01/24/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AhKhizNCF/
Where you focus affects your dog and his or her movement. When you look at your dog's face, particularly into the eyes you are inviting eye contact which is not what we want for the show ring. This type of handler focus is desirable for sports like obedience or rally, but not for conformation.
For the show ring we prefer the dog to be forward focused. By looking towards the front of your dog or right into his path of movement you support and encourage the head to be facing forward.
Staring at your dog can be a difficult habit to break, but it's a good idea to try so you can avoid the dog watching your face while moving.
