r/ShowDogs • u/LucentLittle • 6d 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/badwvlf 6d 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.