RHODES 2 RINGCRAFT 121 SESSION

A friendly and safe space to come to learn about the art of showing your dog for breed conformation competition. Whether you are new to the hobby or you just want to brush up your skills, we can help. Both adult and junior handlers are welcome for training.

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I’ve been owned by dogs since I was 13 years old and have been dog mad since the day I could talk. If it has 4 legs and fur, you can bet it makes me smile. I qualified professionally as a teacher of adult education in 2001 and began showing my own dogs 16 years ago. In that time, dog draining methods have come on massively, stepping away from the outdated dominance theory and moving much more towards positive reinforcement …….. ie, if you want the dog to do something, ask him nicely and then pay him for it! Your first bit of homework in working with your dog is to find out what he prizes above everything else as a “fair wage”. It might be food, or a toy, affection or simply play with you. Whatever it is, when you come to our sessions you’ll need to bring your very best wages with you.

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Often it’s just the handler that needs the confidence in the show ring. If you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re on the back foot before you even start. We can help with that.

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Maybe you have a new puppy and you are at the very start of his show journey. Learning new ways of introducing skills and practicing exercises in a happy, force-free way can bring about a dog who oozes sheer joy when moving around the ring. We can help with that.

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Maybe this is your first show dog and you are a complete blank canvas. We can help you absorb the things you need to know in bite-sized chunks, going at a speed you feel comfortable with, to have fun and learn as you go. Remember, everybody starts somewhere.

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Maybe it’s been a while since you were last in the show ring and you just need a bit of a brush up on those rusty show skills or you want to try a new approach. We can help with that.

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Maybe you enjoy training with somebody to structure and guide you rather than trying to maintain the drive and focus to stay on track by yourself. Training together is always more fun. We can help with that.

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Maybe your dog needs confidence in standing to be handled by the judge, or you have specific problems you need to overcome with him such as moving too slowly, too fast or pacing. We can help with that.

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Maybe you aren’t even that bothered about actually competing (though I bet you will be once you get a taste for it!!) and may simply like an activity to share with your dog to build up your bond as a team. We can help with that.

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Whatever you are hoping to gain from our training, we have a place for you and your furry companion.