Ask the Trainer - French Bulldog Conformation Show Training
gollygear March 15th, 2008
Conformation Show Training
What training is needed before I take my French Bulldog girl to conformation, or is there any?
I want to start showing her but can’t find anyone to show her or answer my questions. I got her in the midwest and the southern Californian breeders where I live take no interest in me since I didn’t get my dogs from them. She is a year old now.
Do conformation classes teach her not to try and play with other dogs like she does now? How does everyone get their dogs to ignore the other dogs in the show ring? Part of me wants someone to just come get her and train her and show her and finish her but do people do that or does she need to have training before they will take her?
Thanks for your help.
Hope writes -
You’re about to enter a whole new world - Conformation Competition!
You and your girl should get some training before you enter the ring. There are many, many all-breed clubs. You should be able to find one in your area at the AKC website:
http://www.akc.org/clubs
Many clubs and trainers do offer Conformation Classes. Aside from ring procedure, you will learn how to “stack” your dog, how to “gait” your dog properly, and how to show her off to her best advantage.
A little obedience training never hurts, either. It will help her focus on you, rather than the other dogs in the ring. If you decide to take an Obedience class, do inform the instructor that you are showing your dog in conformation so you can’t teach her to do an automatic “sit” when you come to a halt.
You could, of course, hire a professional handler to show your girl for you. If she lives with the handler you choose, he or she may train your dog for the ring. If you “deliver” her to the handler at the shows, you will be in charge of training although the handler should be able to help.
Best of luck!
Hope
Editors note: As Hope says, there are a few ways of going about this. You can -
Owner handle - this means taking the dog into the ring yourself . You will need to learn how to show, and you will need to learn how to train your dog to behave in the ring. As Hope says, you need to look into classes for this - check your local dog clubs, and the AKC.
Hire a handler, and do ring side pick up - this is when the handler picks the dog up from you the day of the show, takes her in the ring, shows her, then gives her back to you after showing. The dog continues to live at home with you. Your dog will still need to be trained by you to be handled in the ring.
Hire a handler and have the dog ‘live in’ - this means the dog stays with the handler while they are showing her. The handler will train her to behave in the ring, and handle her during shows. Generally they will also handle all the details of showing, such as entries and what not. The plus side to this is that your dog will come trained. The downside is that you won’t get trained - but standing at ringside, watching and learning, and talking to your handler can all help you to ‘pick it up’.
You can find a handler by asking around at local shows, especially outside the French Bulldog ring (Talk to people after showing, not before - no one likes talking before they go in the ring, as handlers and owners get nervous, too!). It takes a special kind of handler to take a Bull breed into the ring. You can also consult the PHA - the Professional Handlers Association.
Oh, and give those SoCal breeders a break - it might have nothing to with where you got your dog from, and everything to do with when you’re asking them for help. As I said, shows can be nerve wracking, and people aren’t always their most forthcoming when they’re getting ready to show. Why not join one of the on line Frenchie discussion groups, such as FrenchBulldog-L? There are lots of SoCal breeders on there, and perhaps you can arrange to have one of them meet you before a show and evaluate your dog.
Whatever you choose, good luck, and keep us posted!
- Carol
