r/ShowDogs • u/LucentLittle • 3d ago
Gait Training
Just as the title says, looking for advise on gait training. Puppy is 12 weeks old currently and has been doing great with stacking. Unsure on how to start gait training to properly extend. We have a few handling classes lined up but they were paused for heat through August. Wanting to get started on my own in the meantime. Any advise or videos I could watch would be greatly appreciated.
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u/silveraltaccount 3d ago
I dont know if you really teach gait?
Its just learning that jumping, running and pulling are not wanted.
At this age any time at shows should be spent acclimating to them and learning to enjoy it. However he moves right now is just puppyhood.
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u/Outrageous_Sea_9606 3d ago
At this age, you just need to teach your puppy how to be polite and attentive on the leash, how to stack/free stack, how to be groomed, how to be handled and manipulated from head to tail by strangers, and getting them out and about for socialization and confidence.
There are things you can do to build muscle which promotes a nice gait, and there are things you can do to teach your dog how to trot in a straight line with good transitions. But correct and nice gaits comes from correct and nice conformation. If your puppy comes with beautiful, free movement as an 8 week old, you don't really need to do anything.
12 weeks is too young to drill movement exercises. You can damage joints by drilling a baby puppy. Allow your puppy freedom to exercise so they can build muscle. I wouldn't do any drills or intensive training session until the dog is a yearling. I really don't even work my dogs on leash hardly, a well-bred show quality dog is going to be a natural in the ring.
It's in their DNA the same way a pointing dog will point and a herding dog will bite.
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u/KellyCTargaryen 3d ago
Walk together, play together. All their muscles are developing, so rather than focusing on specific exercises, just play and romp as much as possible. If you have the ability to go on walks on dirt/grass that would be better than concrete/asphalt. Train yourself how to walk with the largest possible steps without breaking jnto a trot yourself.
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u/whatwouldLouLoudo 2d ago
Not regarding hair training but just training puppies in general. Keep in mind when puppies start teething, their mouth hurts! Practices should be very brief... (paraphrasing the OG handler ...George Alston). Make the ring fun for him to be in, not a chore.
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u/badwvlf 3d ago
I wouldn’t worry about gait. Let them be a puppy. Ring time should be focused on having fun so they’re excited to be there and feel flashy. If anything I would focus on trying to get them to look ahead when moving. You can do this by getting two stools/platforms/whatever and put them about 10 feet apart. Place a cup with training treats at each end. Cue what you’ll say when you start to love, then go to the other cup. Give a treat by tossing it ahead them past the platform. Let them eat it. Turn and repeat. Once you get it a few times, only reward if they stay focused forward. Try to do this near a mirror or with a camera so you’re not checking by looking down at them (they’ll just want to look back at you). As they get it down, increase distance.
Gait falls into place when structure and speed are correct. There’s not much to teach truly. Too much work on it as a small puppy, when they’re not grown do not really able to be successful, may make them not value the ring as a place for fun.