I need help with showing my puppy
 The people in our obedience club are helping us with the handling, but I have no idea about the stacking, and we are the only ones with sheepdogs, so they do not know how to help us with it  Is ther anyone out there tthat can give me some basic info so I don't look like a complete idiot out there  |
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| Hi go into the oes photogallery and have a look at the dog show ones there. Gives you an idea of where to place the legs. You don't want to strech the back legs out too far as what you are trying to achieve is the dog looking square from a side view.
I usually put my hand under the chest and lift the front a little and that usually brings down the front legs nice and straight and not forward on them. The back I just lean over and grab just on the hock area and place the foot sort of in line with the butt and apart slightly. Front legs together. Get the collar/chain right up under the ears and then grab that and pull up the head gently up and forward a little so looking from the side of the dog you vertually have the head just slightly forward and up from the front legs, that keeps the dog not overstreched and square looking from the whole side view and pulling the head up shows off the length of neck too. Then when stacked, just flick the bum coat forward and over the back. And flick and fluff the head coat also. Bit hard to explain, sounds complicated but it does get easier with practice I hope you can understand  and most importantly relax and enjoy it and the dog will too for you then. 
Here's a photo for you, by not having the back legs stretched too far back you then don't drop the rise to the topline on there back.  |
| No advice, but good luck, Lori. Some place I read that in teaching the dog to "stack", when they are in the stacking position, praise them with "Good stack" so they learn the word "stack" as a command.
Thanks Lisa for the very clear description. |
| Lisa did a great job of describing how to set up your pup. I also wanted to add that you can keep you hand on the inside jaw bone to help you keep the head in position. The problem I had when Frank was a puppy was when the judge approached he would get all happy wiggly. So if you keep you hand under his jaw and kind of step back a little to let the judge get a good look as his head without Elliot getting too fidgety.
If you're seriously considering showing, I would ask at your obedience class where you can go for conformation/handling classes. Here are some more photos: front view: 
Side views: 
This photo shows the wrong way to position the head. See how stretched forward the head is? Need to pull his head back towards the shoulders to show proper squareness. Also, his front legs should have been under his shoulders a little more too.  |
Just another tip too, when I first started showing and trying to learn to stack the dog, a friend suggested this years ago. Practice at home in front of a full length mirror if you have one. Stand there with the dog and practice the stack and you can then see in the mirror how you are going with the overall look and then you can also see if adjustments are needed say on the feet, not quite in the right spot or head need to be up more and a little further back etc etc. to get that balance and squarness then with a good side view of the dog in the mirror to aid and help you.  |
| Good luck! Does your breeder show? If so, maybe you can get some help from him/her.
If you have a video camera, you may want to get someone to videotape you at the match, or even at home. It's painful, but it's the fastest way to learn (especially what NOT to do)! Also, lesson #2: When you do the down and back, pick a point and make sure you are moving your dog in a straight line! Lesson #3: Don't move an OES too fast in the ring. You want to show off its reach and drive, but also the rolling gait. Keep a loose lead...don't string up the neck. How exciting for you!    |
| Where are you at? If you are close to any of us, drop us a PM and maybe there can be a meet up. |
| GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Hi everyone thanks for all the replies so far. I have printed them out, so hubby can take them over to a friend who shows dogs, but not sheepies. She will help us out best she can, Rick is going to show him this time, I can't get over to the lady's house due to work, I cook in an Irish restaurant and have 300 lbs. of corned beef to start getting ready for Sat.  He will also show Murphy in his first obedience match that same day Thank you all so much for all your tips, you guys are the best The match is in Elmira, NY, if anyone is close by. |
| Have fun, hope someone can take some pictures that would be great.
Yum corned beef, you can send some this way, not irish but it is yummy, hope you have a wonderful St.Pattys day at the restaurant. |
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