Conformation Training SoundTrack:

Conformation Training Workout:

Bootcamp:

Day 1 - prepare the human

Training video

Music = Dr. Doolittle
1) Rapt Attention - Load Clicker (optional shaping game/box game etc.)

Music = silence
2) Basic Skills: Touch, target stick, leave it
3) Lure obstacle course (with lead, treat with Left lead hand)

Music = She's too Fat for Me Polka
4) Workout (fit paws, peanuts, treadmill)
5) Break - fun time (fetch, snuggle, tug)

Music = I'm Too Sexy
6) Table Work
7) Lead Work
8) Something fun (tricks - paws up, get in, spin, bow, touch etc.)
​9) Play/fetch/snuggle

Lilibeth Day 1 Bootcamp excerpts, 2/17/21:

Here is Miss Dior on Day 1 of Puppy Boot Camp back in 2019:

She liked wearing a tutu when training ;)

And here's Miss Dior finishing her Championship at 9 months of age with just a few shows (she LOVED the show ring):

Here's Lilly Day 1 of Bootcamp 2019:

And Lilly a few months later winning Best in Show:

And here's Lilly winning pretty much everything she could win in Atlanta under Randy Garren (despite hating the show ring ..... like, REALLY hating, hence the pacing):

So she made a promise to not pace ... that was her New Year's Resolution:

Here's Princess Buttercup Day 1 of Bootcamp 2019:

And here's Princess Buttercup waiting for Groups after winning Best of Breed:

Misc. Notes - goals - tips:

DUAL TRAINING:
Keep body language clean and consistent. Obedience verses Conformation. How you walk, how you talk, how you hold leads (what lead you use), what you wear etc. 

Try putting treats in an envelope on left arm (ala Entry # worn at show) .... to prevent ringwise.

Conditioning Games
 
Ignore the reactions that don’t please you and encourage the responses you want. Games have no element of right or wrong, so don’t give any verbal or physical corrections.
 
(Lilly): Never reassure your pup when she is afraid. She may relate your cooing and stroking to praise and repeat her fear reaction because she thinks it please s you. Praise her after she overcomes a fear and ignore her when she is timid.
 
CACOPHONY GAMES:

1. Record the sounds in grooming area by a breed ring, or crowd during Group judging. Play it occasionally when your pup is resting in crate, eating, or playing. Start it a little softer than the sounds really are but work up to a realistic level. (Never uncomfortably too loud)
2. Empty plastic half-gallon milk container without cap. Lay on floor and watch TV or read a book. Let puppy alone. Eventually pup will become brave enough to drag it, shake it, bang it etc. Like a small child with a toy drum or horn, pup is learning that noise isn’t so frightening because she can exercise control over it.
3. Try safe metal object or toy. If proceed onto Utility level of obedience, dog needs to be used to feeling metal in mouth.
4. Jingle or drop car keys (some conformation judges do this to check a dog’s expression). Do this 2 times a week. With one drop also let a favorite treat fall with the keys for puppy to find. TRY HAVING A FRIEND do it instead of you. Soon the sound of jingling metal will prompt pup to give the alert, quizzical expression all judges love.

 
COSTUME PARTY:

1. Practice wearing different “costumes” … trench coat, plastic raincoat, umbrella and large boots, sunglasses, wide-brimmed, floppy hat, fake beard.
2. Allow puppy to watch you put on item, call pup over and pat and treat. Don’t suddenly appear doing a Dracula routine with flapping arms and a large cape or you could crush pup’s confidence instead of bolstering it.
3. Once pup takes the costumes in stride, start walking a bit weirdly while wearing the strange outfits. Shuffle and make silly noises.
4. Anytime puppy seems the slightest bit wary, get down to pup’s level, busily tie your shoes or examine the floor and allow pup to check out the scary item at its own speed without a word from human. Let pup reach human and make the 1st move before you pet the pup.
5. Once puppy is blasé about all the silliness, dress funnily out of pup’s sight then casually walk past her and go about your business.

 
OBSTACLE COURSE:

1. Gather:

-rubber matting
-Old rubber tire lying flat on the ground
-Some metal grating (like a shelf from an old refrigerator or stove lying flat on the ground)
-3 rug samples of various textures
-A piece of waxed linoleum
b) Place above props on ground close to each other in a familiar area and put a treat or toy on each one. Then look busy doing something and let your puppy brave the footing at her own speed to reach the treats.
If puppy afraid, see if adding another gentle dog/pup helps encourage puppy.
 
REST PERIODS: Quiet time, time of pleasant communication through touch.

1. Get puppy ready or grooming and table examinations. Watch tv and while pup is sitting on your lap pet ALL of the pup. From the tip of the nose to the pads on toes (and testicles if boy).
2. If you find puppy doesn’t want to be touched on some part of body, don’t pet that place continuously, but come back to it often with a cursory caress. Once puppy falls asleep, you can pet the spots she didn’t like.

 
LITTLE LEAGUE:
Help puppy learn that cheers and applause are wonderful, not scary. Get 2 (or more) people. Roll a ball (small enough for puppy to pick up but not swallow) back and forth. Kick it, bounce it across floor to each other. If puppy tries to intercept, let her win sometimes, and when she gets the ball, clap and cheer for her. Allow puppy to keep the ball a few seconds, then take it back and continue playing.
 
ROUGH ‘N TUMBLE:
Tug-a-war with rubber toy or rag rope. Ease into – sit on floor and pet pup; push chest and slide pup backward away from you. If puppy comes right back, tickle her and push away again.. If puppy doesn’t return immediately, start over with petting and gentle play. Slide her back less next time etc.
 
MOUNTAINTOP:
 (For dogs who have trouble on table exam)

1. Place puppy on conformation table
2. Tickle her favorite places, roll her over and scratch her sides and belly (if she likes that); put your face down to her to touch noses if she finds that amusing. Toss and catch a treat several times, then give it to her. Delight your puppy on the table and make it an enjoyable, not fearful place. 2-3 minutes once or twice a day. More is not better. Lift her down b/f she becomes bored.

 
THE BIG PLAYGROUND:
Get out and about. Experience walking near shopping carts, revolving doors, elevators etc. Never pet puppy for being afraid and always praise puppy for being brave.
 
Collars, Leads, Lines and Corrections

1. Equipment: Obedience equipment should look, feel, and sound different to dog than conformation equipment. (Eventually, once puppy is dual trained, commands/tone/body language will instantly cue pup.)

 
Consider using a rolled leather buckle collar for obedience training. Resco for conformation. Leash for obedience = 6 feet long.
 

1. HOLDING the obedience lead: Place your right thumb through the loop in the lead handle and fold the excess length in your right hand so that you can remove the slack quickly to make a correction. Keep your right arm straight at your side with your knuckles against the outside seam of your right pant leg OR hold your right hand against your right hip. Your left hand should stay off the lead unless you need to adjust the slack during certain exercises.
2. Conformation lead training (5 minutes a day max …more than 10 is too much):

-put lead on puppy and allow her to drag it around (watch closely so doesn’t get caught and choke her)
-When pup becomes nonchalant, take her to an open area and pick up end of lead and follow puppy wherever she takes you.
-target stick, treat in position
-zig zag
-if lagging, walk backwards excitedly then have a play session once pup comes to you
  
TRAINING WITH DRAMA: