# Dog Show Condition



## MGMF (May 13, 2009)

What do you do to get your dog in the best show condition. What dog foods, suppliments? :wavey:


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

exercise, exercise, exercise!!!


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

I bathe my puppy weekly, rinse her off after swimming, give her lots of exercise (most days at least an hour of free-running/swimming), I feed a good food Purina Pro Plan, I give her fish oil and omega 3s twice a day. I practice free stacking her and gaiting her in straight lines on both sides on and off throughout the week. I practice trimming her nails, ears, and feet, and blowing her dry.


----------



## iLoveEnzo (Dec 9, 2008)

GoldenSail said:


> I bathe my puppy weekly, rinse her off after swimming, give her lots of exercise (most days at least an hour of free-running/swimming), I feed a good food Purina Pro Plan, I give her fish oil and omega 3s twice a day. I practice free stacking her and gaiting her in straight lines on both sides on and off throughout the week. I practice trimming her nails, ears, and feet, and blowing her dry.


helpful～～～～～


----------



## MillysMom (Nov 5, 2008)

One thing not to do is let your dog befriend a fox. One of my best friend's mom has show corgis (usually 1-2 at a time), and they are pets at home (with some special diets and conditioning, but not much), and then go to the handler for a few months before going on the road. One of their nicest corgis befriended a fox a few years ago and got mange from the fox... needless to say, the handler was not too happy when she came to pick him up and he was half bald! :doh:

It grew back, and he finished his championship and did nicely at some extremely large shows before siring a few litters and getting snip snipped so he could become a full time farm dog, foxes and all. :


----------



## Loboto-Me (Nov 13, 2008)

A fox? Oh how sweet is that! (Minus the mange). I'd love to see pictures of a wild thing playing with a "model"


----------



## BorzoiMom (Nov 18, 2009)

OHHHHHHH RIGHT up my alley .. Every bit of the dog should be muscle. ie lots of free run time to work the muscles. PRACTICE trotting- and make it fun- want a video how to train? 
Now coat- keep shampoo light- use like johnsons baby shampoo- delute and rinse- and then half dry- blow dry.. To condition coat I love in-flight- man that stuff is magic you put it in the food- and add mackerel- and vitamin C - 250 mg given at night.. ohhhhhhh my kind of thread.. I started showing when I was 8 years old and that was 41 years ago!


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

We -

Feed the food that our dogs do best on - for us, ProPlan Performance. Supplement with probiotics to get the most out of the food. Raw bones and frozen chicken wings to clean teeth and add protein (cutting back on kibble on the days bones are fed) and a shell-on hard boiled egg.

Bathe and condition coats weekly, using a good quality shampoo. Understand the different "phases" and needs of the coat at any given time and condition appropriately ie using a light leave-in conditioner, or, a heavier, more protective oil. It all depends on the coat...
Brush out daily - NEVER on a dry coat - mist with good h20 with a drop or two of condition to a qt for "slip".
Trim/grind nails every 7-10 days as needed. 
Keep trimmed so that we are not doing a BIG trim job just before a show, which will not look natural.

EXERCISE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Road work, hills, swimming. We treadmill in the winter when there is an ice pack on top of the snow so as not to cause injury. 

Deworm 1/4 ly with Panacur granuals.


----------



## Loboto-Me (Nov 13, 2008)

Even for non show dogs this is all great information... thanks for asking the question 

PG, you mention the "depends on the coat", how would you judge a coat needing a heavier leave in conditioner or a coat needing just a light conditioning? What kind of oil would you use? I'm seeing Alberta's Oil in the tubes in my head, which is probably not even close to what should be used lol!

As for the treadmill, can a normal people treadmill be used or is it specialty equipment?


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Loboto-Me said:


> Even for non show dogs this is all great information... thanks for asking the question
> 
> PG, you mention the "depends on the coat", how would you judge a coat needing a heavier leave in conditioner or a coat needing just a light conditioning? What kind of oil would you use? I'm seeing Alberta's Oil in the tubes in my head, which is probably not even close to what should be used lol!
> 
> As for the treadmill, can a normal people treadmill be used or is it specialty equipment?


If you are repairing/rebuilding a damaged coat, for example, a heavier conditioner or oil might be called for. Mink oil, evening primrose oil, even olive oil can be used. Alberto V05 is actually really good! I have a tube in by tack box! Wella Kolestral is good, too. Sometimes just squeezing it through the ends is all that needs be done, to prevent breakage. Sometimes massaging it through the entire coat is needed. A big, full apron, like on a male special, and/or full pants, might need this. I want my dogs to be DOGS and allow them to run in our meadow, swim, and hunt, rather than just being kept under glass - a little coat protection makes this possible with breakage, damage from burrs and sticks, etc. 

Treadmilling can NOT be done on a regular human treadmill - you need an extra long belt. A _minimum _of 6' is needed to accomodate the longer stride of a dog.


----------



## Loboto-Me (Nov 13, 2008)

Wonderful advice! Thanks for the clarification on the treadmill, I'm supposing there are a few of us who might have created a dangerous situation for our dogs.


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Loboto-Me said:


> Wonderful advice! Thanks for the clarification on the treadmill, I'm supposing there are a few of us who might have created a dangerous situation for our dogs.


"Dangerous" may be a bit harsh... But, a too short belt will cause a dog to short stride, which in addition to being incorrect, and ugly, movement, can eventually cause gait related injury.


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> "Dangerous" may be a bit harsh... But, a too short belt will cause a dog to short stride, which in addition to being incorrect, and ugly, movement, can eventually cause gait related injury.


Is there a general rule of thumb depending on breed/height for the length of the treadmill? I imagine a chihuahua would be safe to use a human one stride-wise


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

GoldenSail said:


> Is there a general rule of thumb depending on breed/height for the length of the treadmill? I imagine a chihuahua would be safe to use a human one stride-wise


 
Using Jog A Dog's sizes:

4' long tread, 12" wide - toy breeds
5' long tread, 14" wide - medium dogs (Spaniels, many Terriers, Corgis, Shelties)
6' long tread, 18" wide - large dogs (Retrievers, Setters, Pointers, Huskies)
7' long tread, 24" wide - giant dogs (Danes, Mastiffs, Malamutes, , etc)

Obviously a small dog can be ex'd on a larger treadmill, but a large dog cannot on a smaller one. Many handlers have the largest size which will accomodate all the breeds that they handle.

The width is important, as well, in order to accomodate the floating - back and forth - of a natural, extended trot.


----------



## BorzoiMom (Nov 18, 2009)

Well I might be the odd one here, but I really do not like a tred mill. Mostly because to get the movement for the breed, it doesn't teach them anything. Now granted- I am talking about a different breed, but this is what it says about our movement. 
"
_*"A dog should push off with the rear and this should propel the front forward. *_
_*As the dog pushes off, the rear leg reaches the mid center of gravity in the middle of the dog and on the midline, and pushes it forward and at the same time the front leg is hitting ground and pulling the dog forward…it is a push pull movement not a float…it should be a **strong ground covering stride, **appearing effortless but has power evident! *_
*This is why single tracking is important and it allows the front and the rear push/pull leg to be pivots under the center of gravity of the dog producing an energy efficient motion. *
*The neck and topline muscles *
*work in unison during the stride to *
*allow the body to freely move within the sling of the shoulder."*​ 
Now in getting this, they need to move in a large area to acheive this. My dogs also play- and run alot! After all, the dog was built to run. All this twisting, running, sudden sprints after each other, also builds the muscles. 
Now I am attaching a video- and yes- while just a training video, ( and of course Nina was only a baby at the time- just getting the idea of how to do this), you can more so see this in Lindsey. ( the white Borzoi). 
_*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYcV4VFPsjU *_​
/edit- now granted it is a short video.


----------



## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

I think swimming and free-running,can take care of most of the conditioning,in a golden!.They are,naturally,active so it shouldn't be too difficult!.
Diet,also,has a lot to do,with it!.
Great video,Michelle,shows the difference,in each dogs!.


----------



## BorzoiMom (Nov 18, 2009)

Yea you can really see it can't you? Also I know you know what was up with Zubin. Lets see if anyone else can guess it too... lol


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

NObody is suggesting that a treadmill replace free exercise or roadwork, but I absolutely disagree that it is doesn't teach them anything. And I'd venture to guess that the handlers/trainers of top winning show and performance dogs would, too. You can teach a dog consistency of speed using a treadmill. You can teach them to move forward in a straight line. And a dog absolutely must use rear drive to maintain their pace (speed, not the lateral gait known as pacing...) on a treadmill. Additionally, machines built specifically for dogs are on an incline, which strengthens rear drive. 
I'd rather not let my dogs lose any of their conditioning over our harsh winters when they cannt safely be roadworked or even move through our deep snow, often with an ice pack on top. 
Borzoi in the ring are moved at a bit slower speed than are our sporting dogs. They do cover more ground in a single stride as would be expected for a larger dog. I do know handlers showing Borzoi who successfully supplement free running and roadwork with a treadmill. There is nothing like seeing them being able to get out and run, with their double suspended gallop, which is incredible, but they aren't shown that way (thank doG! - I'd NEVER be able to keep up!!! lol), so trotting effortlessly at ring speed can be encouraged on the treadmill if it is the right size.


----------



## BorzoiMom (Nov 18, 2009)

LOL- CAN YOU see trying to keep up with that gallop??? I do not even think a top track star sprinter could keep up.. LOL


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> NObody is suggesting that a treadmill replace free exercise or roadwork, but I absolutely disagree that it is doesn't teach them anything. And I'd venture to guess that the handlers/trainers of top winning show and performance dogs would, too. You can teach a dog consistency of speed using a treadmill. You can teach them to move forward in a straight line. And a dog absolutely must use rear drive to maintain their pace (speed, not the lateral gait known as pacing...) on a treadmill. Additionally, machines built specifically for dogs are on an incline, which strengthens rear drive.


Guide Dogs for the Blind uses treadmills on their dogs for many of those reasons. Straight lines, consistent speed (important for the handler), and how to pull into a harness, as well as exercise.

I actually really like how Cesar Milan advocates for this and more exercise in dogs. I do believe more exercise can help with some behavior problems. And you can say take them for a walk, but in winter it gets tougher and our human speed may not be sufficient for some dogs.


----------



## BorzoiMom (Nov 18, 2009)

Good point about the guide dogs- they do use a tredmill for training. We had a "flunkee" one time ( she refused to disobey - ie perfect for a pet..But not for a guide dog) and that girl walked the straightest lines and a constant pace. What was funny though is that I put her in obedience, and at her very first trail, the judge went " Forward" and she lunged forward moving at a constant speed.. LOL.


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

I've never seen a dog do that before. Unless the dog had never been exercised other than on a treadmill, which would be impossible to believe, I cannot even imagine it. If it was because of the command "forward", was she a wash in the program because she charged at that command? Why wouldn't she have done that when you were training her?
Several of us have had the discussion about not having our dogs move ONLY counter clock-wise (as in the ring) and the exercises that can be done to encourage flexibility, which will also help prevent injury. And about actually doing warm-ups before going into the ring. All important...


----------



## BorzoiMom (Nov 18, 2009)

I would hardly say that was the case pointgold. If anything the judge said it rather loudly, and she took it seriously would be my guess. 
She was a wonderful dog!


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

borzoimom said:


> I would hardly say that was the case pointgold. If anything the judge said it rather loudly, and she took it seriously would be my guess.
> She was a wonderful dog!


 
What breed was she?


----------



## BorzoiMom (Nov 18, 2009)

Pointgold said:


> What breed was she?


Belgium sheepdog. I got her from the Morristown Seeing Eye. She flunked out last phase because she would not do intellegent disobedience. Would you like to see a picture of her?


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

borzoimom said:


> Belgium sheepdog. I got her from the Morristown Seeing Eye. She flunked out last phase because she would not do intellegent disobedience. Would you like to see a picture of her?


No, that's okay. I own a Smooth Collie, and also show some Roughs. I also handle a couple of ACD's, so am in the herding group a fair amount. I like all 3 varieties of the Belgians. I have a woman with Malinois in my handling and PK classes. She also has a nice retired Tervuren champion. Intense dogs.


----------



## BorzoiMom (Nov 18, 2009)

Thats fine- but I fail to see what that has to do with Chance.


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

borzoimom said:


> Thats fine- but I fail to see what that has to do with Chance.


??? I assume that Chance is the Belgian you referred to? I'm familiar with the Belgian breeds...so was chatting about them. I like herding dogs... I own one, and show several. Making conversation..


----------



## BorzoiMom (Nov 18, 2009)

Pointgold said:


> ??? I assume that Chance is the Belgian you referred to? I'm familiar with the Belgian breeds...so was chatting about them. I like herding dogs... I own one, and show several. Making conversation..


 I see.. I think.. You asked what she was, so .. anyway- never mind..


----------

