You present your dog at various times throughout the competition. To stack your dog you must always work from the front of the dog to the back of the dog. Front paw placement is first and then back paws. When you are waiting with everyone else in a line up for the judge’s inspection, you should be aware of what’s going on, for example, where the judge is and where you are in the line.
When you have completed a walk with your dog for the judge or when the judge is looking at your dog for an individual inspection, you should free bait your dog or get ready. Table Stacking or Ground Stacking: Big dogs are stacked on the ground and small dogs are stacked on the ground and on the table.
The small dogs are stacked on the ground when the judge is viewing all the dogs at the same time. When the small dogs go for individual inspection, they go on a table for the Judge to view them.
Walk/gait your dog:
The judge can ask you to walk/gait your dog around the ring, in an L shape, up and down or in any way he would like to see the dog presented. If the judge asks you to go around, look at the judge and smile.When it is your turn, you will need to stack your dog for the judge while everyone waits his or her turn. If it’s a small dog, you will put it on the table. If it’s a big dog you will need to stack it on the ground. Put the leash around your neck and lift the dog on the table. When you put the dog on the table, always look at the judge. Then you need first to place the front paws on the front of the table. If you have a big breed dog, you would do the same thing except you would be on the ground.
After that, place the back feet in an upside down “L”shape. Hold the leash in the left hand and hold a cookie (bait) in the right hand. Hold out the cookie in front of the dog to get the dog to focus on the bait and look straight ahead. Look at the judge every couple of steps. This depends on the dog and how comfortable you are on the table. The judge will then approach the dog and you. He/she will start the inspection of the dog from front to back. He/she will ask you to show him/her the “bit.” That means the teeth. You will then let go of the lead and use both your hands to pull down the chin and pull up the sides of the dogs nose and show both sides of the teeth including the front.
The judge will look over the dog’s body. He or she will tell you to take the dog off the table and walk/gait the dog in any way that he or she wishes. This could be a triangle, “L,” “T,” straight line, across or anyway that they want. The judge will do the same with everyone else. Don’t forget to do a courtesy turn. You should have your dog ready and stacked before the last dog goes around. Also, you always need to be aware of where the judge is in the ring. Don’t forget--always have fun.
The judge might ask everyone to go around one more time for a last look. That’s when he/she might make his/her final decision. Then the judge will pick first, second, third and fourth. If you didn’t get picked, you should show good sportsmanship to the winners who did get first and you should go and congratulate them.
If you did win and people come and congratulate you, you will need to show them courtesy and say thank you back to them. You would probably want a picture if you win. If you didn’t win, you should ask someone what you did wrong and what you should do better next time. Also, you could ask the judge what you did and what you should have done better. Don’t worry if you did badly because there is always next time. Through losing you will learn how to win. Also never give up!