From: jkjncs@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: A problem with butterflies...
Date: 1 Oct 92 20:25:14 GMT
Reply-To: jkjncs@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology

In article <380@mindlink.bc.ca>, Valaria_Vorlop@mindlink.bc.ca 
(Valaria Vorlop) writes:
>Sorry about the misleading title, the butterflies are in my stomach: I've
>finally taken the plunge and entered my dobie, Dante in what will be our very
>very first obedience show! It's happening November 22...I'm not 100% sure if I
>will get in 'cos it's limited to 7 hours judging time, but I will be starting
>to polish his stuff today and over the next two months. I've only been in the
>ring once before at a conformation match, but there weren't many people (or
>dogs!) there and of course all I was asking him to do was look pretty and he
>does that naturally with no help from me :)
>
>If anybody has any advice for an absolute beginner, I'm all ears :)

Congrats and good luck; I suggest:
* entering as many matches as possible between now and the show to
  work on what to expect in the ring, polish Dante's performance, and
  give you some confidence.
* if there are no matches, take your dog to a class
* use the matches (or classes) to develop the best "warm-up" for you 
  and your dog:
  - does Dante do better if he's crated at the show, or with you watching
    at ringside, or crated in the car (some dogs stress and tire easily
    from the excitement, others thrive on it)
  - how much "warm-up" does Dante need and with what - you are permitted
    to do a little bit of heeling (*not* a ring routine) and some
    fronts, but 'training' on the grounds is not allowed
  - how far in advance should you feed Dante (eg if you are in the ring
    at 9 am, should you feed him at 5am, 6am,...?) - you want him alert
    (some dogs, if fed, get lethargic; others have no energy if they
    aren't fed); also consider what you should eat (I usually try to
    avoid fats, cause they take a long time to digest and I get
    *major* butterflies! - also, caffeine sends me flying)
  - if you train with food, does it help Dante to feed him a treat
    before going into the ring - some dogs keep their attention on
    you looking for more, others start looking for food on the
    floor, the judge's pocket, the stewards, ...
* Make sure that your dog eliminates (both pees and poops, depending
  on the time of day) before entering the ring (I usually get my
  dog out ~20 min. before ring-time) (you should prob. go also :+)
* Watch the dogs before you in the ring you'll be in (Nov. A, I presume) 
  so you'll know the judges pattern (unless you're the type who'll
  anticipate the pattern!) and you'll know where to stand for the
  Fig. 8, Stand for Exam,...
* To figure out when you'll be going in, figure ~5 min/dog in Nov. A;
  when you pick up your #, you can see how many dogs before you have
  checked in; you can also ask the stewards how many dogs will be
  judged before the group exercises (typically ~12).
* Try to think about your dog and the exercise; by focusing on these
  things when you're in the ring, you can sometimes almost forget
  about your butterflies!

I had wonderful experiences with almost all the Nov. A judges I showed
under (8 total); in gen. they were very nice and understanding, although
some were more brisque than others.
Can't think of anything else, but I hope these tips help. To be honest,
I'm still trying to find my dog's best "warm-up"; I'm still not sure
whether he does better crated or out (he changes at every show!) but
I'm getting a better idea!

Good Luck

************************************************************
* jane jackson and murphy b. lab, Am/Can CD, WC, CGC, TDI  *
* jkjncs@ritvax.isc.rit.edu                                *
*                                                          *
* standard disclaimer applies...                           *
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Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs