A Column by Susan Ritenour MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE “FANCY THAT”
E veryone who owns a dog knows how pretty they are, but not everyone is aware that they are very smart too. Sure, we all know they are conniving at getting their own way, getting away with “murder” at times with those pretty expressions and the looks they give. (And in their owner’s eyes, they are all beautiful.) Why not let them put those brains to use? Let them enjoy some activities and learn new stuff, just as we learn new things every day. It keeps their brains busy and out of trouble. There are so many different activities you can enjoy with your dogs, in spite of their size. There are too many events to even try to list here, but there is bound to be something you would find enjoyable for both you and your dog. Does your dog like to run? Try Agility. Do you want a well-man- nered dog when you go out and about or to the vets? Try Obedience and getting a Canine Good Citizen certificate. Does your dog like to show off and do cute little gestures you could turn into a command? If so, try for a Trick Dog title. Does your dog like to “hunt” things in the yard or track? Try Barn Hunt or even Tracking. Does your dog like to chase? Try FastCAT. So many more activities are avail- able. There are also activities you can do with your dogs that do not include getting a title, that are just as much fun and help others at the same time. All dogs can do performance events, many even being all- around dogs (performing Conformation, Obedience and/ or other performance events and loving companions). As breeders, we should not lump them into categories of Con- formation only and/or Obedience only dogs. It is up to us as breeders and owners to keep our dogs in the best physical and mental status as possible. To do performance events, spectators watching should be able to tell the dog’s breed. This includes not only Conformation, which is also needed to be able to perform correctly, but they need charisma, mental and physical soundness, and intelligence. They also need these qualities in order to be a good pet. Many people think you cannot train for Conformation and Obedience at the same time. This is just not true. Many dogs have titles at both ends. Training for Obedience is also training for Conformation as the dog has to follow on lead,
stand and pose, and let some stranger touch them in both events. You just use a different command, or lead/collar. (They do learn the difference between a show lead and a collar and leash.) When training heel for Obedience, you want the dog to sit when you stop. So, you train the sit com- mand. You also train the stand command for the stand for exam. Use this command when Conformation training so that they don’t sit. Or use any combination you and your dog come up with that works. No one way is best for everyone or every dog. Know your dog and what he/she responds to. My Chihuahua, Miclanjo Mouse That Roared CGC TDI CD CDX AG ASCA CD (Mouse), was promised when he was a veteran that he could go in Conformation one time. He never showed in Conformation before due to having only one testicle. He did perfectly, although I do think he was surprised that there was actually bait in my pocket and in the ring, as no bait is allowed in performance events inside the ring! Every dog has the potential to do something unique—if you look for it. Mr. Mouse, as his friends lovingly called him, did many tricks but there were no trick titles at that time. However, he and my daughter won many prizes at fairs, parades, school projects, and other activities for creative- ness and perfection. He always won the fastest recall. He loved to jump. He would jump over anything he was told to, within reason, of course. There was a Mastiff in our train- ing classes and Mouse would jump over him lying down. If I told him “no cheating,” Mouse jumped on his back and sat. Then I would tell him to go back and do it right, and he would jump over the Mastiff. Mouse pulled a wagon deco- rated to the theme of the season or parade, if we were in one. He loved pulling it. His heal work was so ingrained in him that if I tried to switch him to my right side he immediately went behind me to the left side. While pulling his wagon, he also collected over $900 for various rescues. He pulled at shows, parades, and anywhere he could. Once, when Dorothy Nichols judged the Chihuahua National Rotat- ing Specialty in Maryland, I asked if she would allow him to pull for rescue. She said he could, but only if he did an up-and-back as well as a table exam. Since he had never
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