Training the very small dog

Training a tiny one is much different than training the larger dogs I have always had. I first realized that with Fada. Daz, being a puppy is even smaller and teaching new behaviors more of a challenge. Something I have found helpful is to get down on her level. I often sit on a low stool to do shaping sessions with the clicker so that I can see what the dog is doing more easily and she is not looking UP at me.

Would love to hear other training tips for the wee ones.

Conformation training

What DOES a puppy learn in conformation training? Walking politely on lead is a start. And that does NOT always come easy. : ) Our first month or more of lessons were done on her regular leash and quick release collar, not a show lead. *I* had to learn to make my body language mean something to her, much like agility training.

Actually, the fun thing is, most of my body cues to her in conformation pretty much compliment what I want her to learn about body language in agility. For instance, when I want her to move forward with me, I go from standing facing her, to opening up, facing forward and moving ahead. When I want her to know we are coming to a stop, I turn my shoulders into her. Yes, in agility I would actually want her to turn, but the "inhibit forward motion" idea is the same. In agility I would continue rotating to tell her to turn. In conformation I come to a stop facing her which is supposed to tell her to STOP in a pretty little stack.

To help her with her free stacking Sami has us use a low table (as opposed to the regular grooming table where, as a small dog, she will have her judge's exam) that she steps up onto to give her a "place" to do her free stack. When I started working on her contact behavior for agility (RTO) she got a little confused about the free stack table. But after a few times of showing her again what I wanted of her there, she quit trying to offer a rear toe behavior on it. For agility training updates don't forget to check out Podengo Agility!

SO what HAS Daz been  doing to prepare for  the life I hope she has ahead? Aside from being a wonderful part of our family, I'd like to  have her be a wonderful little agility dog and a confident show dog. We may add Rally and/or Obedience down the road as well. And still would like to try out coursing in the future!

Things I did with she and Vettel together, way back when they were Yin and Yang can be seen on our early blog entries. Check out March/April blog But basically, I exposed them to different surfaces, sights and sound on a regular basis. They were handled constantly and taken to various spots in my house from early on. I think this is SO important for ALL puppies, no matter what they are destined for.

After Vettel left, it was time to really begin working with Daz. In the May entries you can read some of the stuff she did. Pretty much I just started a lot of different things. She learned clicker, started a contact behavior and started some conformation training. Then we just sort of played over the summer while Neat and I did a lot of agility work. I did start handling lessons with her over the summer.

I know some people especially performance folks, can think that showing in conformation is easy, just walk around and look at a cookie.  Anyone who has done it knows better. <g> Daz and I have been taking handling lessons for a few months now from Sami Simons here in Central Ohio and it has been SO helpful! We used a Sami exercise to get her past the wet grass bit at the show yesterday morning, got her focusing on something else instead.

I showed in conformation with my Portuguese Water Dogs years ago, but have never done a small breed, or worked on a table, and haven't been in the ring much in recent years. So going back for lessons again was a must. Sami was amazingly good for me back then, so no question I was going back!

 Daz has NOT been in an agility class yet, and likely won't be for some time. I am fortunate enough to co-own an agility school with some friends and can take her to the building to train on our own whenever I want. I also take her down while other classes are going on so we can work off to the side, with the distraction of dogs around. Check out the Podengo Agility blog in the next day or so for Daz's agility progress. 

Way overdue!

Yes, I am a BAD Momma! It has been months since a Daz update. But she is now 6 mos old and went to her first AKC conformation show today. And she won the breed! She also won Best in Miscellaneous  Group, but the Podengos were the ONLY breed in the group today. She did have competition of two males for breed.

Even more important than the fact that she won and got her first point is, she showed wonderfully! *I* didn't turn into a nervous ninny and fall apart, and she appeared to be having fun. I was a little concerned when we first got there, as she appeared to think she couldn't walk on the wet grass. Fortunately, we were there way early to watch a friend show, so she was pretty much over that little idea by the time we were in the ring. We didn't get a show photographer picture, but Pam did take some before we left.

I promise to try to do better about keeping up with her escapades here, but also I DO post updates pretty frequently on Facebook. She has started some training for agility, though not much of what most folks would consider "agility", just foundation stuff to get ready for it. Most of those updates will go on the Podengo Agility blog, but general updates, show ring updates and photos here.

If you haven't kept up with what Daz's brother Vettel has been up to, be sure to check his blog as well!

Silly puppy!

Daz hanging out with her big brother, Havoc.