Stacking Pippin…eeekkk

[Basenjimamma]

Ok, so this is hard..for me..but I am trying to go by it in a slow and happy way, so he doesn't get frustratd or put off..
Here are some pics I took at 13w and at 17w (today)..We have not been to conformation classes yet, so this is homemade stacking..can you give me hints??

Ps. the first two pics are at 17w and the latter two are from 13w.

[tanza]

Not bad at all for your first couple of trys….. My comments would be to continue a few times a week and make it a game with him so that he thinks it is fun time!!!! Move your hind feet blocks a bit more further back... not too much

Put the show collar on him and use that to direct his head

[Basenjimamma]

Thanks Pat..ok will work on it..he is very active and it is hard to get him to be "calm" enough to concentrate..but I used the clicker today and he repsonded pretty good to that…
I tried stacking him on the floor without blocks in between pictures..forget it..he thought that meant he could move his feet and walk away..is that normal? For now I use my Neat Feet, they seemed to work Ok.

Thanks again for your hints.

[tanza]

@Basenjimamma:

Thanks Pat..ok will work on it..he is very active and it is hard to get him to be "calm" enough to concentrate..but I used the clicker today and he repsonded pretty good to that…
I tried stacking him on the floor without blocks in between pictures..forget it..he thought that meant he could move his feet and walk away..is that normal? For now I use my Neat Feet, they seemed to work Ok.

Thanks again for your hints.

Yup…. very normal.... takes a bit before they "get it".... remember too, that you need to stack on a table in the show ring... so get him up off the floor... you want something that is waist or a bit higher to resemble a table in the ring. I would suggest that you get yourself a grooming table to use... both for grooming and for practice. That is what they use at shows.

And you really only want to practice in very short times.... just a few minutes ... and when he "gets" it for even a few seconds, praise and do something else

[Basenjimamma]

Yes, I know about the table..working on finding one I like..30x18 is sufficent or should I go larger? I should get an arm with it?
I have used my kitchen island with a rug on it, up high and perfect size..but today I wanted to try something different..and he did better but maybe he is just getting used to it..will try the table tomorrow. Thanks again.

[tanza]

@Basenjimamma:

Yes, I know about the table..working on finding one I like..30x18 is sufficent or should I go larger? I should get an arm with it?
I have used my kitchen island with a rug on it, up high and perfect size..but today I wanted to try something different..and he did better but maybe he is just getting used to it..will try the table tomorrow. Thanks again.

Go with the smaller one, that is the one you are more likely to find in the show ring. And I would get the one with a removable arm…. then you can play show dog and then use the arm and noose for just grooming... which doubles as sort of working them for the ring... like standing while being groomed. Make sense???

[irena]

As I said on FB: Looks nice Petra!

[Basenjimamma]

Thanks Irena…

Will order a table today Tanza. Thanks again.

[Nemo]

Work on building up the duration of his stand-stay and he will eventually be less likely to walk away. Of course you'll have some sort of hold on his head and he won't be able to go very far. :D. I think it is very true that if you have control of their head, you pretty much have control over the rest of the body.

[Basenjimamma]

Nemo..I know you are correct…he is mastering all his obedience work so far..except STAY..sit stay...stand stay..they are both iffy..working on them this week as it is part of our homework. Could/should I clicker train him for stacking as well?
I have used his showlead..(the one I ordered from Sal..love it btw), well just the chain and he struggles/fights with it on..he needs to get used to it so we put it on several times a day..think it will get better in the long run..at least I hope so

[Nemo]

You can clicker train him for hard stacking on the ground but it can be awkward. I used a clicker more for free-stacking and gaiting. Building duration takes time, so don't sweat it. Even just a few seconds is great in the beginning.

And "Positive Training for Show Dogs" is a great book if you don't have it.

[Janneke]

I think he looks really nice and you did a great job stacking him, especially on the 17 weeks pics! Tillo was only two weeks older when he had his first show! Haha.. can you imagine how that went..!

[DebraDownSouth]

I have to say that Happy Legs is the easiest fastest method I have ever seen. I recommended it to all my puppy buyers and they love them, share with friends.

http://www.happylegs.com/

[Basenjimamma]

Janneke..I bet he did smashing..actually I looked at his pics a while back and I think he did smashing..

Debra..I know most peeps swear by those HL..I just can not justify the $200 price tag, crazy IMO..

I did order a grooming table this morning..can't wait for that to arrive…

[Basenjimamma]

…this is Pippin stacked at almost 20 wks..I think we have both improved...maybe the cheese treat helped..lol.
Do you have any hints..is it looking OK?

[YodelDogs]

He's a stunning young man and you are doing a very good job stacking him.

[Basenjimamma]

oh, Robyn, you really think so? I am so nervous that I am ruining him..
I do think we have improved our stacking…if I could just get him to stack nicely without the blocks..tomorrow is our next conformation class..

[Janneke]

Wow, he looks great! And the stacking looks great too, very nice!

[tanza]

He looks great, you are doing a great job… does his tail normally go to the other side? if so, don't try to push to the show side, better to let it goes to the side it is naturally on.

And work with a show collar on, so that he gets used to that (and you do too)

[Basenjimamma]

does his tail normally go to the other side?

Yes it does..I was told to maybe tweak it that way..but I won't if you think it isn't needed.
I bought a thicker nylon show collar to use for now as the chain is really thin..will work with it on later..and transition him onto the chain collar..is that OK you think?