In This Chapter
- Enhancing your dog’s natural ability with obedience
- Earning the Canine Good Citizen certificate
- Introducing agility and therapy training
- Turning your Chihuahua into a trickster
- Reviewing the ins and outs of showing your Chihuahua
Some Chihuahua owners enjoy
making the most of their dogs’ intelligence and dexterity by participating in
dog sports like obedience and agility. Others like to show off their dogs’
beauty in the wondrous world of dog shows. Chihuahuas can also earn Canine Good
Citizen Certificates and serve as therapy dogs. In this chapter, I tell you
about some activities you and your Chihuahua can participate in as partners —
activities that will benefit your Chihuahua and make her a better companion. I
also give you a short course in trick training, for fun and functionality.
Tip
Sporting events for dogs may occur indoors or outside in all kinds of weather. Be aware that your Chihuahua won’t be allowed to wear a sweater during competition. Your Chi won’t do her best when she’s chilled, so plan to attend dog events during the warm months unless the trials take place indoors.
Remember
If your dog is a Chihuahua mix or a purebred without papers, she can still participate in every event in this chapter with the exception of dog shows. The AKC (see Chapter Ten Web Sites Where Chihuahua Lovers Gather) will grant an Indefinite Listing Privilege to spayed/neutered, unregistered, purebred dogs to allow them to compete in obedience and agility. The UKC also welcomes spayed/neutered, unregistered, purebreds and mixed breeds. And three out of four organizations that sponsor agility events welcome mixed breeds, too. Therapy dogs, Canine Good Citizens, and temperament-tested dogs may be any breed or mix.
Beginning Obedience Training
I like to call obedience companion
dog training, because it teaches the dog how to be a happy and responsive
partner and the owner how to train, understand, and enjoy the dog. During
classes, your Chi discovers how to work with you despite distractions like strangers
and other dogs. The happy result is enhanced companionship. Some simply call it
teamwork. Whatever you call it, obedience training provides a great background for
any other activity you may want to do with your dog.
Warning!
If an obedience instructor suggests a training method or correction that doesn’t feel right to you, don’t do it. It’s your dog, and you have the final say in her training.
Years ago, common knowledge said
that dogs shouldn’t attend obedience school until they’re at least 6 months
old. Back then, obedience exercises (such as the long sit; see Figure 12-1)
were just tools people practiced on the training field once a week and for a
few minutes a day at home. Today, obedience schools are modernized. Contemporary
classes concentrate on practical training, and upto-date instructors tell their
students how to incorporate the training into everyday life. Modern instructors
also emphasize positive reinforcement rather than punishment so younger dogs
learn without becoming stressed. We also know that 4 months is an ideal age to
enter your Chi into a novice class (although dogs profit from the training at
any age).
Reviewing obedience basics
- Sit when you stop
- Go down on command
- Stand quietly while a friendly stranger pets her
- Come when called
- Remain in both the “Sit” and “Down” positions amid distractions from other dogs
Best of all, provided that the
training is positive and upbeat (don’Tip stick around if it isn’t), your Chi
gains considerable confidence from the classes.
Dog clubs and private instructors
offer obedience classes. They’re advertised in the Yellow Pages or the
newspaper. Your veterinarian may also have info about nearby classes, and some
pet supply stores offer them right inside the stores.
Tip
Although the ultimate goal of obedience is a happy partnership with your dog, obedience also is one of the more popular dog sports. If your Chihuahua enjoys the training, you can turn obedience into a hobby and enter trials. When she qualifies for her novice title, she officially becomes Manchita, CD (in other words, the title becomes part of her registered name — Manchita, for instance). The CD stands for — you guessed it — Companion Dog.
Technical Stuff
In addition to the CD, the American Kennel Club (AKC) obedience titles include the CDX (Companion Dog Excellent), the UD (Utility Dog), the UDX (Utility Dog Excellent), and the OTCH (Obedience Trial Champion). The United Kennel Club (UKC) also offers a series of obedience titles.
Jumping into advanced competition
The fun doesn’t have to end after your Chihuahua
earns her Companion Dog title. She can accomplish plenty of challenging
exercises in advanced competition. Among them are retrieving a small
dumbbell, jumping various hurdles, discriminating between your scent and a
stranger’s, and responding to hand signals rather than verbal commands. Are
you worried about your Chi making it over the jumps? If she has a sound body,
she won’t have a problem. Your Chihuahua gets measured before she enters the
ring and the jumps are set at the right height for her size.
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Choosing an obedience instructor
Shopping around is a good idea
when it comes to obedience — not for a bargain but for the best school for you
and your Chihuahua. Your Chi needs an instructor who has experience with dogs
of all sizes — especially tiny ones.
Believe it or not, you’ll
recognize a first-rate teacher even though you don’t know much about dog
training yet. How? By your powers of observation. Watch a session or two of
each beginner class offered in your area before signing up for one. Top-notch
teachers have several attributes in common. Look for the following traits:
- Good instructors are safety conscious. They demand that all dogs be vaccinated (see Chapter Visiting the Vet). They don’t crowd too many students into too small a space, and they provide a training area with sufficient traction and no hidden obstructions.
- Good instructors are masters of positive motivation. They show their students how to use praise, petting, and toys to encourage correct responses.
- Good instructors are flexible. They adapt their methods to fit their students’ needs.
- Good instructors are approachable, friendly, and helpful. They have upbeat attitudes.
- Good instructors are creative. They vary the drills by initiating group games so handlers and dogs have a good time while performing the necessary repetitions.
- Good instructors are attentive to all their students. They work well with handlers and dogs of all sizes, shapes, ages, and genders, and they aren’t prejudiced against any breed or mix.
- Good instructors have lesson plans. They discuss training goals and explain how to work each new command into everyday life. Their classes are never chaotic.
- Good instructors keep the class moving. They don’t allow one student to monopolize the lesson.
- Good instructors respect their students and have empathy. They’re aware that everyone in the class has feelings — including the dogs.
Tip
One of the really cool things you discover in obedience and agility school is that dogs, because they’re closer to the ground, see things differently than humans do. When a student’s dog seems leery about something, a good instructor will tell the student to get down and look at it from the pet’s perspective. Try it sometime.
Figure 12-1: Maxie and
Ginny demonstrate an obedience exercise called the long sit.
Passing the Good Citizen and Temperament Tests
According to the AKC, “A Canine
Good Citizen is a dog that makes its owner happy without making someone else
unhappy.” That means Canine Good Citizens behave at home, are good neighbors, and
are polite in public.
The Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
test is pass-fail and noncompetitive. It evaluates practical training, not your
dog’s formal obedience. Your Chi is tested on how she behaves during everyday
situations like being touched by a friendly stranger, walking on a crowded street,
meeting another dog while out for a stroll, and coming when called. She also
gets graded on her reaction to distractions and her attitude when you’re out of
sight (she shouldn’t show separation anxiety). In addition, she must obey
simple commands such as “Sit” and “Down” (see Chapter Establishing
Good Behavior and Manners), but not with the
precision of a competitive obedience dog.
Remember
Why go for the CGC honor? While preparing for the CGC test, owners find out how to train their dogs, and their dogs become better companions. Many dog clubs and private obedience schools offer short courses in CGC training, and some of them give the test as their graduation exercise. In addition, the AKC offers free info to help people train for the test. For CGC training material and information on how to find a test site near you, contact the AKC through e-mail at info@akc.org or call Customer Service at 919-233-9767.
The American Temperament Test
Society (ATTS) also offers a tenpart test and rewards dogs that pass with a
Temperament Tested, or TT, Certificate. The test takes no special training but
requires a well-socialized dog with self-confidence and a reliable disposition.
During a walk that simulates several situations, your Chi encounters friendly,
neutral, and threatening scenarios and is evaluated on her reactions. The ATTS
provides free information about the test. To discover more, go to www.atts.org or
call 317-288-4403.
One of these honors isn’t better
than the other; they’re just different and give you something to do with your
dog. Of course, breeders use the titles to prove how smart, reliable,
trainable, and beautiful their breeding stocks are.
Technical Stuff
Owners of dogs that earn CGC and TT certificates or belong to therapy dog clubs traditionally use the letters after their dogs’ names — as in Manchita, CGC, TT, TDI, for instance. These titles don’t become an official part of the dog’s registered name, however.
Getting Active in Agility
How much fun can you handle? If
you’re thinking “a whole lot,” agility may be the sport for you and your dog.
Thousands of dog owners swear that agility is the most fun you can have with a
dog.
At agility trials, dogs are timed
as they navigate a course that resembles a colorful playground. They soar over
hurdles, weave through poles, stride across balance beams, sprint up A-frames, play
seesaw, and crawl through tunnels. Meanwhile, their handlers point out the next
obstacle in the path (dogs must take obstacles in the correct order) and direct
them through the course. Audiences at agility trials are always encouraging,
but when the crowd sees a Chihuahua, the applause always amplifies!
Many owners do agility training
with their dogs just for fun, but plenty of titles await you if competition is
your thing. Your Chi could add so many titles to her
name that it would take two breaths just to say it!
Few people want to landscape
their yards with agility equipment (at least not at first), so most agility
enthusiasts attend a private instructor’s classes or join an agility club.
Besides having the attributes that a good obedience instructor possesses (see “Choosing
an obedience instructor” earlier in this chapter), a good agility teacher also
- Provides sturdy obstacles with neither rough edges nor a hint of a wobble
- Goes slow and keeps the obstacles low, making sure every dog and handler in the class has a firm foundation
- Provides new challenges by building on that foundation
Tip
Smart handlers know the rules of the game before they play. Rulebooks for obedience and agility are available through the organizations that sanction these events. Four major (and some smaller) organizations offer agility. For more information and to find a teacher/club near you, ask your veterinarian for a recommendation, get info at your pet supply store, or check your phone book for local all-breed dog clubs.
Therapy Dogs: Delighting the Elderly and the Infirm
A couple decades ago, the
scientific community found that interacting with friendly animals is
therapeutic for people. Since then, polite pets have been welcomed at nursing
homes and other institutions of healthcare.
Well-socialized Chihuahuas make
top-notch therapy dogs because they’re world-class lap-sitters. Lap-sitting is
one of the most important tasks of a therapy dog. But becoming qualified to
perform pet therapy isn’t easy. This special service calls for a pet that keeps
her cool in an institutional setting.
Remember
Therapy dogs must have dependable dispositions and impeccable manners. Although a Chi’s main assignment is lap-sitting, she still needs plenty of confidence to remain relaxed in an institution. After all, she’ll be sitting on strange laps amid the distractions of hospital equipment (like wheelchairs and walkers), institutional odors, crowds, and noise.
Serving the hearing impaired
Chihuahuas can and do help the hearing impaired
through hearing dog programs. After a training regimen where she learns to
alert her handler to the doorbell, telephone, alarm clock, smoke alarm, oven
timer, or baby crying, the dog is paired with a deaf person. The two practice
obedience commands together, and the owner is taught how to care for the dog.
They then go home together and the dog serves as the person’s ears. Because
they’re so small that they fit anywhere and so smart that they easily take to
the training, Chihuahuas are popular hearing dogs.
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Hundreds of clubs across the
United States are dedicated to petassisted therapy. These groups prepare their
members through classes and tests. At least two national organizations — the
Delta Society (www.deltasociety.org;
425-679-5500) and Therapy Dogs International (www.tdi-dog.org;
732-340-0728) — have local clubs or certified instructors in many cities. These
resources are eager to help owners prepare their pets for therapy work. Your
local dog club also may have a volunteer program.
The test used most frequently to
certify dogs for therapy work is the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen Test (see the
section “Passing the Good Citizen and Temperament Tests”). Some organizations
modify the test to include institutional equipment. A health certificate from your
veterinarian may also be mandatory (see Chapter Visiting the
Vet).
Requirements vary among
organizations and institutions, but the rewards remain the same: Bored eyes
light up and tired faces break into smiles at the sight of your Chihuahua. And
the warm feeling remains with you and those you help for hours. But don’t take
my word for it. Give it a try!
How to Teach Your Dog a Trick or Two
Remember
The tricks in this section build on each other, so you should start with the first one and move on only after your Chihuahua can reliably perform the trick.
The benefits of trick training
Chihuahuas like learning tricks.
After all, during training, they have what they want most — your full
attention, plus praise and treats. A Chi thinks trick training was created just
to make her feel special, but you reap rewards, too. Besides giving you a
chance to have fun and impress your friends, teaching tricks enhances your
Chi’s vocabulary, encourages closer bonding, and leads to better behavior.
Another advantage to trick
training is that it makes your Chi an impressive ambassador for her breed. Many
people believe tiny dogs are brainless and lack character, but a Chi that waves
and barks on command changes their thinking in a hurry.
Besides, after a shy Chi learns
how to pull off a trick or two, she’ll have something other than fear to focus
on in social situations. And making people laugh improves her confidence.
Pushing your dog’s performance buttons
When it comes to motivation, the
happier your Chi is about learning a new move, the faster she’ll perfect it.
So, if you’re a good motivator, your dog can be a terrific trickster in no
time.
What’s the key to effective
motivation? Praise. But praising your Chi works only when your tone is sincere
and maybe a little silly — okay, mighty silly with some dogs. Praising your pet
in a drab monotone won’t turn her on. It will sound similar to elevator music.
How can you make the praise so
powerful that your Chi wants more? Give it with gusto. Give your Chi a big
smile when you say, “Good girl!” If she’s a little lethargic, accentuate your
praise with a little applause. Use joyful words that come naturally to you, and
say them in an excited voice every time she willingly gives a trick a try. Don’t
become boring by using the same praise words and treats every time. You can
surprise her with new words. “Way to go, girl!” “All Right!” “Yes, Yes!”
Scratch her back. Give her a taste of cheese, a sliver of hot dog, a bite of
burger, or toss her a toy.
Tip
Read your Chihuahua’s reactions to rewards. Your praise should make her eager to continue the lesson. Don’t make it so shrill that it scares her or so invigorating that it distracts her.
Soon, you’ll discover which
phrases inspire your Chi to try harder, which treats she finds most tempting,
and whether she’d rather chase a squeaky toy or have a back rub. In other
words, you’ll identify your Chi’s buttons. Pushing them makes her happy, and when
she’s happy, she’s willing to try the trick again.
Putting her in the mood
Because treats are an important
part of trick training, try to train when your Chihuahua is hungry — before,
not after, her meals. Before beginning a training session, take her outdoors
and give her an opportunity to relieve herself. When you get back inside, let
her watch you prepare and pocket some treats. When you have her undivided
attention, start with something she knows. Have her Sit for a tidbit (see
Chapter Establishing
Good Behavior and Manners). That sets the tone and puts her in a cooperative mood to learn her
first trick.
Remember
Don’t try trick training until your Chi can sit on command. Sitting is a prerequisite to most tricks.
Using praise and treats wisely
When teaching tricks, use praise
and treats/toys to motivate your Chi, and don’t bark out “No!” when she makes a
wrong move. When she does something right, reward her. When she does something wrong
or does nothing at all, don’t reward her. It’s as simple as that. Neither force
nor punishment should ever be involved.
Tip
Reward every correct move, no matter how tiny or tentative, when your dog is learning something new.
Shaking Hands or Gimme Five
If the Sit command is second
nature to your Chi (see Chapter Establishing
Good Behavior and Manners), you can teach her to Shake Hands or Gimme
Five (see Figure 12-2).
Just follow these simple steps:
1. Kneel down to your
Chihuahua’s level after telling her to Sit and say the cue word you choose.
Be creative. It doesn’t matter
what verbal cue you use as long as you use the same one every time.
2. Pick up one of her
forelegs, lift it from underneath, and gently release it.
Praise her as soon as you drop
her leg, and give her a tiny treat.
3. Repeat the process five
times and then try it again later or tomorrow.
4. After she’s comfortable
with you picking up her leg, gently move it up and down before releasing it.
The big breakthrough comes one
day when your Chi lifts her leg as soon as you say the cue word. When she does,
let her know how happy you are!
Gradually wean her away from
expecting a treat every time, but always tell her what a good girl she is. And
even after she performs reliably for praise, surprise her with a treat
occasionally. After she has this trick down pat, you can have family and
friends practice it with her (but not more than five tries at a time).
Figure 12-2: Glad to meet
you, Manchita!
Waving hi and bye
When your Chihuahua is able to
shake hands as easily as a state senator, you can start teaching her how to
Wave. Use these simple steps:
1. Use your cue words and ask
your Chi to shake hands (see the previous section).
2. Just as she lifts her paw,
pull your hand away while repeating your cue words in a happy voice.
Most dogs wave their paws in the
air in an effort to make contact with their humans’ hands.
3. The instant your Chi waves
even a little, say “Wave” and give her a treat.
Keep at it, making her wave just
a bit longer each time before she gets her reward. When she starts to master
the wave (see Figure 12-3 for an example of a master waver), you can eliminate
asking for the handshake by going directly from Sit to Wave. Finally, you can
wean her off the treat by giving it only once every few times. But continue praising
her for every wave.
It’s also fun to hold your
Chihuahua at chest level in both hands and ask her to wave at someone. You can
teach this trick the same way, except that you need a helper. Hold your Chi
while your helper walks up; he or she should ask her to shake hands and then
pull the hand away to elicit a wave. Some Chis will wave with both front legs
when in their owners’ arms.
Figure 12-3: This
well-trained Chi waves at a friend.
Tip
Use the command Wave rather than the more obvious “Hi” or “Bye” because it’s more versatile. You can cue your Chihuahua to wave hi and wave bye, and you can personalize the trick by telling her to “Wave to Aunt Amelia,” for instance.
Speak and Shhhh
Time to get silly! Here’s your
chance to teach your Chi how to speak with the following steps:
1. Start by showing your
Chihuahua her favorite treat.
Wiggle it right in front of her
but don’t let her take it.
2. Get her all wound up by
teasing her with the treat.
3. As she prances around, say
“Speak” excitedly, over and over.
The object is to get her to make
a sound (any sound).
4. When she makes a sound
(even if it’s a wimpy squeak), give her the treat and plenty of praise.
After she eats the treat, try
again. Stop after five tries no matter how much fun she’s having.
It won’t be long before your Chi
makes the connection and barks as loud as she can when you say Speak and show
her the treat. That’s a good start. Continue using the treat until you have to
say Speak only once. Gradually wean her off the treat.
Tip
The real fun begins when you get creative. “Speak to Me.” “If you want a cookie, Speak.” “Speak to Aunt Amelia!” “Speak Spanish!”
Some Chihuahuas anticipate this
trick and begin barking before you can say the cue word. Every time your Chi tries
that, tell her “Shhhh” and don’t give her the cue (or the treat) until she
quiets down. Have her stay quiet for several seconds. After repeating this process,
she’ll learn that Shhhh means hush — an extra bonus trick that can really come
in handy if your dog is a problem barker (see Chapter Keeping
Your Place as Head of Household).
Dancing the tango
Chihuahuas make marvelous
dancers, with moves that are the envy of larger breeds. To teach your Chi the
tango (or the waltz, jitterbug, two-step, or mambo), turn on your favorite tune
or hum a
When she realizes what you want,
it still may take several weeks until her leg and back muscles are developed
enough to let her dance on her hind legs for several seconds. As soon as she
can balance on her hind legs rather well, start moving the treat in a circle above
her head to teach her to turn. Soon, she’ll be pirouetting in either direction!
Tip
What do you do with a dancing dog? Join in, of course! As your Chihuahua swings and sways on her hind legs, start moving to the music along with her. Having a partner encourages her to make up steps of her own. She may soon add hops, skips, and jumps to her dancing repertoire.
Touring the Dog Show Circuit
If you want to see more than a
hundred breeds of gorgeous dogs gathered in one place, treat yourself to a dog
show. Besides seeing beautifully groomed and trained representatives of all
your favorite breeds, you become acquainted with rare breeds that few people ever
get to see. Agility and obedience trials often are held in the same venues as
dog shows, too. Dog shows are fun regardless of whether or not you understand
the judging procedure, but a little knowledge will make your first experience
more rewarding. In this section, I tell you about the basics of dog judging so
you understand what the exhibitors and judges are doing. Then I give you the upside
and the downside of the “dog game,” and I help you get started in the
dog show game if you want to become a player.
Tip
Dogs not entered in competition aren’t allowed at dog shows, so leave your Chi at home when you go to a show just to check it out. Rather than a dog, put a notebook on your lap and jot down your impressions of why certain dogs won. Later, if you get into the dog game, dig out that notebook and read what you wrote. Your first impressions may help your handling.
Remember
To be eligible to show in conformation, your Chihuahua must be
- At least 6 months old
- AKC registered with full registration (see Chapter Choosing Your Ideal Chihuahua) or registered with the club sponsoring the event
- Unaltered (spayed or neutered dogs aren’t eligible to show)
Technical Stuff
When exhibitors compete at dog shows, they say they’re showing their dogs in breed or conformation.
How dogs are judged and other show basics
Dogs don their finest fur when
competing at a dog show, and with so many gorgeous creatures to choose from,
your first reaction may be to pity the poor judge. But a dog show judge has
help in the form of guidelines, called the breed standard (see the
Chihuahua standard in Chapter What’s
Behind That Unique Chihuahua Look?). The standard describes an ideal specimen of
the breed. The judge’s job is to select as the winner the dog that most closely
conforms to this written description of physical perfection.
Remember
In other words, no matter how many dogs compete in the show ring, the winner should be the dog that most closely resembles the ideal dog described in its breed standard. Second place goes to the next closest dog, and so on.
When watching a show, you see
dogs of the same breed judged together early in the day. But later, you see the
winning dogs of each breed competing against each other. That’s when novices really
get confused. After all, how can a judge choose between an animated Chihuahua
and an elegant Pekingese? Well, the judge isn’t really comparing the Chihuahua
to the Pekingese. Instead, he or she is comparing how close the Chihuahua
matches its breed standard with how close the Peke matches its standard.
The following sections explain
the order of the dog show classes, how the elimination contest works, and what
it takes to get that coveted Champion title for your Chihuahua.
Tip
When you arrive at a dog show, buy a show catalog right away. Then you can match each dog’s catalog number with its handler’Technical Stuff armband number, thus finding out who’s who.
Winning or losing — it’s the judge’s call
Your first experience with subjective dog show judging may make you feel a little confused. Most of the better-known sports are judged objectively. During games of baseball, basketball, football, golf, or tennis, you always know the score. But it’s different at dog shows, where winning or losing depends on the judge’s opinion. This concept can be confusing at first, especially when you see a dog get a “Best of” prize one day and not even place in its class the next.
The more you discover about
canine conformation and the Chihuahua standard (see Chapter What’s
Behind That Unique Chihuahua Look?), the better
you’ll understand how each judge picks his or her winners. One judge may be a
stickler for movement. A superior head may sway another. Because judges
interpret the standards in their own unique ways, different dogs may win under
different judges. And that’s a good thing because it lets many excellent dogs
have their days in the sun.
Plus, dogs are judged on the
day, or, to be more precise, in a moment of time — something like the way
humans judge themselves when they confront their images in the mirror each
morning. On Saturday, you may smile and congratulate yourself on looking years
younger, but then on Sunday you may appear drawn and weary. Well, dogs have
good days and bad days, too, and a judge can only go by what dogs look like
during the few moments they’re exhibited. So, if the owners of yesterday’s Best
of Breed Chihuahua kept superdog up too late while they celebrated, he may look
like sleepydog during the next day’s competition.
An elimination contest
Shows where dogs are judged on their
conformation are elimination contests. The process of an elimination
contest has many steps, which I list here:
1. To begin with, all the dogs
of a single breed (or variety of a breed) compete with others of their sex in
one of the regular classes — Puppy, 12-to-18-Month, Novice, Bredby-Exhibitor,
American-bred, or Open.
2. First-place winners of the
same sex from each of the classes compete against each other for Winners Dog and
Winners Bitch.
3. These two winners are
awarded points toward their championship (see the section “Becoming a champion”
later in this chapter) and return to the ring for Best of Breed (or Variety)
competition.
Dogs that are already champions
are called Specials, and they also compete for Best of Breed or Variety.
4. Three awards are presented
in the final elimination contest at the breed level:
- The top specimen is awarded Best of Breed or Variety.
- The best dog of the opposite sex than the Best of Breed is presented with the Best of Opposite Sex (BOS) ribbon.
- The best of the two class winners is named Best of Winners (BOW).
Sometimes, a class dog (a dog that isn’t a champion yet) goes to the top and takes Best of Breed or Variety, as well as Best of Winners.
5. When Chihuahua judging is
complete, all but the Best of Variety winners are finished for the day. The
Best of Variety Chihuahuas are now eligible to compete in the Toy group.
The Toy group is where all the
Toys that won Best of Breed or Variety compete for group placements.
6. Following a group judging
and elimination, only seven dogs — the first-place winners from each group —
are left in the show. During the climax, they compete for Best in Show (BIS).
When the show is over, only one
undefeated dog remains — but a couple hundred dogs may have earned points
toward their championships, and many others thrilled their owners by placing
high in their classes.
Technical Stuff
Only two Toy breeds, the Chihuahua and the English Toy Spaniel, are represented by two varieties in the Toy group. The two Chihuahua varieties are the long coat and smooth coat. Two other Toy breeds, the Manchester Terrier and the Poodle, also come in varieties, but only the Toy Manchester Terrier and the Toy Poodle compete in the Toy group. Their larger counterparts compete in other groups.
Group classifications
For purposes of showing, the American Kennel Club
(AKC) divides dogs into seven groups as follows:
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Becoming a champion
Remember
To become an AKC champion on the dog show circuit, your Chihuahua must win 15 points, including points from at least two major wins (majors are shows where three or more points are awarded). The two majors must be awarded by different judges, and at least one of the remaining points must be won under a third judge.
The number of points your Chi may
be awarded for going Winners Dog at a show varies. It depends on how many
Chihuahuas competed, the schedule of points established by the AKC, and whether
your Chi goes on to win Best of Winners, Best of Variety, her Group, or even
Best in Show (see the previous section). The most points ever available at a
show is five, and the fewest available is one. Your Chi must win points at a
minimum of three shows to earn a championship. Five-point majors are few and
far between and competition is keen, so most Chihuahuas are shown several times
before becoming champions.
When a dog finishes its
championship, it’s permanently recorded as a champion of record and is
entitled to the word “Champion” before its name. The AKC abbreviation is Ch,
as in “Ch Manchita.”
The ups and downs of showing dogs
All hobbies have their good
points and bad points. In the sections that follow, I list some of the things,
both positive (upside) and negative (downside), you may want to consider before
deciding you want to show your dog.
The upside of showing dogs
Here are the many benefits that
come with competing in dog shows:
- Competing with your dog is fun and exciting.
- You can make new friends with people who have similar interests, and you may be invited to join dog clubs.
- Many obedience schools offer conformation classes where you and your Chihuahua can both make new friends.
- Depending on your goals, it can be a casual or an absorbing avocation.
- Showing dogs is educational. If you go in with an open mind, you’ll discover something new every time you attend a show.
- You get to meet the top Chihuahua breeders.
- Becoming seriously involved means you may become a breeder (at least occasionally).
- Training your Chihuahua for the show ring strengthens your bond.
- Showing involves traveling.
- You get the opportunity to learn from your losses to make you a better competitor.
- Winning feels wonderful!
The downside of showing dogs
Here’s the other side of the coin
— the disadvantages of joining the dog show circuit:
- Winning at dog shows means you’ll need a dog with superior conformation.
- Showing dogs is expensive and requires some special equipment.
- The alternative to training and showing your own dog is hiring a professional handler, which is expensive.
- Training your Chihuahua for the show ring is time consuming.
- Showing can be stressful to dogs and their owners.
- Showing involves traveling.
- When you become seriously involved, breeding dogs becomes a probability (at least occasionally).
- The sport can take over your life. Between conformation classes, club meetings, dog shows, and breeding, showing dogs can become all-encompassing.
- Losing feels lousy (until you learn to turn losses into learning experiences).
Getting started in showing
Warning!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but no matter how handsome you and your friends think she is, if you didn’t buy your Chihuahua as a potential show dog, chances are she won’t win at dog shows. Some dogs are rare exceptions, of course, but your Chi is probably tops at exactly what you bought her for — companionship.
Eventually, you’ll need another Chi if you want to take up showing, but in the meantime, make your companion Chi your compadre for learning the ropes. Take her to conformation class and discover how to train and handle her in the ring. She’ll love the attention, and you can make your novice mistakes on her. This way, you become a better handler for your next pup — the one you buy with showing in mind.
Remember
Take your time purchasing a show-potential Chihuahua. Study the breed standard (see Chapter What’s Behind That Unique Chihuahua Look?) and attend a couple shows. Watching the judging helps you develop an eye for a show-quality dog. Soon, you’ll find out which attributes are more important to you, and which breeders’ dogs are strong in those traits. Then talk to the breeders whose dogs you most admire and check out their available show-potential pups. But don’t expect to get one right away. You may have to put your name on a waiting list and fork over a deposit (money alert!).
The following sections help you
dive even deeper into the world of dog showing.
For more information on showing,
go to the AKC’s Web site (www.akc.org).
Magazines, such as the AKC Gazette, also keep you upto-date on dog shows
held all over the United States. Many excellent books on showing and how dogs
are judged are available.
Preparing for what show dogs do
Assuming your Chihuahua is show
quality and has full AKC registration — a requirement for showing — what’s
next?
Besides possessing physical
beauty and a steady temperament, your Chi must take travel, crowds, noise, and
strange dogs in stride. She also must
- Stand still for grooming
- Pose while the judge examines her
- Circle the ring at a smooth trot in a line with her competitors
- Gait solo in the designated pattern
- Keep her cool from the first burst of applause through the hush that settles over the arena just before the judge points to the winner
Yikes! You know what to expect after watching a show or two, but how will your Chi get used to all that? And how will you ever be able to handle her in the show ring? Easy. You take lessons together. Dog clubs and private instructors offer conformation classes where you become familiar with the finer points of handling. At the same time, your dog gets used to stacking (posing) and trotting (gaiting) around other dogs and people. Check the Internet and ask your vet and breeder where quality show training is available.
Tip
When you attend conformation classes, you find out when matches take place in your area. Matches are practice dog shows — much like the real thing except they’re informal and no championship points are awarded. Matches are great for honing your handling skills and getting your dog used to the show atmosphere.
Of course, many people hire
professional handlers (agents) to show their dogs. If you decide to hire
a handler, choose one who has an excellent reputation for taking care of and
winning with Toy dogs. Your dog’s breeder may be happy to help you locate and
choose a handler.
Where’s the show, and how do I enter?
Your conformation instructor will
know where shows are scheduled in your area, but you need some written material
when you’re ready to enter. The Events Calendar, a supplement to the AKC
Gazette, and a few other dog magazines (sold by subscription and also found
in pet shops, bookstores, and newsstands) list upcoming AKC shows. They also
include the names and addresses of the show superintendents you need to contact
if you want to receive show information.
The superintendents will make
your mailbox bulge with premium lists about shows in your area, complete with
entry forms, fee information, and closing dates for entries.
Remember
If your Chihuahua is ready to show, enter well ahead of the closing date so you aren’t disappointed. Late entries are not accepted.
Speaking dog show lingo
Every sport has its unique
terminology, and dog showing is no exception. When studying the breed standard
(see Chapter What’s
Behind That Unique Chihuahua Look?) or evaluating dogs with other fanciers, certain words always
come up. Knowing and understanding these terms early in the game is a good
idea. The following sections present many common terms that float around
whenever dog showing is the topic du jour.
Type
Type is what sets one
breed of dog apart from every other breed. The concept of breed type is easiest
to understand if you remember that each breed has only one correct type. It’s
type that makes
And in the show ring, the most
typey dog is the one that comes closest to matching the characteristics
described in its breed standard.
Soundness
Soundness is the ability
to function well, and it includes physical and behavioral characteristics such
as a correct skeleton, proper musculature, and a stable temperament. Also, no
handicaps, temporary or permanent, should inhibit the dog from using these attributes.
A dog that’s deaf, blind, lame, overly aggressive, missing a testicle, or
painfully shy is unsound. If a sound dog steps on a smoldering cigarette
and limps because her burned pad hurts, she’s temporarily unsound and
can’t be shown. But as soon as she heals enough to move normally, she becomes
sound again.
Remember
Not all faults in a dog are considered unsound. For example, your Chi’s ears may be on the small side (the standard specifies large) yet function just fine. Because having smallish ears doesn’t interfere with her ability to hear, the characteristic doesn’t make her unsound. However, small ears are uncharacteristic of the Chi breed, so she lacks type.
Balance
Balance means that all
parts of the dog fit each other without exaggeration of any single part. The
size of the head corresponds with the size of the body, and height, width, and
weight are proportionate. If people look at your Chihuahua and say, “My, what
long legs she has,” or “Doesn’t she have a big head for her size?” chances are
she lacks balance.
Don’t fret over balance too soon.
Puppies often go through stages when they’re temporarily out of proportion, another
word for balance. When your Chi is young, her head may look too big for her body.
She may have a well-developed front and a wimpy rear, or she may seem to be
walking downhill because her back legs grew faster than her front legs.
However, by the time she matures into a good show dog, all her parts must be
balanced.
Condition
When it comes to condition, the
ball is in your court. You can’Tip control whether your Chihuahua matures typey
or balanced, but her condition depends on you. A Chi is in condition when
she
Manchita’s showy story
Show breeders sell their top-quality puppies as
show potential pups. That means the pups appear to have all the attributes
necessary to become champions. But potential is only potential. As a dog
matures, things may change. That’s what happened to my Manchita, a
show-potential puppy that I got when she was going on 4 months old. At 6
months, she still looked mighty fine, so we entered a show. She won the Puppy
class and then beat the other class winners for Winners Bitch. That day, Manchita
was awarded her first (and last) championship points. During the next few
weeks, her bite changed big time, and she matured with a wry mouth and the habit
of letting the tip of her tongue dangle. So much for showing!
Manchita’s breeders guaranteed her for show
potential, as many top breeders do. When her mouth went wry, the breeders
were prepared to trade for a different pup and place Manchita in a pet home.
But we wanted to keep her (and the timing wasn’t right for raising a second
pup), so we never asked them to honor the guarantee.
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Style and showmanship
Style and showmanship are
similar terms with respect to the show ring, but they’re not quite identical. Stylish
is the dog-show term used to describe a dog that carries itself elegantly
and with pride; a good showman indicates a dog with a pleasantly bold
attitude that performs well during the judging.
If your Chihuahua has showmanship
and style, she shows off her breed characteristics, making the most of her
typeness. Judges recognize a dog like that easily. She steps out with pride —
neck arched, head up, aspect bold, happy, and eager — yet remains under
control. A good showman that lacks style, however, may still be appealing
because of her saucy, outgoing manner, but she’ll never fool a knowledgeable
judge.
Remember
At a dog show, style often separates the superior from the good and the winners from the losers — especially when all other points are nearly equal. Style or elegance is a quality you can’t give your Chi. She was either born with it or wasn’t. She may be typey, sound, well balanced, and in fine condition, yet still lack style. That doesn’Tip mean she won’t win, because a correct dog — especially one with showmanship — wins her share of champion points. However, what it does mean is that when competing against an equally correct dog that’s also stylish, your Chi will come in second.
Tip
Unlike style, which you can’t instill into a dog through training, you can help your Chi grow into the best showman she can be:
- Give her plenty of socialization to bolster her confidence (see Chapter Socializing Your Chihuahua).
- Lead-break her with praise and patience (see Chapter Socializing Your Chihuahua).
- Keep your training periods upbeat and brief so she doesn’Tip become bored.
by Jacqueline O’Neil
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