Table of Contents:
Introduction The Basics Training Grooming and Caring for a Show Dog Show Terminology Puppy Matches & "Practice Shows" |
Introduction
If you have recently obtained a pug that you would like to show toward a championship this means you will be enjoying a lot of fun with your PET (albeit show-quality pet who is an exemplary example of the current breed standard) entering dog shows, perhaps staying in hotels, meeting other exhibitors and pug owners, and getting to spend quality time with your Pug. It is an opportunity to allow your Pug to enjoy a fulfilled life and enjoy all sorts of adventures .... with his/her human!
Patricia Trotter, the judge for Best in Show at the 2021 Westminster Kennel Dog Show, remarked to the crowd before announcing the winner that "Not all pets are show dogs but I can assure you that all show dogs are pets.”
"Not all pets are show dogs but I can assure you that all show dogs are pets." -- Patricia Trotter
There are no truer words and every pug, regardless of what activities it chooses to pursue in life, should be first and foremost someone's beloved pet. Pugs in particular love their humans so much that they deserve and demand to be cherished and doted upon. A pug who participates in conformation will require a little more regular grooming and a different approach to training. A show pug will need to be socialized regularly so that there is no fear when traveling to new show sites and environments. But a show pug will still be your family pet.
This webpage will offer some tips for first time show pug owners so that both dog and human will have fun in this adventure, be successful, and feel confident! Training will be a little different as you will need to teach a strong stand (i.e. a Pug who can stand properly --- or "hold a stack" --- while greeting a stranger or, ultimately, a judge ... versus a Pug who sits automatically for a greeting.)
At Pickwick Pugs we believe that a show pug needs to learn the important basic skills like sit, down, stand, stay, wait, come, loose-leash-walking etc., but there will be a few tweaks to the typical training program for a companion pet pug. (For example, you will treat when the pug stands after the puppy pushup sequence, not sits). Grooming will also be slightly different as it is imperative to always keep a show pug's nails trimmed ("show short" --- never hearing any tapping on the floor) and coat in fabulous condition with weekly or bi-weekly baths and daily conditioning and brushing. Lilibeth (CH Pickwick's Show the World How to Smile) damaged her coat when she was young, before she even started showing. In this photo you will notice a light marking in the coat going up from her waist to her tail. That shouldn't be there!
This webpage will offer some tips for first time show pug owners so that both dog and human will have fun in this adventure, be successful, and feel confident! Training will be a little different as you will need to teach a strong stand (i.e. a Pug who can stand properly --- or "hold a stack" --- while greeting a stranger or, ultimately, a judge ... versus a Pug who sits automatically for a greeting.)
At Pickwick Pugs we believe that a show pug needs to learn the important basic skills like sit, down, stand, stay, wait, come, loose-leash-walking etc., but there will be a few tweaks to the typical training program for a companion pet pug. (For example, you will treat when the pug stands after the puppy pushup sequence, not sits). Grooming will also be slightly different as it is imperative to always keep a show pug's nails trimmed ("show short" --- never hearing any tapping on the floor) and coat in fabulous condition with weekly or bi-weekly baths and daily conditioning and brushing. Lilibeth (CH Pickwick's Show the World How to Smile) damaged her coat when she was young, before she even started showing. In this photo you will notice a light marking in the coat going up from her waist to her tail. That shouldn't be there!
Before she even started participating in shows, Lilibeth got herself tangled up in a bra that was hanging on the back of the bathroom door. (She was in a room she wasn't supposed to be in). Being a quiet pug, we didn't see her when we started searching for her -- first throughout the house, then throughout the entire neighborhood, then reporting to AKC Reunite worldwide. It was so scary. 8 hours later, at 11 PM at night, we were pitching a tent outside "in case" she came home. (We had just assumed she had slipped past us and ventured outside.) That's when Jeff found her in the bathroom. The bra was wrapped so tightly around her waist that a mark was left on her coat which never improved despite conditioning, trimming, regular brushing. Indeed, Lilibeth finished her entire championship with this coat marking. Had it been more serious, (a limb being damaged causing lameness and a limp, or a lost eye etc.) she would not have been able to participate in conformation. So, there is an element of protecting your show pugs beyond what one might do with a typical pet. For example, we don't go hiking in the deep woods with our show dogs until they have finished their championships.
Jeff and I purchased our first show-quality pug specifically to keep our Sebastian pug company for rally obedience. Despite having owned pugs since 1990, we wanted a beautiful pug that met that standard. (Don't get me wrong ... we have loved all of our pugs over the years, even the ones whose eyes look in opposite direction, or whose front legs are horrible with a "fiddle front" ... but after 2 decades of owning pugs, we wanted a pug that looked like a "proper pug", or a "show quality pug".) Indeed KK ended up being amazing in rally and earned a lot of ribbons and titles. Little did we know that all those years, by supporting Back Yard Breeders, we had damaged the future of the Pug Breed. It is our hope that, by being very transparent and informative with our website, future prospective pug owners will understand the importance of only buying from a Preservation Breeder -- a member of the Pug Dog Club of America -- a breeder who understands the breed standard and who has high standards in upholding the standard in their breeding program. If only we had known about this in the first 2 decades of owning pugs we might have avoided supporting backyard breeders and instead have supported breeders who are truly striving to preserve the Pug Breed, not just breeding pugs to make money. Preservation breeders, by the way, do not make money. They are lucky, after all the health testing and expenses of showing dogs and paying for appropriate studs etc., if they even break even. At any rate, we did not know about the Pug Dog Club of America at that time and it was "pre-internet" so classified ads in the newspapers were all we knew.
Hindsight is 20/20 though but perhaps this website can help future pug owners and the future of the pug breed. Don't buy from breeders who do not register with AKC. Don't buy from breeders who are not members of the Pug Dog Club of America (or the equivalent club in other countries). Don't buy from breeders who do not complete all the recommended health testing and screening. Don't buy from breeders who do not show their dogs in conformation with AKC. This makes a nice segway to why we fool with all of this (very expensive) effort to show our dogs to an AKC championship.
Our foundation bitch and first show dog, KK, was so special that the breeder encouraged us to show her in conformation and work toward earning an AKC championship. This was all quite new to us and we honestly weren't the best "handlers" when showing her. We didn't know what we were doing. At one point we became frustrated when she wasn't always winning (which, FYI, your pug will NOT always win each show, so be prepared to lose sometimes). We told the breeder that we didn't really want to continue showing in conformation and she replied "there's truly something to the word finish. (When you complete a championship, the term is that you "finish your championship".) We only needed a few more points and a friend helped us earn that last "major" win that we needed. (More on all these terms in a bit). Here is the photograph of KK's final conformation win that earned her championship.
Hindsight is 20/20 though but perhaps this website can help future pug owners and the future of the pug breed. Don't buy from breeders who do not register with AKC. Don't buy from breeders who are not members of the Pug Dog Club of America (or the equivalent club in other countries). Don't buy from breeders who do not complete all the recommended health testing and screening. Don't buy from breeders who do not show their dogs in conformation with AKC. This makes a nice segway to why we fool with all of this (very expensive) effort to show our dogs to an AKC championship.
Our foundation bitch and first show dog, KK, was so special that the breeder encouraged us to show her in conformation and work toward earning an AKC championship. This was all quite new to us and we honestly weren't the best "handlers" when showing her. We didn't know what we were doing. At one point we became frustrated when she wasn't always winning (which, FYI, your pug will NOT always win each show, so be prepared to lose sometimes). We told the breeder that we didn't really want to continue showing in conformation and she replied "there's truly something to the word finish. (When you complete a championship, the term is that you "finish your championship".) We only needed a few more points and a friend helped us earn that last "major" win that we needed. (More on all these terms in a bit). Here is the photograph of KK's final conformation win that earned her championship.
When you earn a championship in conformation you achieve a prefix of "CH" (or GCH for a Grand Championship etc.). The letters AFTER the pug's registered name represent titles won in things like rally obedience, agility, tricks, Canine Good Citizenship, barn hunt, obedience, or other fun achievements. Here is a link to all the fun activities you can do with your dog. AKC is amazing with all of the opportunities it provides to pet owners.
I must confess that we are so glad we did finish KK's championship. She is a truly special pug inside and out and deserved that title. CH Peachtree's Kirkcudbright Kayleigh, CGC, RN, RI, TKN is brilliant and has qualities you don't often find in a lot of pugs in the ring today. After we finished her championship, her breeder then helped us navigate the waters to start a kennel of our own and KK became the "foundation bitch" of Pickwick Pugs. When you see a Pickwick puppy with a pretty face, lots of wrinkles and pigment, that's KK. When you see a Pickwick puppy excel in Puppy Kindergarten and other endeavors as a "star student", that's KK. Since her breeder retired soon after we purchased her, it is also special to us to be carrying on her line as we work toward breeding healthy, sound, beautiful, and brilliant pugs. To-date, we have earned 8 championships all total with limited showing, and are especially proud of our bred-by champions. We are also especially proud of those titles after the names, like the RI KK earned in Clemson, SC when she completed 3 qualifying scores for her Rally Intermediate title.
Training and caring for a Show Puppy
The basics - What to Expect:
Dogs are required to do two things in the conformation ring:
1) Stack: "to be set up or posed (and to hold that pose for an indefinite length of time during the judge's examination)"
2) Gait: "individually, and in a group.
"While show training is not difficult, it does require time, patience, sensitivity, and consistency on the part of the trainer. Many people make the mistake of waiting for a puppy to grow up and then begin to train it. We don't mean to imply that some successful dogs did not start this way but, without a doubt, dogs that have the right kind of basic training as puppies are always the ones that stand in the ring with head and tail up, full of assurance. Just the repetition of correctly posing and leading the puppy will teach it to walk confidently on lead and to feel comfortable while being handled - and that's really what early training is for - to ensure that your puppy will grow into an adult that is confident and self assured int he show ring!"
HAVE FUN!
"Early training should always be started on a "fun" basis. Don't be in a hurry to start formal training too early; the first part of a puppy's life should be fun time and every dog should be allowed to enjoy its puppyhood." -- From Louise Gore's book "Meet the Pug", (1990, Doral Publishing):
Dogs are required to do two things in the conformation ring:
1) Stack: "to be set up or posed (and to hold that pose for an indefinite length of time during the judge's examination)"
2) Gait: "individually, and in a group.
"While show training is not difficult, it does require time, patience, sensitivity, and consistency on the part of the trainer. Many people make the mistake of waiting for a puppy to grow up and then begin to train it. We don't mean to imply that some successful dogs did not start this way but, without a doubt, dogs that have the right kind of basic training as puppies are always the ones that stand in the ring with head and tail up, full of assurance. Just the repetition of correctly posing and leading the puppy will teach it to walk confidently on lead and to feel comfortable while being handled - and that's really what early training is for - to ensure that your puppy will grow into an adult that is confident and self assured int he show ring!"
HAVE FUN!
"Early training should always be started on a "fun" basis. Don't be in a hurry to start formal training too early; the first part of a puppy's life should be fun time and every dog should be allowed to enjoy its puppyhood." -- From Louise Gore's book "Meet the Pug", (1990, Doral Publishing):
"A young puppy is very impressionable and the socialization and training it receives at an early age sets the tone for its lifetime characteristics. If a puppy receives the proper socialization is treated with sensitivity, patience, and consistency, if it learns to be loved and respected, then it will always be happier when pleasing you."
Socialization and Proper Care of a Show Puppy
"With a young puppy you want to begin basic training by establishing a happy and loving rapport between you and the dog. Pat and handle the puppy frequently, speaking reassuringly and using praise often. Let the puppy become accustomed to being petted and handled by strangers. A well-socialized puppy loves to make new friends and this kind of interaction between puppy and humans or other animals will be a prerequisite for the basic show training to follow. Hopefully, by the time the puppy is about 7 to 8 weeks old, it has learned a little about life. If it has been properly socialized, it is light-hearted and untroubled, because it has learned that it is loved and respected. Now it must be taught certain basics which lead eventually to more formal training for the show ring." -- Gore "Meet the Pug"
Socialization and Proper Care of a Show Puppy
"With a young puppy you want to begin basic training by establishing a happy and loving rapport between you and the dog. Pat and handle the puppy frequently, speaking reassuringly and using praise often. Let the puppy become accustomed to being petted and handled by strangers. A well-socialized puppy loves to make new friends and this kind of interaction between puppy and humans or other animals will be a prerequisite for the basic show training to follow. Hopefully, by the time the puppy is about 7 to 8 weeks old, it has learned a little about life. If it has been properly socialized, it is light-hearted and untroubled, because it has learned that it is loved and respected. Now it must be taught certain basics which lead eventually to more formal training for the show ring." -- Gore "Meet the Pug"
- Socialize, socialize, socialize, always making sure your puppy has a positive experience with each new outing or meeting. Which pug do you suppose will win in the ring? The pug who is literally smiling and engaging with and "flirting" with judge, or the pug who is fearful and won't even make eye contact or whose tail is down because it is spooked by all the sites and sounds? If your puppy appears frightened (tries to pull away, drops tail, pins ears back, is wide-eyed, or won't take a treat etc.) quickly move far enough away from the 'scary' thing so the puppy doesn't appear frightened. You can gently pick the puppy up to walk away, and offer comfort and support. Don't be afraid yourself. Allow your confidence to rub off on the puppy. Feed, play or pet the puppy to help him relax and regain confidence. You could try again from a far enough distance (only as close as the puppy is comfortable) or scrap it and try another time. Never force a puppy beyond what it is ready to do or experience. Observe your puppy at all times when socializing.
- Watch the Puppy Culture Videos for important tips on how to properly socialize your puppy. Also, there are some articles on this website as well, including a checklist.
General Tips for Training:
- Start show training right away -- as soon as you purchase your puppy (and, with breeders, as soon as the puppy is weaned).
- With a baby puppy, your main objective is to begin establishing a pleasant, loving relationship which will become the basis of more formal training in the future
- Beginning training sessions should be given in familiar surroundings, (preferably at home), and without noises or other distractions.
- Beginning training sessions should be short (no more than 10 minutes in length ... as puppy matures, you can gradually lengthen sessions but never more than 30 minutes in any single session.)
- Training sessions should always be relaxed and enjoyable for both the human and puppy.
- Find the best time to train: if the puppy is restless and cannot concentrate, postpone and try again later that day or the next day. (Same for the human - if the human is tired or impatient, reschedule.)
- Be consistent: Use a firm (yet kind) tone of voice giving commands. We will discuss these skills and commands below but the basic words your puppy will be learning as s/he masters stacking and lead training are "Come" "Stand" Stay" "Watch".
- "Leave it" command - We find this a helpful skill for show dogs to have in case they notice bait or a bug or a fluff of Golden Retriever hair in the ring and you need the pug to ignore it. (All longtime pug owners probably know that pugs are like Hoovers .... they will vacuum up all treats in site unless taught otherwise.)
- Be patient and gentle. Remember that a young puppy is inexperienced. "Don't rush your puppy; give it time to understand what you expect and to learn how to respond."
- Muscle Memory - Puppies learn by repetition and praise. You can apply the principles of "shaping" toward mastering these skills. Don't punish a puppy if it seems confused; instead, break-up the skill into smaller bites so that the puppy will be successful, then offer tons of praise. "It is important that your puppy understand each training step thoroughly before going on to the next."
- "Always end each training session on a pleasant note and give plenty of praise and perhaps reward the puppy with its favorite treat. A puppy can learn almost anything if given love and understanding."
- Teach "attention" with a show puppy, just as you would with any puppy. However, eventually work toward the puppy giving you (and holding) eye contact WHILE STANDING as this will be a skill s/he will need to master as it looks at the judge (or you) in the show ring.
Attention - Focus (FYI - gradually build duration. This takes time! Puppy's do not have a long attention span.)
Preparing for the ultimate Table Exam:
- Get your puppy comfortable with a "grooming table". You can use a yoga mat or rubber mat on the kitchen table, or (best bet) purchase a grooming table similar to this one (which you can order online at Chewy -- click photo -- or other stores.) It is imperative that you have a no-slip surface.
With very young puppies, we were taught by a longtime experienced breeder/handler to start out with a small step stool or something that is closer to the puppy's size, like Lilibeth (CH Pickwick's Show the World How to Smile) and her brother Luke (kennel name Casanova - CH Pickwick's Casanova in Disguise) are doing in this video when they were 8 weeks of age:
- If the puppy is particularly afraid or hesitant of heights, you can start out by collapsing the grooming table so it is close to the ground. and/or just practice having the puppy stand on different platforms (like a stair step) which are not as intimidating and challenging.
- Make the table your puppy's "happy place"
- Make sure the table is steady and on an even flooring so that it does not wobble.
- Keep your voice calm, your motions gentle and slow.
- Give the puppy a lot of delicious treats! You can even feed your puppy its meals on the table (always making sure it does not jump or fall off).
Another trick for tiny puppies is to use the short end of the table, as Charlotte Patterson (pug breeder of the Ivanwold Kennel, professional show handler and longtime AKC judge) is doing as she evaluates a litter of puppies. Notice, in particular, a few of her pointers:
- how she holds the puppy
- how she speaks calmly and gently and close to the puppy's ear
- how she scoots/drags the puppy, keeping contact with feet and table, and not lifting and picking up the puppy
- how one hand remains under the chin to 'guide' the puppy
- how she moves slowly with no unexpected motions for the puppy
Table and Free Stack
- Your puppy will need to eventually master holding a stack on the table and on the ground (free stack).
- Practice "stacking" the puppy (on the grooming table as well as on the ground). Place the puppy in a natural standing position with his/her front legs straight, his head and tail up.
Break it down into successful small bites for the puppy. It will be a process to master a "perfect stack" and it will take time.
- Start by just getting the puppy to stand on the table (and get the puppy used to being off the ground)
- Master "lift" - If you are careful and gentle as you pick your puppy up, s/he will remain comfortable. If you are not, s/he may start to run away from you as you try to lift him. Let your puppy know you are about to pick him up by getting him in position and then saying a cue such as "lift" as you lift him, THEN FEED A TREAT. Tips: Resist calling your puppy ("come") and then immediately lift it. Instead, add an extra step of putting a treat in front of his nose then lure him towards you before you lift. YOU WANT TO AVOID HAVING TO LOOM OVER THE PUPPY AND GRAB. GOAL: Ensure that your puppy remains comfortable over the course of his life when you lift him off the ground. (Note: we have learned the hard way not to skip this step in training.)
- Shape toward this with each practice session Use a simple word of command such as "stand stay" and keep the puppy's attention for a few moments and then treat for good behavior.
- Be super careful not to let the puppy slip or fall off the table (or jump off!) as this will cause him to lose his confidence and risk injury.
- Capture the puppy being successful holding the stand at whatever degree of 'perfection' it has currently mastered. Some puppies do not mind standing right away if you handle them correctly. Others, well it might take weeks of "approximations" ... first perhaps they pancake on the table and won't stand (and only lay down), 2nd, perhaps crouched like a scaredy cat, 3rd perhaps a stand that looks like they are miserable 4th perhaps a stand where you are allowed to move the front feet back so they aren't "posting" - poking their front legs too far forward, 5th etc. etc. etc.Once you have the puppy as close to the illustrated breed standard as possible (for that given stage of development) capture it, (even if it's a "quasi stand" lol) click, give the verbal cue "stand stay" (or stand pretty, or pose, or whatever word you choose), and treat --- before they lose it. Sometimes you have to capture within a second. Ideally, use a clicker to mark the moment in time/"stand" that you'd like to develop upon. Offer delicious treats! (think baked chicken or steak versus kibble, or cream cheese and liverwurst versus Biljac etc.) Make the table nirvana.
- Notice that I am being careful how I place Mr. Drysdale on the table at his first puppy match and not just abruptly "plopping" him on there, and I have the delicious treats ready to offer and "redirect" with the other hand. Eventually, you will want to fade the treat/lure as, ideally, the final goal is to train the pup to stand on the table confidently then perhaps treat after the table examination is completed. When you have the puppy nibble on treats (in the beginning stages of training and when you introduce new environments like a puppy match or handling class) the puppy wiggles a LOT while it gobbles the treats. This makes it difficult for the judge to see anything. That's longterm goals, though, so in the beginning of training you will be offering LOTS of DELICIOUS treats when training on table.
We completed an amazing online class with Vickie Ronchette when we purchased our first show pug, KK. We love that this teacher uses clicker training and positive training techniques. They work with pugs! And we cannot recommend the Puppy Culture videos enough. Period.
Since those early days with KK, we have also attended in-person seminars. Some were better than others but we can definitely NOT recommend one instructor in particular who was absolutely horrid, rude (to human and dog), and dangerous. After the workshop I learned that there had been dogs with collapsed tracheas and even a terrier who died after attending one of these workshop/weekend seminars. I'm not surprised since the instructor REQUIRED that each dog (even our young puppy who was not trained yet) wear a choke chain (he sold them, imagine that), PLUS he then demanded that we DRAG the puppy (wearing this choke collar .... FYI, NO PUG SHOULD EVER WEAR ONE OF THESE -- EVER), drag the puppy when it stopped to sniff or explore something or someone. Thankfully, I protested and refused to drag my new and quite young puppy. Because I refused to blindly follow his unsafe advice, and chose to protect my puppy's life and safety (emotional and physical), the instructor became so mad that he 'benched me' and did not allow use to participate in the remainder of the seminar -- we lost over $300. If you are interested in knowing this trainer you should avoid at all costs just contact us.
However, we can wholeheartedly recommend Vicki Ronchette and her Show Dog Prep School and Jane Lindquist of Puppy Culture.
However, we can wholeheartedly recommend Vicki Ronchette and her Show Dog Prep School and Jane Lindquist of Puppy Culture.
- Have someone (who is unfamiliar to the puppy) visit and handle the puppy gently as it stands on the table. It is helpful, once the puppy is fully vaccinated, to attend a "handling class" so the puppy gets used to "pretend judges" putting their hands on it for the examination. The judge will be feeling the puppy's structure, bones/angles/assembly (or "conformation") to make sure the puppy is sound and as close to the breed standard as possible. The judge will be checking to see if a male puppy is 'intact' (so the puppy will need to get used to this!) Here is an article on how a judge should do an examination of a pug, written by a pug breeder and judge.
Here is Tory being examined by a judge at one of her first shows. Notice how she is not afraid of him and actually trying to look at him? (Eventually, she would learn how to "hold her stack" and keep her head facing front.)
Here is Mr. Drysdale in a puppy match when he had just turned 3 months of age. He is "hopping" and having just a little too much fun. But "fun" should be the name of the game at these early introductory puppy matches. A puppy should never feel stressed or nervous (even if the human is!) It helps to talk or sing softly to the puppy as you go around the ring. Once you're at a dog show you might notice that some of them keep a bowl of peppermints at the check-in table. This is because the handlers should eat one to "camouflage" the scent that is given off to the dog when the human is nervous. If the human (handler) is nervous, it will go down that lead to the puppy and then they will become nervous. That is why you should always keep it a game and talk, sing, make it fun for the puppy (and human)!
Eventually, by his first "official" show at 6 months of age, Mr. Drysdale was better at gaiting (walking at the correct speed). He won both of his "majors" at his first official show winning Winners Dog and Best of Winners. (Puppies cannot compete to actually earn points until they are 6 months of age .... prior to that they can "practice" dog shows through matches -- which are like practice shows -- or BPUP, 4-6 month Beginning Puppy Competition, where they don't earn points toward a championship but toward a "Puppy of Achievement" award certificate, plus receive invaluable experience in the show ring and at the show site.)
You'll notice that Mr. Drysdale is pulling ahead a bit which is making him reach differently with his front leg. Ideally, you don't want your puppy to do forge ahead and pull on the lead. First, you must teach loose leash walking. In the show ring you do not want a "loose" dragging lead, the lead will be taught but the pug will not be pulling ahead. Since this was his first real show, he was pretty fired up and excited. Plus, to be honest, we didn't train enough and work on loose leash walking enough between his puppy matches and his first official show. These skills have to be worked on regularly (ideally daily) in order for the dog to learn a muscle memory -- the sensation of standing a certain way, the sensation of walking in a particular relationship to the human etc. They can't be successfully cram taught. Trust me on this. I tried, and have never succeeded. Dogs require lots of repetition to master something successfully. Yes, I was able to memorize all of the French verbs sitting on the floor outside the classroom prior to the exam, but your pug puppy will need lots of repetition over a period of time to be successful. Muscle memory takes time to develop.
Here are some tips to teach the puppy how to walk on a show lead. (It is recommended that pugs use a Resco show lead - ideally black). You can also find leads which have a "kindness collar" on the bottom (a bit of added fabric) which help give more control over the puppy and make him/her feel more confident.
Here are some tips to teach the puppy how to walk on a show lead. (It is recommended that pugs use a Resco show lead - ideally black). You can also find leads which have a "kindness collar" on the bottom (a bit of added fabric) which help give more control over the puppy and make him/her feel more confident.
Teaching Puppy how to Walk on Lead and Gait:
"Of all the steps necessary to prepare a puppy for the show ring, probably lead training is the most important because there have been many potentially fine show dogs ruined by improper lead training. So many exhibitors wait until the last minute to lead break a dog then expect it all to happen in one try. Then they become impatient and treat the dog roughly and the puppy's reaction to all this is fear. Do remember that extreme patience is necessary because introduction to collar and a lead can be a frightening experience for a young puppy."
At Pickwick Pugs, we begin getting the puppy used to wearing a small soft collar (we use cat collars in the beginning) at 6 weeks. We let the puppies wear them for short periods of time WHILE WE ARE SUPERVISING and then take them off. Often, the first few times the puppy wears the collar, it may roll on the ground or try several other things to get the collar off. We make the sessions short -- no more than 5-10 minutes, then remove the collar and play with the puppy and praise it for being such a good dog.
After a period of about a week (or when the puppy is relaxed about wearing the collar) we try out the resco lead and let the puppy drag the lead freely about the floor. We allow the puppy to walk wherever it wants to go. If it follows us we treat when the puppy is at our left side. Eventually, we pick up the lead in our left hand and let the puppy take use for a walk. We speak gently and walk wherever the puppy wants to go. We NEVER pull or tug on the lead in an attempt to make the puppy follow us. The early goals are just to get the puppy completely accustomed to wearing the collar and lead.
The next step is to try to walk the puppy on lead. The first time we try this we do everything possible to avoid an "opposition reflex" where the puppy pulls away. We lure, talk, and convince the puppy to walk in our general direction NEVER pulling or jerking the lead. Be patient and speak gently. Squat down and call the puppy's name and the word "come" in our MOST convincing voice. We use the verbal command "let's go" whether conformation or rally obedience.
We use a lot of bait and treats to convince the puppy to move in the direction we want it to. Lures, yes. But we need to avoid the opposition reflex! Think of it like ballroom dancing -- whatever it takes, we need to both move in the same direction at the same time.
Remember that the puppy's attention span is short so make each session brief (10 minutes at most). Since I'm ADHD, I prefer the training technic of putting x-amount of treats in my hand, pocket, pouch. Once I run out of treats, that session is over. ADHD also tends to come with compulsive tendencies, so, as a piano teacher I've learned over many decades that I have to know when to say when.
Once 10 minutes is up, or your handful of treats are gone, remove the lead and praise your puppy and play with it. The main idea at this stage of training is to make the first lessons a "train and play" time that the puppy looks forward to and not something it dreads. After a few lessons then your puppy can be lead trained rather quickly and what is more important the will enjoy the experience.
"At this point we want to offer some advice about early training. Always try to train the puppy to move on a loose lead to help develop its natural carriage. In the show ring you will be asked by many judges to move your dog on a loose lead and you will be prepared if you accustom your puppy to do it at an early age. When a puppy is taught to gait only on a tight lead, it gets used to learning into the lead and without that pressure, feels completely lost. There is nothing harder to break than a dog that is used to learning into the lead (pulling) for support. Dogs. that are trained on a tight lead also lose their natural head carriage and they often learn many other bad habits including sidewinding. In the ring, it is not uncommon to see exhibitors string up their dogs so tightly that the front feet hardly touch the ground. There is a trend to show certain breeds on a tight lead to make a more positive topline." -- Gore, "Meet the Pug
In mind mind, this is cheating. And, as a former dancer, ugly. I'm guilty of this. There have been times when we just didn't have the time to properly train the pug puppy and it pulled on its lead. It's so unfortunate because the puppy that should have shined in the ring looked ridiculous. It wasn't fun for them. It wasn't fun for us. It wasn't fun for the judge or audience; And, once you allow that "opposition reflect" (google it) it is so hard to unlearn. Again, speaking from experience.
Here is a video of you do NOT want to do when teaching a pug to walk on a show lead.
"Of all the steps necessary to prepare a puppy for the show ring, probably lead training is the most important because there have been many potentially fine show dogs ruined by improper lead training. So many exhibitors wait until the last minute to lead break a dog then expect it all to happen in one try. Then they become impatient and treat the dog roughly and the puppy's reaction to all this is fear. Do remember that extreme patience is necessary because introduction to collar and a lead can be a frightening experience for a young puppy."
At Pickwick Pugs, we begin getting the puppy used to wearing a small soft collar (we use cat collars in the beginning) at 6 weeks. We let the puppies wear them for short periods of time WHILE WE ARE SUPERVISING and then take them off. Often, the first few times the puppy wears the collar, it may roll on the ground or try several other things to get the collar off. We make the sessions short -- no more than 5-10 minutes, then remove the collar and play with the puppy and praise it for being such a good dog.
After a period of about a week (or when the puppy is relaxed about wearing the collar) we try out the resco lead and let the puppy drag the lead freely about the floor. We allow the puppy to walk wherever it wants to go. If it follows us we treat when the puppy is at our left side. Eventually, we pick up the lead in our left hand and let the puppy take use for a walk. We speak gently and walk wherever the puppy wants to go. We NEVER pull or tug on the lead in an attempt to make the puppy follow us. The early goals are just to get the puppy completely accustomed to wearing the collar and lead.
The next step is to try to walk the puppy on lead. The first time we try this we do everything possible to avoid an "opposition reflex" where the puppy pulls away. We lure, talk, and convince the puppy to walk in our general direction NEVER pulling or jerking the lead. Be patient and speak gently. Squat down and call the puppy's name and the word "come" in our MOST convincing voice. We use the verbal command "let's go" whether conformation or rally obedience.
We use a lot of bait and treats to convince the puppy to move in the direction we want it to. Lures, yes. But we need to avoid the opposition reflex! Think of it like ballroom dancing -- whatever it takes, we need to both move in the same direction at the same time.
Remember that the puppy's attention span is short so make each session brief (10 minutes at most). Since I'm ADHD, I prefer the training technic of putting x-amount of treats in my hand, pocket, pouch. Once I run out of treats, that session is over. ADHD also tends to come with compulsive tendencies, so, as a piano teacher I've learned over many decades that I have to know when to say when.
Once 10 minutes is up, or your handful of treats are gone, remove the lead and praise your puppy and play with it. The main idea at this stage of training is to make the first lessons a "train and play" time that the puppy looks forward to and not something it dreads. After a few lessons then your puppy can be lead trained rather quickly and what is more important the will enjoy the experience.
"At this point we want to offer some advice about early training. Always try to train the puppy to move on a loose lead to help develop its natural carriage. In the show ring you will be asked by many judges to move your dog on a loose lead and you will be prepared if you accustom your puppy to do it at an early age. When a puppy is taught to gait only on a tight lead, it gets used to learning into the lead and without that pressure, feels completely lost. There is nothing harder to break than a dog that is used to learning into the lead (pulling) for support. Dogs. that are trained on a tight lead also lose their natural head carriage and they often learn many other bad habits including sidewinding. In the ring, it is not uncommon to see exhibitors string up their dogs so tightly that the front feet hardly touch the ground. There is a trend to show certain breeds on a tight lead to make a more positive topline." -- Gore, "Meet the Pug
In mind mind, this is cheating. And, as a former dancer, ugly. I'm guilty of this. There have been times when we just didn't have the time to properly train the pug puppy and it pulled on its lead. It's so unfortunate because the puppy that should have shined in the ring looked ridiculous. It wasn't fun for them. It wasn't fun for us. It wasn't fun for the judge or audience; And, once you allow that "opposition reflect" (google it) it is so hard to unlearn. Again, speaking from experience.
Here is a video of you do NOT want to do when teaching a pug to walk on a show lead.
Gaiting for the Show Ring
Here is how you SHOULD work on gaiting with your pug puppy:
Here is how you SHOULD work on gaiting with your pug puppy:
Grooming and Proper Care of a Show Pug:Groom daily with a soft brush (Bass boar brush) and conditioning spray (water down and put in a larger spray bottle you can buy at Sally's Beauty Supply or even Home Depot). We love these products:
- Wipe their wrinkles and nose fold daily with an unscented baby wipe.
- Check their ears - clean as needed.
- Protect your puppy from injuries (remember Lilibeth's damaged coat!)
- Protect your puppy's eyes! Stay away from rose bushes on walks, sandy beaches, terrain with lots of twigs etc. You have to be vigilent and always aware or your surroundings.
more to come soon ......