Hello everyone! I have a 9 month old Malinois that consistently paces instead of trotting (with diagonal legs working together), when we work on training for the conformation show ring. By the way, I've tried moving out faster. When we move faster, he changes from a pace to a lope! Slow back down a little and he returns to the pacing. Any ideas on what I might try to get this fellow to trot instead of pace?

Maybe his legs are too long at the moment or he's just in a growing phase still. Does he crab when he tries to trot? Does he have any injuries?

You can slow him down to a slow walk and speed backup until he reaches a trot and the tell him with whatever praise command you use, or even a clicker at just that moment to let him know that's what you want.

Hopefully a trainer will chime in. I'm just a backyard wannabe.

Thanks for your thoughts, I appreciate them! He doesn't crab at a trot. When he trots it is straight and correct, it's just that he wants to pace or lope with this conformation ring training stuff. No injuries/physical problems that I am aware of. He is a healthy, full-of-himself Mal!

It may be helpful to note that when he is playing off leash on our walks across open fields, he will move up from a walk to a pace MOST of the time. When he comes down in speed from a lope to a trot he actually trots - not a pace. Don't know if this added info will shed any light on the problem or not, but thought it might be worth mentioning.

Also, he is a very cooperative "I want to please" kind of a dog. Has passed the CGC (at 5 months of age) and has two legs towards his Novice Rally title. At 9 months old, he's doing GREAT I think. Only "issue" we have come up against is this one of not wanting to trot - insisting on pacing and/or loping - when asked to practice for conformation. Oh, he also paces or lopes when we do the "fast" for obedience work, too!

At his age, maybe it is a growth related "thing". At this precise moment he IS a little taller in the hip than he is in the withers, which puts him downhill to the front. Hmmmmm, maybe it's just that simple!

Deb, you may want to ask that question on a show dog forum. Handling for the show ring isn't something often discussed here....in a good way anyhow. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I don't know either but I remember my GSD at 9 months, he was gangly, almost clumsy looking. as he got older he devoloped a nice flying trot. maybe you can help us newbies out, do you know a web sight that shows the different gaits or movements?

your a meanie Bob <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Start out with a working bred dog. You wont have to teach them to walk. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Deb, Don't let these guys pick at you. :rolleyes: We all have and love our dogs for different reasons with different purposes in mind.

It is quite possible that your pup is going through a growth stage. Pacing is common in dogs that are higher in rear than at the withers. Hopefully, she will level out as she grows. Dogs with shorter backs that are squarely built tend to do this as well as having more angulation in the rear end with a straighter front.

Best of luck with your pup.
Debbie

Deb,
My understanding is that pacing can be caused by a number of things, pain, injury, fatique, in young dogs it could be how they cope with uneven growth. By your description, it sounds like your dog is active and doing well. Maybe see if it changes as your dogs development progresses. If you have doubts or concerns, you could always have your vet give him a once over.
Good Luck and Have Fun with your dog!!
Linda

Thanks to everyone for responding! Yes, even those of you that poked a little fun at me - learned a long time ago that a person can't have a dog unless they also have a sense of humor! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> What I have decided to do is place our conformation work on the back burner and allow my pup to grow into himself a little more, get his structural balance. In the meanwhile, we will continue onward with obedience work and just having fun together! He is being checked out by my vet later today, just to make absolutely sure that I'm not missing something. Again, appreciate your time in replying to my post!