Your first SV show

How should you prepare your dog?

If you plan to show your dog, it’s best to get started when your dog is a puppy. As the dog matures, the judges have higher expectations with regard to ring training and preparation. Very little is expected of dogs, handlers, and owners in the baby puppy classes, so if you are able to enter your dog beginning with the 3-6 month class, this gives you and your dog the chance to learn the ropes without much at stake.

Your dog should be in top physical condition for a show (more on grooming later). SV rings are typically much larger than other types of show rings and dogs must gait (run) several laps. Your dog should be comfortable gaiting for an extended period of time. German shepherds are medium sized working dogs and should be shown in working condition which means lean and fit. Judges frown on overweight dogs. A dog that has good muscle mass and shows a few ribs is far more appropriate than a dog with a sagging belly or little visible tuck. The amount of physical conditioning you do with your dog will depend on your dog’s age and current condition.

You do not need to train your dog to stack itself (free stack). The most important thing with regard to stacking is that your dog is able to hold relatively still and is not upset about being stacked. Your handler will know how to stack your dog correctly in order to show off its conformation (more on the handler later). You should also practice touching your dog all over, including opening its mouth to check the teeth and checking the testicles if you have a male. Your dog should be tolerant of a judge standing over it, running his hands over the body, examining the inside of the mouth, and checking the testicles.

Ideally you and your dog should do some ring training before a show. Ring training involves the dog gaiting counter-clockwise around the ring. Many clubs offer ring training leading up to shows. Sometimes a club hosting a show will have ring training the day before the show. You should contact your breeder, the host club, and/or local Schutzhund clubs to inquire about ring training. If you do not have access to ring training, it is better to do less than do something wrong. In an SV show, your dog will be shown by a handler, not you. Normally you will be able to get your dog in the show ring before the show starts and sometimes before your dog’s class starts during the show. If you cannot attend ring training before the show, make sure your dog is comfortable being touched and wait for the day of the show to meet up with your handler and practice.

What equipment will you need?

You don’t need much for an SV show. In fact, you may not need anything at all. Typically, your handler will have their own preferred leash/lead (more on the handler later) and possibly even a preferred collar. However it’s a good idea to have a show collar for your dog, and a leash just in case.

In SV shows, dogs are shown on one of three types of collars. The most popular is the Fursaver. The only thing to note with regard to the Fursaver is that typically it is fitted more loosely/larger for showing than what you would use for training. For example, my medium size adult dog usually wears a 23” Fursaver for training and trials, but wears a 27” Fursaver for SV shows. Another popular collar is the Herm Sprenger show collar. It is similar to a Fursaver but has a solid piece that fits around the front of the dog’s neck. These collars are harder to find and more expensive than a Fursaver, so I wouldn’t worry about getting one. The third type of collar is something like a Fursaver with a larger leather pad that fits across the front of the dog’s neck. This collar is used for puppies, but again a regular Fursaver is perfectly acceptable and always the most common.

Show leads are typically quality leather and 8’ or longer in length. Most handlers will have their own leash that they will attach to your dog’s collar. Some handlers have knots in their leash at various intervals. If you decide to purchase a leash, it should be strong but simple. It does not need a handle on the end (if it comes with one, you can rip the seam out) and should not have any hardware other than the snap where it attaches to the collar.

At the SV show, you will not see the thin choke chains and fancy braided collars that are common in the AKC ring.

How should you groom your dog?

Unlike AKC shows, SV shows involve very minimal grooming. Your dog should be clean yet natural with a healthy coat. If you intend to bathe your dog before the show, do it a few days before the show and not the day of. This is because bathing often strips the natural oils from the dog’s skin and coat and can leave the dog dry looking for a few days. If your dog is clean, you do not need to bathe it for an SV show. You should make sure that the ears are clean and the toe nails are trimmed or dremeled to an appropriate length. Do not trim your dog’s hair. Most people will lightly spray the dog’s coat with water mist or a leave-in shampoo or conditioner and brush the loose undercoat with a common grooming tool like a rake or slicker brush. If your dog is blowing coat, you should make sure it is well brushed, but be careful not to over-brush your dog and break the top coat. You should not use any coat enhancement products like dye or colored shampoos. SV shows always take place outdoors and sometimes involve rain and mud! Before your dog enters the ring, brush any loose hairs away, wipe off any eye boogies, and flatten any cow-licks (many dogs get a cow-lick behind their withers or at their tail set).

Who will handle your dog?

In an SV show, a handler will handle your dog in the ring and you will “double handle” your dog outside the ring (more on double handling later). You do not necessarily need a top professional handler to show your dog. There are several ways to find a handler for your dog:

Ask breeders! If your breeder is not able to help you, most show line breeders have a team of people including handlers.

Contact the club hosting the show and see if they know what handlers will be present or if anyone in their club is interested.

If you are attending a Sieger show, the show web site will usually have a section advertising available handlers.

If you are not picky, you can just show up at the show and ask around for a handler.

Most experienced handlers get paid for handling dogs. If you are not sure whether to pay your handler or how much, it’s best to ask your handler up front. For club shows, typically the handler is paid the same as your entry fee, so if it cost $45 to enter your dog, you would also give your handler $45. For Sieger shows, handling can be quite lucrative. Sometimes new and inexperienced handlers will volunteer their services in order to gain experience.

What is double handling?

Double handling is when the owner runs ahead of their dog to keep it motivated and moving forward. In the

SV ring, dogs are typically shown at a fast pace.The judge wants to see a dog with powerful movement, driving

forward. The easiest way to achieve this is to have the dog’s owner(s) ahead of the dog calling the dog.

Double handling is typically not allowed at AKC shows but is the normal at SV shows. Even the adult classes at

national level shows have double handling.

There are many different ways to double handle your dog. You will need to find out what works best either during

ring training, or when you practice with your handler before the show.

Stay just ahead of your dog – This type of double handling is very common with puppies and dogs new to SV shows. You walk, jog, or run just ahead of your dog on the outside of the ring, so your dog is basically following you or chasing you as it moves around the ring.

Stay one side length ahead of your dog – This is also very common, especially for dogs with show experience. Instead of staying just ahead of your dog, you always stay one corner ahead of your dog. This type of double handling works great for two main reasons: 1) For some dogs, having the owner too close is too distracting for the dog and 2) if you are always one corner ahead of your dog, your dog’s head should always be focused slightly inward and never looking outside the ring away from the judge. This type of double handling involves a LOT of running, since you have more ground to cover being on the outside of the ring but always need to stay one corner and ring side length ahead of your dog.

Hide and call – This type of double handling is not as common and is typically used with dogs that are too distracted or overstimulated with their owners in clear view ahead of them. Often the host club will set up two blinds at opposite corners of the ring. If not, people will hide behind other spectators. Do not be surprised if you are watching a show and someone squats down behind you! With the owner(s) hidden, the handler can control the dog. If the dog gets distracted or starts to drop his head, the handler will cue the owner to call the dog’s name. If there are blinds in opposite corners, ideally there are two people from the dog’s family, one in each blind, that take turns calling depending on where the dog is in the ring.

Whatever method you end up using, it’s important to pay attention to your handler! You should decide on a cue ahead of time so you know when to call your dog’s name. Usually the handler will raise his or her arm, or yell “call!” Anytime your handler cues you to call, you need to call your dog’s name loud and clear. Also pay attention to where you are in relation to your dog. Usually double handlers end up too close to their dog and need to hustle to stay far enough ahead. When the handler is stacking your dog, you either need to stand ahead of your dog (so it is looking at you) or hide, depending on what your handler indicates. You don’t want your dog turning around or turning its head away from the judge looking for you.

Can you handle your own dog?

In short, no. Unless you have an extremely well trained dog (trained to pull out ahead and move with power), you will stick out like a sore thumb. The judges expect to see your dog presented properly by a handler that knows how to stack the dog, move the dog down and back, and gait the dog. Most dogs show better in the SV style with their owner(s) double handling. If you are unable to double handle your dog, you should bring someone that your dog

knows and likes.