| A Curriculum for Handling Classes - by Nikki Litwin |
| My name is Nikki Litwin.I moved to Los Angeles in 1987 from Buffalo NY and began training dogs for pet obedience. I got my first show dog in 1990 and never looked back. To date, I have finished 25 champions in my breed ..German Wirehaired Pointers. I have also finished a few other dogs in other breeds for friends. I also compete in competitive obedience, agility, hunt tests and field trials with my Wires as well as do agility with my other breed love, my Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. I love teaching people to have a better relationship with their dog and think owner handlers are the best!! I am a member of both my local as well as national breed clubs as well as the OHA, the APDT, and my local obedience club and I am very active in rescue work with the GWP's |
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| LESSON PLAN FOR A HANDLING CLASS WEEK ONE Introduction: Go over the rules of the class Talk about equipment needed (leashes and collars..different types and why they are used) how to hold leash. Bait (different kinds..can even give out recipes) when and when not to use it Start gaiting (start off at a walk to get dogs accustomed to having dogs in front and behind them without worrying about speed) teach dogs to respect the leash and not pull, lunge, fight leash. Students are taught the beginning of free stacking by doing a red light /green light game. Green light.start moving around the ring (smaller dogs are moved to the center of the ring) still walking. Red light..students tell their dogs to stand. Step in front of dog and give bait. Do this several times.last time, have them hold stand while instructor goes quickly around and touches each dog very briefly. Teach how to line up..spacing between dogs.have dogs standing for bait as instructor goes down line again briefly touching head and top line Start hand stacking fronts..show proper placement of feet both under the dog's shoulders as well as spacing when looking from the front. Show how to place fronts by grasping the elbow.NO WHERE ELSE!!! and how to teach dog to balance their weight properly to stabilize their feet. WEEK TWO Review green light red light game. Students are asked to pick up speed after one of two times of this and start gaiting. Talk about hand positioning while gaiting dogs (how to hold the leash so it looks graceful and natural). Review stacking fronts..have dogs hold the stack (ONLY FRONTS) while instructor goes over dog a little more. Show how to hold bait to arch the neck while judge is looking at dog. Start down and back pattern (both straight down and back as well as diagonal) explain what judge is looking for and show how to leave the judge from the proper place..i'e. leaving the judge's sight so dog is going away from judge in the proper place and coming back into the judge in a straight line. Judge is to give dog a treat upon coming back so dog learns to bat to the judge and give expression as opposed as dog turning into handler expecting treat (start to teach dog a look command to cue dog to look at judge expecting something (gives the dog lots of expression). Handlers usually do this by walking first then break into a trot. Also starts to teach them not to take off so fast and let the dog slide gracefully into the gait. Start rear stacking..show how to show proper angulation and spacing for the rear. Show how to communicate where your hands are going by not just grabbing at legs but by sliding your hands along the body as you reach for the different leg. Each leg gets it's own stay command. Balanc the weight for the rear as well. Explain placing your hands on the hock to place rear..show how to grasp hock from the top as well as from underneath for the giant breeds WEEK THREE Students come into ring and get lined up and stack both fronts and rears. INSTRUCTOR GOES DOWN QUICKLY. Dogs are moved in small groups to settle down and get warmed up. Introduce individual exams (how and when to move dog up as judge is examing the dog in front of you). Make sure whole class starts to pay attention to who is last in line and start expecting them to line up when last dog goes around. Ask usually for a down and back pattern and go to end of line to keep class moving (dogs are still getting treats from judge to work on expression). Red light / green light begins again but this time, when they stop, they have to stack. Even little dogs have to be hard stacked so students learn how to do it. Free stacking will come later. Show how to properly show bites. Begin the triangle pattern (explain how to make turns smoothly as well as when and when not to use courtesy turns). Also have whole class move as a group with dogs on left then have them switch direction and put dog on right (this will begin the L and T pattern). WEEK FOUR Warm up gaiting.making sure every dog has a chance to be in front, in the middle, and at the end of the line. Introduce different looks to judges .hats, floppy coat (if there is a man in class , have him go over dogs in line up) even judge sitting down. Individual exams (have students show bites) review triangle pattern. Red light / green light with hand stacking to a count of 5 (make it fun). Show how to move dogs to face the judge and present fronts and rears properly. Start free stacking exercises (show how to teach dog to back up.stretch forward..reposition feet). This is fun and should be a light hearted thing they work on all the time with no pressure.YOU WANT ANIMATION..NOT ROBOTS!!! Introduce L pattern (teach the right way!! with dog being switched to off side). End class by clapping as dogs go around one at a time..everyone stays as they go out of ring to clap and cheer for others in class WEEK FIVE Review speed stacking..when dogs move around ring, ask for free stack at end of line. Critique handler on how he/she uses her body when presenting dogs (blocking judge's view..keeping feet together..smiling!!!). Introduce T pattern. Move dogs together side by side on down and backs. Talk about what to wear in ring. Pull dogs out in line and ask for free stacks. Show how to get into line when being pulled out for a group or a cut. Mix up order of where you put them..third pulled dog goes second..5 dog goes second, etc. Group has to keep making room for dogs and re-stack their dogs and KEEP SMILING while a dog gets moved in front of them. Individual exams with heavier hands and coming at dogs from different angles. WEEK SIX Mix up patterns of movement.really work on the whole picture.both dog and handler. Introduce picking up foot to examine nails and pads as part of exam. Lots of free stacking. Introduce how to take a picture for those wins. Set up little marker ..show how to hand off ribbons and chat with judge..how how to set dog up for pictures. Have handlers switch dogs (be aware of any dogs that may not do well with this as well as handlers ability to handle someone else's dog). Have other handlers move the dogs so owners can watch their own dog move and dog can feel comfortable with other people on end of lead. End by clapping again as each dog goes around with their own dog. WEEK SEVEN While dogs are stacked, have each handler become the judge and go down the line and do a quick exam (instructor handles dog while it's owner becomes the judge). Work all patterns and put together what they have learned into a complete package. Students should be smooth and fast at this point in their hand stacking and dogs should be animated in the free stack. Explain last week of class to be a little pretend show with someone else judging them. Dogsshould be clean (not necessarily show groomed) and if possible, students dressed for showing. WEEK EIGHT GRADUATION!!! Have someone else be the judge. Have them go over the dogs..go over several patterns. Students to be judged on their handling skills..with emphasis on showing off their dogs in free stacking as well as being very comfortable when they handle their dogs. Placements for 1-4 place. Before placements, thank class for all the hard work..let them know it is not over..it is all about continuing to improve and learn..encourage going to matches..go to shows and watch the rings..enter shows and come back with lots of big brags to encourage the new people who come to class Explain about "future drop in" policy. Little graduation gift given to all (usually a dog cookie with a bow or a little bag of treats. Through out the class, students have homework. At the end of each class, ask if there are any questions about anything they learned..make sure everyone can hear the question and answer. Make sure they know what they need to work on..some will have a maybe different thing to work on depending on their dog's age and ability. Emphasize how important practicing in all kinds of environments are and to find all kinds of practice judges. About half way through the class, take a break and have a brag session. They can brag about anything that happened over the last week.doesn't even have to be show dog related. It helps to bond them to each other and give encouragement on each others progress. |