Calling all Show dog people

Hello:
Can anyone please give me a general description on how to stack your dog for the show ring?
With pictures if possible? Thanks,
Sue

 

stacking your dog varries for diffrent breeds. The majority of the dogs will stand in a profile stack. with all legs basically in a square pattern. some place one hind leg (closest to the judge) slightly behind the other. (this shows length, ext.... Then you teach your dog to "roll up" on his/her shoulders. to place their weight up. as if their in an alert stance. Its kinda of hard to discribe.... here's a few photos of Boe at his shows...




Some people train their dogs with treats or a special toy. This is called baiting. the comand stay is definately crucial. And the ability to lead is as well. a dog that does not walk well on a leash is NOT easy in a show ring.

 

Heres a few diffrent breeds as well that were at the show.

 

Thanks Sams, I knew you would know the answer!!!
Great pics too!!!
Again, many thanks!
Sue

 

Aren't the back legs supposed to be placed so the lower leg is perpendicular to the ground?

 

Just a couple of comments. The Boxer's back legs are poorly stacked, making him look cow hocked. You want the legs as straight as possible, with the feet pointing straight ahead, not turned out or in.

The Dobe could use more extension. The back legs are a little too far under him. In most breeds you want the hock at a right angle to the floor. Or as Jamiya put it, perpendicular.

Breeds that are supposed to have a long loin will sometimes be stacked with their legs well out behind, to accentuate the length of loin. How far back or forward the legs are will also adjust the topline. Many handlers will also reach underneath and "tweek" a male dog's privates to adjust a saggy topline.

These rules don't apply in certain breeds, like German Shepherds, who have a totally different stack to accentuate their sloping top line.

It's also important to teach the dog to walk into a stack. After you gait, you're supposed to "free bait" the dog, and the judge will observe where and how the dog places his feet without you touching him. If he walks into a stack, or something resembling a stack, it will show off his conformation better. It shows that you aren't placing his feet to hide faults.

 

Again, thanks, and not to sound stupid or anything but how do you learn how to stack (step by step) and actually and get the dog to stay in that position?
Thanks,
Sue

 

Usually back legs are placed to where they are perp to the ground. All breeds do pretty much stack the same except GSD's...

Here's a pic from the show this weekend. This is a pretty good basic stack for this show we were lookin' a little lazy, for the life of my I couldn't get River to wake up AND stay stacked...



This is a really good natural stack of Hermionee...



And another...she gets that from her mom...they just sorta like to stand stacked or something...



Best way to get a dog stack is to put the back legs to where they are even in back and spaced wide, straight down from the hips and then take that front end and pull it up...with the pits and smaller dogs you can do it with the leash, this weekend I was thinkin' "big dog" like the Boerboels and at the end figured out how to pull them up with the leash. Usually when you get their front feet on the ground again they're pretty well stacked (you gotta work with the dog to tolerate the front end coming up and not moving the back...picking up the front usually sets the front legs apart naturally so they're not too wide or too narrow either making them look like they're elbows are turned out or they're way narrow in the chest...

Sara

 

As far as walking into a stack I think it's great to do but depending on the association you're showing with it's not that important how the dog places his feet naturally, today the natural look was the "I want to eat my neighbor" stance which I would suppose is naturall but it sure doesn't fit the natural "conformation" stack... Usually a judge will be able to tell if there are faults with natural "stance" or what have you by seeing the dog move. You can't hide faults when a dog is moving... It's EASIER for a dog to walk into a stance but often it's not a big deal if the dog doesn't. I think unless you are seriously working on getting a serious AKC title it's not necssary.

Sara

 

I agree, the boxer puppy was very poorly stacked. It was soo hyper.
In most cases you do want the legs perp to the ground and "under" your dog.

I have a GREAT handler who's teaching me all the basics. Rayna shows Faith for me. I don't know how todo alot of it myself... So until i learn i'll just stick to having Lilly and Rayna do it.

I do show cattle and horses, TOTALY diffrent fromdogs.

We slightly pull Byeboers left hind leg back just a tad to even out topline, extend body, exc...

I don't like the GSD stack, in all honesty it looks cripling to me.

Heres a few show stacks I use in my cattle and horses and some other dogs as well.... some are very similar to the dog world. Its mainly all in the training and time you spend. I do have to give Kudo's to the owner of the Doberman. he won best in show and that dog was AWSOME. he ws sooo well trained. After his round around the ring, the dog automatically set up and posed like a statue. Was awsome!

This is Dopper Butch ( I think back legs could have been brought in just a bit)

And precious in a natural stack

Byeboer in a natrual stack at the vet clinic

This is Lady, in a profile for a halter show, but we wre at home.. just learning...

This is how you set up a steer

and of course Boe again...



Stacking is just showing off your dog to its maximum potential. In correct posture, form and highlighting the most critial aspects of your dog.

For some, its a hair show. Fluff em up, make em look pretty and while they still check for the dogs conformation under the fluff, its all in the presentation. For a working dog, its in conformation, temperament and correct form as to the breed standard...

I think in just about ever species of shows, theres alot of similarities. as for stacking, ect...

 

Sams, I so agree with you regarding the GSD. I understand the sloping topline and all, but I think they've taken it a bit too far. GSDs are the only breed that walks on the rear feet, rather than toes, due to that sloping topline. And they look like their slinking, rather than gaiting.

We see a lot more shyness in the breed these days, too. It's really too bad.

 

yeah. I prefer a more correct topline and gait. Rayna's got a nice GSD. (I don't know many with them) But hers doesn't slope like that.


I just don't see the dogs moving well or having the stamina to hold up in a working situation. That has to reak havock on their joints and stuff... No wonder their hips are so bad...
I'm figured its probably why most police enforcemtns and such are going more with the belian malenua (sp?) and such now...

 

working GSD's don't generally have that slope and a working GSD in the GSD conformation stack isn't crippled looking. The stack isn't what causes that look it's the way they're breeding them to have that slope to the back. It's really disgusting to most anyone who understands utility and conformation.

I showed sheep all through school and the stack for a sheep is pretty identical to that of dogs so it was pretty easy for me to slip into the conformation ring with the dogs. The only difference is that with sheep you pretty much have to place each foot. some people do that with dogs but most of the time you can place them two at a time picking up either the rear end or the front end. Take a look at some shows on TV to get a good idea on HOW to stack a dog, the mechanics of it. Practice and a good objective person to tell you what you're missing on in a stack is the best way to learn.

Here's a sheep at a show in a stack...just to get the idea on how similar the two are.

yes the pics are of adult sheep I showed lambs so mine were the same breed as these but not as big...