#2 - Tricky Trick Down

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Gio

CD RE (CKC)- RXMCL (CARO) FM- CGN SJATD

Barked: Thu Sep 6, '07 7:08pm PST


	Okay, Riley is busy at home so I'm going to start up our second photo contest! We're going to keep moving up in difficulty, so seeing as our first contest was "sit", it make sense that the second contest should be "down"! So everyone start working on your "down" command and get those pictures posted! Tag your entry with ... trickytrickdown A few things to keep in mind when you are choosing your photo for entry: 1) We want to see that your dog is actually following a command, not just happened to be in a down position when you took the picture. So a nice, straight, down is ideal. The expression on the dog's face also makes the "down" look more impressive. So a picture where the dog looks like s/he is eagerly following the command, has a perky, happy look on their face, will score higher than a picture where the dog looks like they were forced into the position, looks unsure or apprehensive. 2) Picture quality is relatively important. We aren't necessarily going to penalize a good picture because of lack of quality, but if you have good lighting, nice angle, well cropped, etc. then that is definitely going to help. We all have different quality cameras, no big deal. If you are having trouble getting the lighting right, too dark, reddish tinge to the pic due to artificial lighting, try finding some natural light. A large window is nice, or take the picture outdoors. Also try to take the picture at the dog's level. All too often we try to take a picture of our dogs that are close to the ground as we are standing at full height. Try to get down to the same level as your dog and the pictures will turn out much nicer. 3) And don't forget that important level of difficulty. You all saw that Odysseus won the last contest, right? He had a really nice, straight sit, good expression, eager look on his face ... sitting on a wheely chair! YAY! So if your dog already knows "down", then challenge yourself and come up with something creative. It would be a good idea to post here if you are planning on entering. Let us know the stage of training that you are already at. Are you just starting to train the trick? Does your dog already know "down"? What are you trying to work on to improve? Are you training to get a straighter down? A faster down? Let us know where you are at, so we know how much work you had to put into the contest I don't know how long Riley will be busy for ... so to give him enough time to get things straightened out, let's put a deadline of September 21. That is just over 2 weeks. SO GET TAGGING!!

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Lady

226632

Barked: Thu Sep 6, '07 7:20pm PST


	I'm going to enter! But I'll wait and get a new picture of Lady in a down position when I tell her to (not just 'cause she happend to be there). I'll also work on getting a straight down, since Lady likes to "down" and roll onto her hip.

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Daisy Mae- CGC

Dying for a cure

Barked: Thu Sep 6, '07 10:07pm PST


	We'll enter too- but need to work on a straight down also. I'm trying for a complete down without any body parts still up. It apparently depends on her mood.

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George- Underwood

THE ORIGINAL- CHICK MAGNET

Barked: Fri Sep 7, '07 8:46am PST


	We're going to enter too. We've just began working dilligently with George (the pup who got kicked outta obidience school) because of some bad habits that we've allowed him follow. Since the last contest in which he had to be coerced into sitting he's actually sitting now on command (but still not really happy about it) even when someone enters the front door which is a total miracle if you know George. We're lucky to have a Animal Behaviorist who lives next door and she has given us some good pointers and he seems to be somewhat more receptive in participating. This morning in fact he did a nice impressive down (at least to me) and boy was I ever happy! We're going to attempt to "get down to his level" he's a very small dog and unfortunately that does not always make for impressive "trick" photos...We're going to give it a go for sure and we're more convinced that George will too! Thanks Gio & Riley and hopefully George will be thankful too; sometime in the near future

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Odysseus

I came, I saw, I- said Hello!!

Barked: Sat Sep 8, '07 6:30pm PST


	Yeah!! Our next contest!!! Oooooo....mommy just went through my pics and there aren't any really great ones of me following the command down. (I lay differently when commanded than I do normally) I can't wait... as for where I am... don't know.... what is a straight down??? What I can tell you guys is I have known down since I was 5 months old. The only thing is I have to be in a particular spot near mommy to do my down. If I am not there I will walk to there and do a down. I know mommy wants me to learn a distance down and I do one with the command bed but that is the only time and I have to do the down on the bed then.

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Gio

CD RE (CKC)- RXMCL (CARO) FM- CGN SJATD

Barked: Sun Sep 9, '07 3:43pm PST


	As for a definition of a "straight down", think of a sphinx. Where the legs are folded on each side of the body and the body is perpendicular to the ground. For some dogs (due to size, body condition, age, etc.) an exactly straight down isn't possible, so we aren't going to be horribly picky over it. But tilted or leaning downs, where the dog rolls over on its hip, tend to look less pretty. Also, the leaning downs are sometimes difficult to determine if they were a response to a command, or the dog just hanging out and relaxing. Here are some examples: EXAMPLE 1: Gio (the big sable one) is doing a straight down, Romeo (the small tri-colored one) is in a leaning/tilted/crooked down. Notice Romeo's right hind foot is kicked out to the side and he is leaning towards Gio (his left). EXAMPLE 2: Most puppy downs are crooked. Here, Gio has both feet out to the side, the left foot actually folded underneath his body. EXAMPLE 3: Gio in a straight down. Imagine a line from his spine being drawn straight down to the ground. In the case of a straight down, the line would cut his body in half, two mirror images.

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Daisy Mae- CGC

Dying for a cure

Barked: Sun Sep 9, '07 9:45pm PST


	My left leg is kinda twisted (since I was born) so it doesn't straighten out completely- does it still count because I do a completely flat down except for the bottom left leg and foot?

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Gio

CD RE (CKC)- RXMCL (CARO) FM- CGN SJATD

Barked: Mon Sep 10, '07 6:39am PST


	Don't worry Daisy Mae! We aren't going to fault pups for things like that! This is just for fun, we aren't looking for perfection

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Odysseus

I came, I saw, I- said Hello!!

Barked: Mon Sep 10, '07 8:25pm PST


	Got it! Thanks for the clarification Gio! That is how I do a down command as opposed to just loafing around... which I love to do!! Mommy has pics of me doing a down command but none are really pretty so we are gonna try to get a better one!! Thanks again!