# Cooper's Next Show!/Questions



## Christen113 (Dec 3, 2014)

Just saw the numbers for our next show...which is the weekend of Nationals. We finally have a really small show here! 6 goldens total, 4 males, 2 females. Fingers crossed that this all goes well! I'm elated that there's finally a small show and that most of the major handlers will be at Nationals.

I do have a question. Cooper's has a dip in his topline still and he's a little high in rear. I talked to the breeder about it, she said it's good at this age and not to worry. I'll try to stack him at a little bit of an angle but I noticed that if he's leaning forward it's really minimized. What's the best way to get him to lean forward into a stack? And any other tips to minimize it? I added a couple pictures-one where he's just free stacked (not the best and it looks like he's kind of posting but you can really see the dip), one where he's leaning forward (peanut butter on the grooming arm is a God send) and the dip is minimized and then one from the front. 

Also, there's a NOHS option which I entered this time. Correct me if I'm wrong but if I don't get selected as WD but get selected under the NOHS, there are still no points, correct? What's the point of this designation?


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

That is a very very nice puppy! I agree wholeheartedly with your breeder that the stage where the butt grows higher than the front is normal and natural. He has a very nice head and face. Get your breeder to help you stack his rear so that he looks like he has good bend in stifle. He looks starighter than he is in one of the photos. To lean more forward, a fun game is to toss out a treat like a doberman handler- hang on to his collar and ask him STAY, toss a treat about 6 feet in front, and release him with his release word on when he leans as far forward as you want him. After a few repetions of the game, name the behavior. For my silly gooses they know Show Dog means lean forward. Mystic never posted the way Copley& Lushie did, bc we played that game from the get go. Another thing is put him up on Fitpaws Pods, and teach him to lean forward without moving his feet.


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## Christen113 (Dec 3, 2014)

I have one other question-it's an outside show and he's a diva that hates the heat. What are the best ways to keep him cool prior to the show? Hopefully it'll be nice that weekend but you never know-we've been at 95 lately and he won't look his best frogged out on a dirt floor. My thought was a fan but I don't know if that will be enough. If anyone has ideas, I'd love to hear them.


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## Christen113 (Dec 3, 2014)

Ljilly28 said:


> That is a very very nice puppy! I agree wholeheartedly with your breeder that the stage where the butt grows higher than the front is normal and natural. He has a very nice head and face. Get your breeder to help you stack his rear so that he looks like he has good bend in stifle. He looks starighter than he is in one of the photos. To lean more forward, a fun game is to toss out a treat like a doberman handler- hang on to his collar and ask him STAY, toss a treat about 6 feet in front, and release him with his release word on when he leans as far forward as you want him. After a few repetions of the game, name the behavior. For my silly gooses they know Show Dog means lean forward. Mystic never posted the way Copley& Lushie did, bc we played that game from the get go. Another thing is put him up on Fitpaws Pods, and teach him to lean forward without moving his feet.



Thanks!!


I need to work with the Fitpaws Pods again. It was kind of slow going and then I put them up but we need to go back to it. Need to try the dobie trick too and I love "show dog" as the command!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Christen113 said:


> Also, there's a NOHS option which I entered this time. Correct me if I'm wrong but if I don't get selected as WD but get selected under the NOHS, there are still no points, correct? What's the point of this designation?


The NOHS - means that you get a chance to compete for best of breed and best of show - SEPERATE from the real thing. It's mainly extra practice for the dog and fun to do. No AKC points. 

You have to get WD (or WB) to compete for best owner handled in the breed. It's not just winning your class or showing up. 



Christen113 said:


> I have one other question-it's an outside show and he's a diva that hates the heat. What are the best ways to keep him cool prior to the show? Hopefully it'll be nice that weekend but you never know-we've been at 95 lately and he won't look his best frogged out on a dirt floor. My thought was a fan but I don't know if that will be enough. If anyone has ideas, I'd love to hear them.


I bring a fan (and crate) and stay inside (generally there's a barn or pavilion for grooming). If grooming is in a tent and the tent is hot - that does make it tricky.... but keep a fan on your dog. Bring lots of water. Don't spend too much time outside in the sun. Groom last minute if you can (doing the full bath helps keep them cool too, just saying).

@dip in topline - it's probably how he's standing or stacked. Practice in front of a mirror so you see what he's supposed to look like from the handler's position when he's good in the mirror. 

You see a lot of handlers with dippy dogs using hairspray and a comb to fix the dip.... but considering you were able to straighten the back just by getting him to stand differently, you shouldn't have to do the hairspray thing (Which might be a problem under some judges anyway).


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## Christen113 (Dec 3, 2014)

I thought that with the NOHS, if the winner for WD wasn't a NOHS, they'd select another dog from the NOHS eligible dogs. No? I also thought that if you are signed up for NOHS but you win the WD outright, then you'd also win the NOHS?

There's a covered area but I'm sure it'll still be hot as hades. Is there always a place to wash them at the show? I didn't see it specifically mentioned in the premium list but I also wasn't really looking for it. I'd planned to wash and dry at home and do touch ups there. Just seemed less stressful than trying to find the washing area, wait for my spot and then dry him there. At the first show, I washed him each morning and then sprayed down flippies at the show and re-dried. And at the first show, I paid for electricity and then I guess it tripped a breaker and didn't work-so I was REALLY glad that he was mostly ready to go since it took several people to finally get it fixed.


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## Christen113 (Dec 3, 2014)

Worked on his stacking more last night and getting him to really lean forward--and it definitely helps to minimize and nearly eliminate the dip. Maybe it really was more owner error 

Handlers make everything look so easy


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## Melakat (Oct 9, 2010)

Just wanted to say he sure is handsome and does have a very nice head and face. So good that he will have an opportunity at a small show and will also not be so intimidating for you. Crossing my fingers for you both!


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## Christen113 (Dec 3, 2014)

I took him over to my breeder on Sunday and she was just floored. She absolutely loved him and said I should go ahead and put him with a handler. Her husband just stood there with his jaw dropped looking at him and then asked if I wanted to switch for the girl they kept  They both think he looks like their other dog from a similar breeding that went on to be a GCh very quickly. I just love him to pieces and I thought he was looking really nice but it was nice to have her opinion. She's quick to say when she thinks a puppy is nice but also when she thinks they're not so nice so I was happy to have her confirmation, as well as a judges. My fingers are crossed for this weekend. I'm taking him Friday to the handler and they'll work with him some and then show him Saturday and Sunday. With such a small entry, I'm really hoping we can pick up two points over the weekend. He's really evened out just over the last couple weeks. She did say he needs better conditioning so we've stepped it up a notch. That's my fault for babying him because he doesn't like to be hot 

Hopefully he does well with the handler. I think they'll be able to display him better than I will and hopefully since they'll have a day to work with him he'll realize quickly that they mean business. He's a typical puppy and until he knows that you'll make him do something, he acts like he's clueless


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## Melakat (Oct 9, 2010)

Will be thinking about that handsome boy of yours. Please keep us posted on his success


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## Christen113 (Dec 3, 2014)

I will! His sister just took 4th in her class at Nationals. Woo hoo!! She looks just like her mama


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