“teMperAMent IS KeY when It coMeS to BreedIng Show dogS. TemperamenT is a huge elemenT of breeD TYpe. anD wiThouT iT, You reallY Don’T have muCh.”
BoND Bond with the puppies you plan to show. This greatly increases their desire to work for you. AsK Ask for perfection I really don’t treat or reward halfway behaviors, not even initially. Sitting with ears up isn’t good enough—I ask them to stand with ears up to get the toy/cookie. It can take them a little longer to ‘get’ what I want, but when they understand what I am asking for, they never forget. You will notice and should select for the puppies that naturally behave in a manner that belongs in the show ring. The submis- sive puppy with it’s ears back and tail behind it wagging furiously will always be a tougher dog to train and show. Ask for the behaviors you want often. My puppies are on the table at least once a day, starting at 6 weeks. Every time I walk into the room I try to get them to bait for me, and their reward is attention and play. Puppies learn to look for you and to engage with you when you work to build this kind of connection as they grow and develop. TeACH Teach your puppies to look for you. When you walk in the room, make it the best thing ever! Pet them, play with them, squeak a special toy. You want all eyes on you!
TReAT Treat every situation you present them with as if it were the same. Watch their reactions—keep in mind that the mentally stable puppy is going to be pretty okay with whatever you present it with. That is your puppy you want to select! NeVeR CoRReCT THeM. The show puppy DOES NO WRONG. Ignore the bad behavior. Praise the behaviors you want. They must believe they are it. Good show puppies are naughty by nature! If you didn’t want them to be, why did you have puppies in the first place? Do NoT CoDDLe If you see signs of insecurity, ignore them. Praise and encourage confident behavior. When the vacuum is on and the puppies seem unsure, play with them or other dogs before it is turned off. Show them things are OK but not by offering reassurance. Instead teach them to ignore what may be bothering them. BUILD Finally, BUILD attention span. Plan to have a 6 month old puppy that will pay SERIOUS attention to you for at least 45 seconds in any kind of distrac- tion. Most dogs starting out have about a 10 second attention span, which fades just about when the judge will get to
your dog, so you need to train your pup- pies to pay attention substantially lon- ger than that 10 second time frame. Building this connection with your puppies before you ever put a lead on them makes them much more mentally ready to walk on a lead. I really place very little emphasis on lead training because the puppy who is connected to you is naturally going to want to go with you, want to work for you and want to please you. The more you select for this temperament in the whelping box, the greater chance you will get it over and over again. Happy training! BIo I started with my first purebred
dog in 2010. I had bought a beautiful little pet puppy who also my first dog, and thought “hey! It would be fun to make
more of these!...” I’ve never been one to do anything half way so with a lot of research and some guidance I found my first show dog who later that year became my first champion. Two years later, my first two litters were born which contained my first bred by champions. I was hooked. 15 bred by champions later with another dozen hot on their heels I’ve enjoyed great success both in the ring and in the whelping box in a short time. Along the way I was trusted with beautiful dogs from long time successful breed- ers who needed a little extra ‘help’ in the ring. I guess I had a ‘knack’ for it, because the dogs kept coming and I kept finishing them. I’ve finished over 40 Chihuahuas in the last 6 years. I have a special place in my heart for the extra naughty ones!
“good Show puppIeS Are nAughtY BY nAture!”
T op N otch T oys , O ctober 2016 • 67
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