Level 3Experienced
Managing tiredness
Keeping energy for the ring… and for the journey home
A few minutes of presenting may seem hardly tiring. Yet a show day often starts well before the judging: an early alarm, the journey, setting up, noise and waiting.
Managing tiredness means looking at the whole day, for your dog and for yourself. Rest deserves its place in the plan as much as preparation does.
1. Noticing what changes in your dog
You know its habits: the way it walks, explores, rests and interacts with you.
Once there, watch for an unusual drop in responsiveness. It may become less interested in the exercises, seek to be alone more, or find it hard to settle again.
These observations cannot, on their own, diagnose tiredness. Stress, heat, pain or a health problem can also change its behaviour.
If there is a marked change, discomfort or any doubt, stop asking things of it and ask the vet for advice.
2. Giving rest a real place
Between turns, your dog does not need to keep rehearsing its presentation.
Settle it in a suitable spot, as quiet as possible, with familiar bedding and a comfortable temperature. If you use a crate, it must be suitable, ventilated and already familiar to the dog.
Limit unnecessary interactions: it can watch the other dogs without meeting them all.
| While waiting | What you can organise |
|---|---|
| Before judging | Settling in, a quiet walk and a brief warm-up |
| Between turns | Rest, water and toilet breaks as needed |
| After the last turn | End of the exercises and a return to calm |
| After the day | Activities suited to its recovery |
This table suggests a practical organisation, not compulsory durations.
3. Adapting what you ask of it
A less fluid presentation should not automatically lead to more repetitions.
If your dog becomes less responsive, take a break. You can then decide whether an easier exercise is worthwhile or whether the session should stop.
Example: you have already rehearsed the up-and-back and the stop. During a long wait, you can put the treats away and let it settle rather than redoing the same sequence.
Keep walks suitable too: a toilet break and a few quiet steps should not turn into extra training.
4. Allowing for heat
A drop in activity in hot weather calls for particular vigilance.
MyDogShow tip: never treat sudden or total tiredness as just a normal result of the heat.
Plan drinking water, a set-up at a suitable temperature and less activity when conditions require it.
Difficult breathing, collapse or marked listlessness need immediate veterinary help.
At the FCI shows concerned, it is forbidden to put the dog in danger, notably by leaving it in a car in excessively hot or cold weather. [1]
5. Protecting your own availability too
Your tiredness may show up as rushing, less clear instructions or less patience.
Plan to drink, eat and sit down when you can. If you have company, share out the watching, the movements and the preparation of equipment.
Before heading home, reassess your ability to drive.
MyDogShow tip: set off rested, take a break every two hours and stop at the first signs of drowsiness, without waiting for the planned break.
This recommendation concerns the driver: it does not set a universal break frequency for the dog.
6. Reassessing the next outings
After a show, watch how your dog gets back to its usual routine.
Recovery depends on the journey, the atmosphere, its condition and the day it has had, among other things. There is no number of rest days that is right for everyone.
For a weekend with several shows, take stock before each new entry. A paid entry does not oblige you to show a dog that is no longer fit to be shown.
The FCI regulations put health and welfare first and provide for sick dogs to be excluded, even temporarily. [1]
Beginner: three tips to build good habits
- Prepare for rest before the exercises. On arrival, first look for where your dog can settle comfortably.
- Limit repetitions while waiting. A brief warm-up may be enough. Watch your dog rather than trying to keep it busy all the time.
- Keep a margin for the journey home. Plan breaks and avoid a schedule that forces you to set off exhausted.
Intermediate: three tips to adapt the pace
- Note the recovery after each outing. You will spot the formats and journeys that seem the most tiring.
- Adjust the day in real time. A long wait or different weather may mean cutting back on what you ask of it.
- Choose the next outings based on your review. A break can be more useful than another entry close behind.
Advanced: three tips to plan ahead
- Assess the load of the whole programme. Add up journeys, nights away from home, waiting, preparation and any final rounds.
- Organise relief if you have several dogs. Supervision and each dog’s needs must still be covered during the judging.
- Define your stopping criteria. A worrying change in the dog’s condition, unsuitable conditions or a drowsy driver: plan how to change the day.
Your little energy review
After the outing, note:
- What let my dog rest: …
- What demanded a lot of it: …
- How it recovered: …
- My own condition before heading home: …
- What I will change next time: …
The right pace is the one that lets you take part while staying attentive to the needs of your team.