-12 pm Trial no sooner than 1 pm
Jun 12; Cindy Leung Entries 8-12 pm Trial no sooner than 1 pm
DOS $25; Jr. Handler $18; NLC $15; PE $20, $15 2nd entry same dog/same trial; Jr. Handler $14, NLC $12 received by June 3, 2016 by 5:30 pm
Lilac City Dog Training Club, 1612 E Houston 99217 (509) 487-9542; From I-90 take exit 282 (westbound – use exit 282A). Go straight off the ramp onto N Hamilton St, which becomes N Wolverton Ct, which becomes N Nevada St. At about 4 ½ miles from the freeway, cross Francis Ave and then turn right at the next light on E Lyons Ave (just past Albertson’s on the right). Take the second right onto N Helena St and then the second left onto E Houston Ave. Second building on the right. http://www.lilaccitydogtrainingclub.com
Chairperson: Laurie Hanlon (509) 276-9808 hanlon@gonzaga.edu
Event Secretary: Renee Urbach, 5518 S Ravencrest, Spokane WA 99224 (509) 443-3769 lilacdogtrials@gmail.com
Hi Julie,
I’m also not sure if the regular AKC all breed shows are accepting long coat GDSs yet. When we showed our previous German Shepherd in a few AKC shows for ring practice one of the judges said to us “You know he’s not “our type”…” – we stuck to German Style shows after that!! Along with the German Shows we also did UKC conformation with Aiden for fun and you could show Steve in UKC for ring/stacking practice too if there are UKC events near you.
AKC now has a Beginner Novice class (which is being offered at the show/trial you are considering going to) where there are signs to follow for the heeling pattern similar to Rally. The dog is mainly on leash. There are no group stays however you do leave the dog, with leash attached but dropped to ground, while you walk around the ring. The dog is off leash for the recall exercise. This would be a good class for you to consider trying along with Rally Novice.
Good Luck and have fun in whatever events you decide to enter.
I’m glad I posted this here! So much good information, I really appreciate it!! So for the beginner novice what type of collar are you supposed to have on them?
Beginner novice could be great for him. He does really well in stays and loves coming when called. He still bounds toward me like a puppy with legs going all over the place… not exactly graceful, but cute!
If you do Beginner Novice A and get a title, you are out for doing Rally Novice A. So if at any point you decide to try out Rally Novice, you are stuck playing with the big boys in Rally B. You only get one Novice A dog, so use your choice wisely. I know competitors who are kicking themselves for using that “A” spot on Beginner Novice and not Rally Novice.
Yes, agree with Carole, read the rules carefully and enjoy your Novice A experience, otherwise you will end up showing against people with your Novice dog against folks that have put OTCH’s on dogs previously. The “optional” titling classes can also put you in the more advanced category for Rally. I like rally to start because you can talk to and encourage your dog which you can’t do once you are in BN or Novice OB. You can also gauge for how Steve’s performance changes from training at home and how he is handling the distractions of a show and if you need words to reassure and encourage for a good experience you can.
AMEN to Lisa’s comments!
I use a flat buckle collar
As far as collars AKC rules state;
Section 17. Collars. All dogs in the obedience ring must wear a
properly fitted collar approved by the judge. No dog may enter the
ring, either for judging or for awards, with unacceptable equipment. No
special training collars, such as electronic collars or prong collars, will be
permitted. Nothing may be hanging from the dog’s collar.
Here is the link to the AKC OB rules. http://www.akc.org/pdfs/rulebooks/RO2999.pdf
I use a very thin choker for Ember in UKC. It give me a little more control and she has been taught that when she has that choker on, she must heel. It is also her conformation choker, but she has learned the difference between my body language and position in relation to her and the lead that I use, so she understands when she’s doing rally or conformation. I have made sure to teach my Pap that same thing: a martingale show lead and collar for conformation and face him so he stands, a flat buckle collar and leather leash for rally and face forward, no collar or leash for Agility, and a thicker fleece martingale leash and collar for leisure walks so he can walk relaxed. That’s probably too complicated, but its worked for Ember and Joker, especially when I show conformation and rally in the same day.