Vicki is interviewed by dog trainer and podcaster Chelsea Murray about her new book, The Calm Before the Ring - Managing Performance Anxiety in Dog Shows and Sports.   

Official Standard of the Poodle The Standard for the Poodle (Toy variety) is the same as for the Standard and Miniature varieties except as regards heights. General Appearance: Carriage and Condition - That of a very active, intelligent and elegant- appearing dog, squarely built, well proportioned, moving soundly and carrying himself proudly. Properly clipped in the traditional fashion and carefully groomed, the Poodle has about him an air of distinction and dignity peculiar to himself. Size, Proportion, Substance: Size - The Standard Poodle is over 15 inches at the highest point of the shoulders. Any Poodle which is 15 inches or less in height shall be disqualified from competition as a Standard Poodle. The Miniature Poodle is 15 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders, with a minimum height in excess of 10 inches. Any Poodle which is over 15 inches or is 10 inches or less at the highest point of the shoulders shall be disqualified from competition as a Miniature Poodle. The Toy Poodle is 10 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders. Any Poodle which is more than 10 inches at the highest point of the shoulders shall be disqualified from competition as a Toy Poodle. As long as the Toy Poodle is definitely a Toy Poodle, and the Miniature Poodle a Miniature Poodle, both in balance and proportion for the Variety, diminutiveness shall be the deciding factor when all other points are equal. Proportion - To insure the desirable squarely built appearance, the length of body measured from the breastbone to the point of the rump approximates the height from the highest point of the shoulders to the ground. Substance - Bone and muscle of both forelegs and hindlegs are in proportion to size of dog. Head and Expression: (a) Eyes - very dark, oval in shape and set far enough apart and positioned to create an alert intelligent expression. Major fault: eyes round, protruding, large or very light. (b) Ears - hanging close to the head, set at or slightly below eye level. The ear leather is long, wide and thickly feathered; however, the ear fringe should not be of excessive length. (c) Skull - moderately rounded, with a slight but definite stop. Cheekbones and muscles flat. Length from occiput to stop about the same as length of muzzle. (d) Muzzle - long, straight and fine, with slight chiseling under the eyes. Strong without lippiness. The chin definite enough to preclude snipiness. Major fault: lack of chin. Teeth - white, strong and with a scissors bite. Major fault: undershot, overshot, wry mouth. Neck, Topline, Body: Neck well proportioned, strong and long enough to permit the head to be carried high and with dignity. Skin snug at throat. The neck rises from strong, smoothly muscled shoulders. Major fault: ewe neck. The topline is level, neither sloping nor roached, from the highest point of the shoulder blade to the base of the tail, with the exception of a slight hollow just behind the shoulder. Body - (a) Chest deep and moderately wide with well sprung ribs. (b) The loin is short, broad and muscular. (c) Tail straight, set on high and carried up, docked of sufficient length to insure a balanced outline. Major fault: set low, curled, or carried over the back. Forequarters: Strong, smoothly muscled shoulders. The shoulder blade is well laid back and approximately the same length as the upper foreleg. Major fault - steep shoulder. Forelegs - Straight and parallel when viewed from the front. When viewed from the side the elbow isPage 2 of 3 directly below the highest point of the shoulder. The pasterns are strong. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet - The feet are rather small, oval in shape with toes well arched and cushioned on thick firm pads. Nails short but not excessively shortened. The feet turn neither in nor out. Major fault - paper or splay foot. Hindquarters: The angulation of the hindquarters balances that of the forequarters. Hindlegs straight and parallel when viewed from the rear. Muscular with

Show Dog Prep School Founder and Lead Instructor Vicki Ronchette discusses positive reinforcement (+R) and the other quadrants of operant conditioning learning theory and how to be sure you are utilizing it. 

Vicki talks to renowned dog trainer, author, international speaker and German Shepherd Dog breeder, Suzanne Clothier on raising a singleton puppy.   www.showdogprepschool.com www.suzanneclothier.com  

SDPS Founder and Lead Instructor, Vicki Ronchette interviews German Pinscher, Amy Issleib of Temerity German Pinschers. 

Dachshund Breeder/Owner/Handler, Vicki and Barbara Reisinger discuss evaluating litters, grading different breeds, breeding and figuring it all out.

Show Dog Prep School Founder and Lead Instructor Vicki Ronchette talks with fellow pro trainer and SDPS Instructor Andrea Stone about Littermate Syndrome. Is this an actual thing? What does the term mean and where did it come from?   www.showdogprepschool.com

Show Dog Prep School Founder and Lead Instructor Vicki Ronchette discusses bad mouthing judging and other dogs at dog shows and online.    www.showdogprepschool.com

SDPS Founder and Lead Instructor discusses finding the help you need from someone who can help rather than going to the same source for all your questions.

SDPS Founder and Lead Instructor, Vicki Ronchette discusses waiting to show sensitive puppies as we help them grow more confident and outgoing.

SDPS Founder and Lead Instructor, Vicki Ronchette offers another viewpoint on people showing dogs who only need majors to finish.

SDPS Founder and Lead Instructor Vicki Ronchette explains how people name show dogs and how kennel names and call names might be chosen and used.

SDPS Founder and Lead Instructor Vicki Ronchette discusses the importance and reason for making it a point to attend "the Big Three", Westminster, Orlando and your National Specialty shows.

SDPS Founder and Lead Instructor, Vicki Ronchette discusses the importance of supporting our puppy people when an issue arises and avoiding blaming others. 

Official Standard of the SamoyedGeneral Conformation: (a) General Appearance-The Samoyed, being essentially a workingdog, should present a picture of beauty, alertness and strength, with agility, dignity and grace. Ashis work lies in cold climates, his coat should be heavy and weather-resistant, well groomed, andof good quality rather than quantity. The male carries more of a "ruff" than the female. He shouldnot be long in the back as a weak back would make him practically useless for his legitimatework, but at the same time, a close-coupled body would also place him at a great disadvantage asa draft dog. Breeders should aim for the happy medium, a body not long but muscular, allowingliberty, with a deep chest and well-sprung ribs, strong neck, straight front and especially strongloins. Males should be masculine in appearance and deportment without unwarrantedaggressiveness; bitches feminine without weakness of structure or apparent softness oftemperament. Bitches may be slightly longer in back than males. They should both give theappearance of being capable of great endurance but be free from coarseness. Because of thedepth of chest required, the legs should be moderately long. A very short-legged dog is to bedeprecated. Hindquarters should be particularly well developed, stifles well bent and anysuggestion of unsound stifles or cowhocks severely penalized. General appearance shouldinclude movement and general conformation, indicating balance and good substance.(b) Substance-Substance is that sufficiency of bone and muscle which rounds out a balance withthe frame. The bone is heavier than would be expected in a dog of this size but not so massive asto prevent the speed and agility most desirable in a Samoyed. In all builds, bone should be inproportion to body size. The Samoyed should never be so heavy as to appear clumsy nor so lightas to appear racy. The weight should be in proportion to the height.(c) Height - Males: 21 to 23½ inches; females: 19 to 21 inches at the withers. An oversized orundersized Samoyed is to be penalized according to the extent of the deviation.(d) Coat (Texture and Condition) - The Samoyed is a doublecoated dog. The body should bewell covered with an undercoat of soft, short, thick, close wool with longer and harsh hairgrowing through it to form the outer coat, which stands straight out from the body and should befree from curl. The coat should form a ruff around the neck and shoulders, framing the head(more on males than on females). Quality of coat should be weather resistant and consideredmore than quantity. A droopy coat is undesirable. The coat should glisten with a silver sheen.The female does not usually carry as long a coat as most males and it is softer in texture.(e) Color - Samoyeds should be pure white, white and biscuit, cream, or all biscuit. Any othercolors disqualify.Movement: (a) Gait - The Samoyed should trot, not pace. He should move with a quick agilestride that is well timed. The gait should be free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in theforequarters and good driving power in the hindquarters. When trotting, there should be a strongrear action drive. Moving at a slow walk or trot, they will not single-track, but as speed increasesthe legs gradually angle inward until the pads are finally falling on a line directly under thelongitudinal center of the body. As the pad marks converge the forelegs and hind legs are carriedPage 2 of 3straight forward in traveling, the stifles not turned in nor out. The back should remain strong,firm and level. A choppy or stilted gait should be penalized.(b) Rear End - Upper thighs should be well developed. Stifles well bent-approximately 45degrees to the ground. Hocks should be well developed, sharply defined and set at approximately30 percent of hip height. The hind legs should be parallel when viewed from the rear in a naturalstance, strong, well developed, turning neither in nor out. Straight stifles are objectionable.Double-joi

Official Standard of the Chinese CrestedGeneral Appearance: A toy dog, fine-boned, elegant and graceful. The distinct varieties are born in the same litter. The Hairless with hair only on the head, tail and feet and the Powderpuff, completely covered with hair. The breed serves as a loving companion, playful and entertaining. Size, Proportion, Substance: Size - Ideally 11 to 13 inches. However, dogs that are slightly larger or smaller may be given full consideration. Proportion - rectangular-proportioned to allow for freedom of movement. Body length from withers to base of tail is slightly longer than the height at the withers. Substance - Fine-boned and slender but not so refined as to appear breakable or alternatively not a robust, heavy structure. Head: Expression - Alert and intense. Eyes - Almond-shaped, set wide apart. Dark-colored dogshave dark-colored eyes, and lighter-colored dogs may have lighter-colored eyes. Eye rims match the coloring of the dog. Ears - Uncropped large and erect, placed so that the base of the ear is level with the outside corner of the eye. Skull - The skull is arched gently over the occiput from ear to ear. Distance from occiput to stop equal to distance from stop to tip of nose. The head is wedge-shaped viewed from above and the side. Stop - Slight but distinct. Muzzle - Cheeks taper cleanly into the muzzle. Nose - Dark in dark-colored dogs; may be lighter in lighter-coloreddogs. Pigment is solid. Lips - Lips are clean and tight. Bite - Scissors or level in both varieties. Missing teeth in the Powderpuff are to be faulted. The Hairless variety is not to be penalized for absence of full dentition.Neck, Topline, Body: Neck - Neck is lean and clean, slightly arched from the withers to the base of the skull and carried high. Topline - Level to slightly sloping croup. Body - Brisket extends to the elbow. Breastbone is not prominent. Ribs are well developed. The depth of the chest tapers to a moderate tuck-up at the flanks. Light in loin. Tail - Tail is slender and tapers to a curve. It is long enough to reach the hock. When dog is in motion, the tail is carried gaily and may be carried slightly forward over the back. At rest the tail is down with a slight curve upward at the end resembling a sickle. In the Hairless variety, two-thirds of the end of the tail is covered by long, flowing feathering referred to as a plume. The Powderpuff variety's tail is completely covered with hair.Forequarters: Angulation - Layback of shoulders is 45 degrees to point of shoulder allowing for good reach. Shoulders - Clean and narrow. Elbows - Close to body. Legs - Long, slender and straight. Pasterns - Upright, fine and strong. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet - Hare foot, narrow with elongated toes. Nails are trimmed to moderate length.Hindquarters: Angulation - Stifle moderately angulated. From hock joint to groundperpendicular. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet - Same as forequarters.Coat: The Hairless variety has hair on certain portions of the body: the head (called a crest), the tail (called a plume) and the feet from the toes to the front pasterns and rear hock joints (called socks). The texture of all hair is soft and silky, flowing to any length. Placement of hair is not as important as overall type. Areas that have hair usually taper off slightly. Wherever the body is hairless, the skin is soft and smooth. Head crest begins at the stop and tapers off between the Page 2 of 2base of the skull and the back of the neck. Hair on the ears and face is permitted on the Hairless and may be trimmed for neatness in both varieties. Tail plume is described under Tail. The Powderpuff variety is completely covered with a double soft and silky coat. Close examination reveals long thin guard hairs over the short silky undercoat. The coat is straight, of moderate density and length. Excessively heavy, kinky or curly coat is to be penalized. Grooming is minimal-consisting of presenting a clean and neat appearance.Color: A

In this episode, Vicki discusses the importance of reflecting on your previous goals and ways to effectively set goals for the upcoming year without it feeling daunting or overwhelming.

Official Standard for the Basset HoundGeneral Appearance: The Basset Hound possesses in marked degree those characteristicswhich equip it admirably to follow a trail over and through difficult terrain. It is a short-leggeddog, heavier in bone, size considered, than any other breed of dog, and while its movement isdeliberate, it is in no sense clumsy. In temperament it is mild, never sharp or timid. It is capableof great endurance in the field and is extreme in its devotion.Head: The head is large and well proportioned. Its length from occiput to muzzle is greater thanthe width at the brow. In overall appearance the head is of medium width. The skull is welldomed, showing a pronounced occipital protuberance. A broad flat skull is a fault. The lengthfrom nose to stop is approximately the length from stop to occiput. The sides are flat and freefrom cheek bumps. Viewed in profile the top lines of the muzzle and skull are straight and lie inparallel planes, with a moderately defined stop. The skin over the whole of the head is loose,falling in distinct wrinkles over the brow when the head is lowered. A dry head and tight skin arefaults. The muzzle is deep, heavy, and free from snipiness. The nose is darkly pigmented,preferably black, with large wide-open nostrils. A deep liver-colored nose conforming to thecoloring of the head is permissible but not desirable. The teeth are large, sound, and regular,meeting in either a scissors or an even bite. A bite either overshot or undershot is a serious fault.The lips are darkly pigmented and are pendulous, falling squarely in front and, toward the back,in loose hanging flews. The dewlap is very pronounced. The neck is powerful, of good length,and well arched. The eyes are soft, sad, and slightly sunken, showing a prominent haw, and incolor are brown, dark brown preferred. A somewhat lighter-colored eye conforming to thegeneral coloring of the dog is acceptable but not desirable. Very light or protruding eyes arefaults. The ears are extremely long, low set, and when drawn forward, fold well over the end ofthe nose. They are velvety in texture, hanging in loose folds with the ends curling slightlyinward. They are set far back on the head at the base of the skull and, in repose, appear to be seton the neck. A high set or flat ear is a serious fault.Forequarters: The chest is deep and full with prominent sternum showing clearly in front of thelegs. The shoulders and elbows are set close against the sides of the chest. The distance from thedeepest point of the chest to the ground, while it must be adequate to allow free movement whenworking in the field, is not to be more than one-third the total height at the withers of an adultBasset. The shoulders are well laid back and powerful. Steepness in shoulder, fiddle fronts, andelbows that are out, are serious faults. The forelegs are short, powerful, heavy in bone, withwrinkled skin. Knuckling over of the front legs is a disqualification. The paw is massive, veryheavy with tough heavy pads, well rounded and with both feet inclined equally a trifle outward,balancing the width of the shoulders. Feet down at the pastern are a serious fault. The toes areneither pinched together nor splayed, with the weight of the forepart of the body borne evenly oneach. The dewclaws may be removed.Body: The rib structure is long, smooth, and extends well back. The ribs are well sprung,allowing adequate room for heart and lungs. Flatsidedness and flanged ribs are faults. Thetopline is straight, level, and free from any tendency to sag or roach, which are faults.Hindquarters: The hindquarters are very full and well rounded, and are approximately equal tothe shoulders in width. They must not appear slack or light in relation to the overall depth of thebody. The dog stands firmly on its hind legs showing a well-let-down stifle with no tendencytoward a crouching stance. Viewed from behind, the hind legs are parallel, with the hocksPage 2 of 2turning neither in no

Official Standard for the VizslaGeneral Appearance: That of a medium-sized, short-coated, hunting dog of distinguishedappearance and bearing. Robust but rather lightly built, the coat is an attractive shaded goldenrust. Originating in Hungary, the Vizsla was bred to work in field, forest and water. Agile andenergetic, this is a versatile dog of power, drive and endurance in the field yet a tractable andaffectionate companion in the home. It is strongly emphasized that field conditioned coats, aswell as brawny or sinewy muscular condition and honorable scars indicating a working and hunting dog are never to be penalized in this dog. The requisite instincts and abilities to maintaina "dual dog" are always to be fostered and appreciated, never deprecated.Head: Lean and muscular. Skull moderately wide between the ears with a median line down the forehead. Stop between skull and foreface is moderate. Foreface or muzzle is of equal length or slightly shorter than skull when viewed in profile, should taper gradually from stop to tip of nose. Muzzle square and deep. It should not turn up as in a "dish" face nor should it turn down.Whiskers serve a functional purpose; their removal is permitted but not preferred. Nostrilsslightly open. Nose self-colored. Any other color is faulty. A partially or completely black nose is a disqualification. Freckles due to aging or sun exposure are not to be faulted. Ears, thin, silky and proportionately long, with rounded-leather ends, set fairly low and hanging close to cheeks.Jaws are strong with well developed white teeth meeting in a scissors bite. Eyes medium in size and depth of setting, their surrounding tissue covering the whites. Color of the iris should blend with the color of the coat. Yellow or any other color is faulty. Prominent pop eyes are faulty.Lower eyelids should neither turn in nor out since both conditions allow seeds and dust to irritate the eye. Lips cover the jaws completely but are neither loose nor pendulous.Neck and Body: Neck strong, smooth and muscular, moderately long, arched and devoid of dewlap, broadening nicely into shoulders which are moderately laid back. This is mandatory to maintain balance with the moderately angulated hindquarters. Body is strong and well proportioned. Withers high. While the Vizsla may appear square, when measured from point of breastbone to point of buttocks and from the highest point over the shoulder blades to the ground, the Vizsla is slightly longer than tall. A proper proportion of leg length to body length isessential to the desired overall balance of the Vizsla. The Vizsla should not appear long and low or tall and leggy. Backline firm with a slight rise over a short and well muscled loin. The croup is gently rounded to the set on of the tail and is not steep, sunken or flat. When moving at a trot, a properly built Vizsla maintains a steady, level backline. Chest moderately broad and deep reaching down to the elbows. Ribs well-sprung and carried well back; underline exhibiting a slight tuck-up beneath the loin. Tail set just below the level of the croup, thicker at the root and docked one-third off. Ideally, it should reach to the back of the stifle joint and when moving it should be carried at or near the horizontal, not vertically or curled over the back, nor between the legs. A docked tail is preferred.Forequarters: Shoulder blades proportionately long and wide sloping moderately back and fairly close at the top. Upper arm is about equal in length to the shoulder blade in order to allow for good extension. Forelegs straight and muscular with elbows close. Feet cat-like, round and compact with toes close. Nails brown and short. Pads thick and tough. The removal of dewclaws, f any, on front and rear feet, is strongly recommended, in order to avoid injury when running in the field.Hindquarters: Hind legs have well developed thighs with moderately angulated stifles andhocks in balance with the moderately laid back shoulders.

Show Dog Prep School Founder and Lead Instructor, Vicki Ronchette discusses the need for established breeders to be open to talking to new people and being kind and welcoming to them.