Tips for Preparing Your Dog to Enter a Dog Show
If you have now decided that you want to place your pet in a dog show, there are a few things that you need to do in order to prepare. By making use of the following suggestions, you should find that the process will be a lot easier on both you and your dog.
Get Your Dog Socialized
There will be a lot of strangers in the audience and strangers who will be closely examining your dog. There is also bound to be a lot of different sights, sounds, and textures that your dog will come into contact with. To ensure that your pet is well adjusted and ready to face everything, it is best to begin working on the socialization of your dog right away. Take it to parks or for walks around the block. Encourage other people to make contact with your dog and make sure that you are making every experience a positive one. Make sure that your dog is used to walking on various textures by walking over grass, concrete, asphalt, gravel, plastic, and even through some water.
Sign Up for Conformation Classes
You will need to teach your dog how to walk around the ring properly, how to stand during examinations, and how to walk in various patterns for show. Not only does your dog need to learn how to do those things, but you have to learn them too. You have to learn how to properly guide your dog through all of the different things it will be expected to do during the dog show. Also, through the conformation classes, you will learn about some of the tips and tricks that you can use to get control of he situation if you find that you or your dog has made an error during your run around the ring. Recovering quickly can help ensure that you still receive decent scores.
Keep Up With Grooming
It is important to make sure that you are always making proper grooming a top priority of yours. While you cannot give your dog a bath everyday, as that would dry its skin out, you will want to provide a gentle bath about once a week. In between full cleanings, you can spot treat by cleaning around the nose and eyes, paws, and belly to remove any dirt buildup. Keep the nails trim and visit a dog groomer to have the fur cut to the appropriate length if your dog has long fur.
After considering the previously mentioned tips, you should find that you have what you need in order to begin to prepare your pet for upcoming dog shows. For more information about show dogs, talk to a breeder like Von Anna German Shepherds, LLC.
Share