• Still moving a bit high in the rear, looks like decent reach and drive, needs to move with the head hight in a more natural position.. but a bit hard to tell, but the stack photo looks good… but looks like a nice pup overall


  • He sure is muscular-looking!


  • he's always been high in the rear, making a dip in his back that drives me nuts. his head while gaiting is always held low.. unless you were talking about the stacked picture? which i was holding up/holding him in place as my other dogs were a few feet away, and he was missing out on the action, the poor spoiled little bugger.

    And oh boy is he muscular! he walk 5 miles everyday and more if/when i have the time. we spend hours on the rails-to-trails. last week we went 14 miles. I also go biking, and rollerblading with him, and we swim as often as i can. He swims right along with me. We keep active, i am not one for idle time, i like to be moving. it keeps him toned and our house safe 🙂


  • No, I was talking about the gaiting pictures… and his head carriage. Stacked pic was very nice... If you could get the head up a bit when moving, I think that would help the rear and the "dip". With the lower head carriage, makes the appearence of running down hill.


  • hmm, ok i will try to hold his head up and gait later on today/tonight and see how we do. thanks for the advise, anything to make that dip better is appreciated


  • See if you can get him to hold it up more himself. Try using the "watch me" command when moving… say "watch me" to get him to look up at you using a treat to get his attention


  • i can try, but he's not very food motivated. odd i know. usually to perk him up i say "where's the cat?" or " squirrels!"

    that gets his attention but also makes him lunge and pull, and eventually he end up hopping on his back legs to try to get whatever is there.


  • Psst….Zumi...turn around, there is a cat behind you! 😃


  • He's looking pretty good Char, can't wait to see him in a couple weeks!


  • i think he looks pretty swell myself. i think if you shaved his tail it would draw some attention from his hindquarters. i am not going to chance doing it wrong! can't wait to see how he does with you handling, i am just fumbling along.

    oh, anyone know how to get pine sap off? he has some on his leg and nothing i've tried so far has worked.


  • Lovely pics of your boy, he is very nice…

    Can I just give you a quick tip about the dippy topline 🙂 ??? My Ochre is also still a touch dippy in her topline as well. It is so annoying, waiting patiently... NOT... for it to straighten :). The tip I was given recently was to massage quite hard and for a good 5-10 mins, on either side of his "dip", just before going in the ring, or before doing pics etc ;);). Trust me it does work 😃

    Good luck...


  • Char, you do just fine with Zumi! You've been a quick learner and don't worry it takes time to figure out all the ring procedure, etc. But yes, his tail will need some doctoring. lol

    Try peanut butter for the sap. I know there are a couple other good ones but I can't remember them at the moment.


  • it was WAY too hot to do much anything but sit near an air conditioner last night, sorry but i wasn't running around the yard in 95 degree heat. maybe when its a bit cooler.

    anyways, um i can do peanut butter, unfortunately i am allergic. i tried an ice cube last night but it didn't work that well and Zumi was less than enthusiastic. i thought it would work because it helped get gum out of my hair once.


  • For tree sap, you could try cooking oil, it is the oil in peanut butter that does the work it is just easier to keep peanut butter in place than vegetable oil but if you soak a cotton ball in vegetable oil it should work much the same. Rubbing alcohol works on saps.


  • @SenjiShowgirl:

    anyways, um i can do peanut butter, unfortunately i am allergic.

    I forgot about the peanut butter, I just remembered the fish. Well that's what you have a brother for! lol

    And no, good gosh don't be running around outside in this heat! It gets better after today though. whew!

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