i have shown and loved this breed for 35+ years. Our kennel lines have produced Champions,Grand Ch and loved family pets.
15/02/2025
TOPIC OF THE DAY
Don’t Exceed the Speed Limit
Sandy Weaver
Did you watch Westminster? Did you love eavesdropping on the judges as they talked to the exhibitors? Did you notice a recurring theme? Most of them, including Best In Show Judge Pat Trotter, asked the handlers to gait their dogs at a reasonable speed. Did you catch that? And do you know why nearly all the judges referenced speed at some point in their conversations?
From Pat Trotter on down, the judges’ instructions included gaiting speed because many, if not most, handlers move their dogs too fast. That makes nearly every dog look worse in motion than it really is. When the dog is moved too fast, the judge either has to ask the handler to regait the dog more slowly or try to imagine what the dog might move like if it was moved at the correct speed. Since judges are on a tight schedule, they can’t afford the time it takes to regait nearly every dog, so there’s a whole lot of imagining going on in the ring.
In horsemanship and dressage, the outline and carriage of the horse is called the frame, and the goal is to keep the horse in its frame as the rider moves through the paces in the class. This creates a picture of sound, elegant power in the horse and quiet control in the rider. In the conformation ring at a dog show, isn’t that a picture you’d like to create? For most dogs, moving too fast breaks them out of their frame and they can look like a hot mess going down, back and around.
Why do handlers move so fast? Maybe it’s ring nerves, or maybe it’s trying to keep up with the dog ahead of them. Maybe they’ve seen famous handlers move fast and think they need to move fast, too. Whatever the reason, most handlers move their dogs faster than is appropriate for that dog, resulting in a picture that doesn’t represent how the dog is made. When the dog moves too fast, foot-timing can falter, crabbing can creep in and poor toplines can pop out on what is truly a better dog than the judge is seeing. Otherwise reasonable fronts can look like eggbeaters and rears can overreach or fly up too high behind.
How fast is too fast? It depends on the breed and the individual dog. There is simply no substitute for video as you train with your dog; set up your phone, push “record” and gait your dog at the speed you think is right. Treat your dog, let it sniff around while you watch the video to see how it looked, and try again at a different speed to see what happens–shooting video with every practice run. Start with the down and back, finding the speed where the dog looks its absolute best, and then practice that speed a few times to help you remember the feel of it. This is called muscle memory, and you need it just as much as your dog does. Since you’re in charge of gaiting speed in a welltrained dog, you need to practice the down and back speed with and without your dog until you know it in your muscles without having to think about it.
Once you have the down and back speed figured out, work on the go-around speed. Again, you can set up your phone or you can have someone hold it and shoot the video for you. If you have the space, the best way to find the right go-around speed is to have a friend hold your phone as you run in a ring-sized circle around them. They can rotate along with you to keep you and your dog in the frame of the viewfinder. Make one lap, treat your dog and let it sniff around while you watch what the two of you looked like at the initial speed. Then do the same thing you did with the down and back–keep tweaking the speed until you find the one where you and your dog look confident, collected, sound and powerful. Again, you need to practice this speed without your
dog until you can feel the correct speed without thinking about it. Then you’ll have your muscle memory in place, allowing you and your dog to achieve the right speed in competition.
A caveat–most dogs need to be a little bit slower on the down and back than they do on the go- around. Again, the only way you’ll know your dog’s correct speed(s) is to shoot a lot of video and practice a lot. It’s how good handlers–professional as well as owner-handlers–go from good to great, and from winning a little bit to winning a lot.
And another caveat–since the group rings are bigger than the breed rings and you might be a little bit nervous when you go to groups, make a conscious effort to keep your speed where it needs to be. Ring nerves, trying to keep up with the dog ahead of you, or feeling like you have so much more ground to cover so you must speed up will torpedo your chances at winning or placing in the group. Keep it together and keep you and your dog in frame.
Know your dog's speed and don't exceed the speed limit. Yes, you only have a limited time with the judge. Remember, you paid for that time to showcase your dog. Show it off right - stack it properly and move it at the speed it looks best. Yes, even on the go-around you're showcasing your dog so find its optimal speed and stick with it, not everyone else's speed. Pick the best speed, practice at that speed, and let muscle memory do the rest.
Sandy Weaver is an author, consultant and professional speaker who works with veterinarians to create happier hospital cultures and more resilient teams. She also judges some Working and Non- Sporting breeds. When she’s not traveling to consult, speak or to judge, she’s spoiling her Siberian Husky.
