Since the moment you arrived at the exhibition, before the judge's decision, do not forget why you came here and, accordingly, who should be the center of your attention.

Come to the exhibition in advance in order to have enough time for those latest dog preparations that help your pet to be presented in the ring at its best. Give him enough time to warm up and settle his "personal affairs." The dog, which immediately after the arrival is taken to the ring, will most likely not make the best impression on the judges.

When you come to the exhibition, go to the secretariat, take his badge with the number from him and firmly attach it to the sleeve. Make sure that you are in the right place when your class is called. The fact that you got a number does not at all guarantee, as some think, that the judge will wait for you. The judge has a very busy schedule, in which he must meet. Even if you are nervous, outwardly you should look confident and calm. Realize that exhibitions, dogs, etc. just a hobby from which to enjoy, and try to behave accordingly. And the dog in this case will perform better, because it immediately transmits your mindset.
Always bring your dog with pride. If you make mistakes when presenting it, do not worry about it - next time you will get better. Do not let the presence of more experienced people embarrass you. In the end, they were also newcomers.

The judging process usually begins with the judge asking to hold the dog around the perimeter of the ring. During this procedure, the judge observes how each dog moves, assesses the style, the top line, the manner of motion, the setting of the head and tail, and the overall balance. Concentrate on your dog and watch her all the time, encouraging her to move in the most attractive way, keep the necessary distance (without stepping on anyone's heels and not braking behind those walking). Always guide your dog on the inner side of the circle so that it is between you and the judge and not to obstruct the judge's field of vision. If you do not head the ring, lead the dog so that there is enough space between your and the ahead of the dogs, as this makes it easier for the judge to assess the dog. The dog should be kept in such a way that the judge has enough room for movement and examination of the dog from all sides. To examine the judge of the dog individually, you must learn how to quickly and clearly bring it to him. The judge has a tight schedule, and he only has a few minutes to evaluate each dog. Train at home in front of a mirror, paying special attention to how the dog looks, imagine yourself in the judge's place and try to conduct the entire procedure as quickly as possible.
Listen carefully to the judge when he explains the manner in which the dog should be led: back and forth; along the ring, diagonally and backward, that is, along a triangle. The trajectory of the movement along the triangle has recently been preferred by most judges. The movement along the triangle means that the dog must go on the outside of the ring to the first corner, then perpendicular to the next corner of the ring, and then back to the judge diagonally in the ring. Learn to drive a dog in such a way that it does not get stuck in the corners and do not make unnecessary movements. Judges prefer dogs that can go through the triangle without interrupting the movement, as this gives them the opportunity to better assess the movement of the dog.

It is impossible to overestimate the importance of the movements of the dog, and it is only natural that this moment should be given a lot of attention. When you are training a dog at home, ask someone to hold it at different speeds. Then you will clearly see at what speed the dog looks most presentable. The most advantageous manner of movement, as a rule, with an average speed, when the dog keeps his head straight, and a well-marked line of the top. Do not force the dog to gallop around the ring and do not encourage her to move faster, knocking off the typical for this breed speed. Haste will never allow the dog to be presented in the best possible way; Give the dog the ability to move around the ring with its natural speed. In order for the dog to be properly evaluated, its movements must be strong and powerful, but the speed should not exceed the typical speed of the breed. The dog should go in a straight line to and from the judge.

When you bring the dog back to the judge, stop it for a half or two meters from the judge and try to put it in the rack. After the dog has stopped, she needs to show the bait, so that the judge sees the dog in a state of special attention. As a bait, you can use something delicious that you usually use when training, or if you used a toy in training, show it. It should be remembered that if you used something as a bait to eat something, you need to take it all with you from the ring. Do not drop it after completing the program just on the floor, as the other dog can find it.

When rewarding takes place, accept the reward for your dog with gratitude, regardless of how you feel about it. What's done is done, and disputes with the judge and demonstrative departure from the ring are useless and are considered as unsportsmanlike conduct. Be kind, congratulate the winner if your dog lost, and try not to show your disappointment.

If you have won, then please do not lose your head and do not get cocky. Surprisingly, this is sometimes much more difficult than worthy of losing.

Source of the text: "Bird Market" newspaper 1997 - 9