# Stella WGWL-WGSL



## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

Used a GoPro on record to get these so some of the angles might be weird and she’s crooked in some of them. 🥲 I don’t have a helper.


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

I know these aren’t eh greatest stacks as I’ve just started working with her. She is an 8 month old intact female. 😂 when I stretch her into the more desirable stacks she likes to arch her back, but we are working on it.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

Very pretty dog!


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

tim_s_adams said:


> Very pretty dog!


Thank you 😊


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## poconoman (Dec 7, 2020)

She's beautiful!


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## mnm (Jan 9, 2006)

Good looking girl.

It can be really hard to get a good stack when trying to do it yourself. First off, turn her the other direction so we are looking at her left side. That's the side to view for a critic, and direction most stack their dogs. Still practive this way, as it will depend on the judge/ring/ direction etc... but more rings are ran counter clockwise, so the left side is what is presented to the judge. Also make sure camera is at her level, just behind the shoulder, and that she is straight, not crooked.

So a few tips to practice. Put a ball or toy several feet out in front of her, at normal head height, so she is looking forward, not up. Lift up the front by placing your hand around and on the chest, between the front legs. Leg the front legs hang down and gently set down, so the legs are straight underneath. Then move back and position the farside rear foot, with the tip of the toe lined up directly underneath stifle/rear leg. Then gently pick up the near side rear leg in the hock and pull it gently back so the hock is perpendicular to the ground. Your first picture in the second post is the better looking picture.


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

mnm said:


> Good looking girl.
> 
> It can be really hard to get a good stack when trying to do it yourself. First off, turn her the other direction so we are looking at her left side. That's the side to view for a critic, and direction most stack their dogs. Still practive this way, as it will depend on the judge/ring/ direction etc... but more rings are ran counter clockwise, so the left side is what is presented to the judge. Also make sure camera is at her level, just behind the shoulder, and that she is straight, not crooked.
> 
> So a few tips to practice. Put a ball or toy several feet out in front of her, at normal head height, so she is looking forward, not up. Lift up the front by placing your hand around and on the chest, between the front legs. Leg the front legs hang down and gently set down, so the legs are straight underneath. Then move back and position the farside rear foot, with the tip of the toe lined up directly underneath stifle/rear leg. Then gently pick up the near side rear leg in the hock and pull it gently back so the hock is perpendicular to the ground. Your first picture in the second post is the better looking picture.


I’ll put her facing the other way next time and try to get the camera in a better position. The techniques for the actual stack you described is what I’ve been doing, but definitely need to work on it. But it’s hard to see if she’s straight or not sometimes since I’m not able to see what it looks like since I’m just putting the go pro on record. The pictures you said you like have been the only time I’ve gotten her straight like that 🥲


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

I couldn’t stack very well. I watch my TD handle dogs for shoes and stack. It was magical how easy and effortless he did it. I guess 50 years of handling dogs teaches you some things.


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

she is a clown lol 🤡


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

I think I’ve figure out part of my problem. I forgot gopros standard setting is wide which skews things a bit 😂 no wonder why every time I try to most come out looking like she’s crooked. Going to take more maybe tomorrow


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

Better stacks... I think 😅 now if I could just get her hair to lay down up top.


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## mnm (Jan 9, 2006)

You just need more practice, and something put out in front of her about 4-6 feet at normal height to get her to lean a little bit forward, so when you stretch her rear legs, she's not hunched up in the middle.


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## Rionel (Jun 17, 2020)

She is gorgeous for sure. I notice she has some wave in her coat topline. Any chance that is accentuating the arch of her back a tad (sticking up above her back)?


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

Rionel said:


> She is gorgeous for sure. I notice she has some wave in her coat topline. Any chance that is accentuating the arch of her back a tad (sticking up above her back)?


It is it makes her look roached lol that dang fur. I’m hoping as she ages it’ll grow longer and lay flatter. 😫
I can take my fingers right through the “arched” part 😐 it drives me insane


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

mnm said:


> You just need more practice, and something put out in front of her about 4-6 feet at normal height to get her to lean a little bit forward, so when you stretch her rear legs, she's not hunched up in the middle.


Most of what looks like she is arching is her crazy fur sticking up 🤧
Definitely need to get the back legs back further. She’s just in the habit of learning back when I stretch her too far. We’ll get there 😂 eventually..


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

if you look close on this one you can see where the hair is poofed up


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

front feet are obviously too far back but this photo better shows the crazy fur.


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## mnm (Jan 9, 2006)

When you bathe her, use the blowdryer close to the body and blow along the body, in the direction the hair lays. that will flatten out the hair so it lays down properly. Again, her attention needs to be several feet in front to draw her forward. Really tough to do by yourself, but you are getting there.


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## vomlittlehaus (Aug 24, 2010)

The more you practice this with her, the better it will get. Puppy Culture has some DVD's on stacks if you wanted to invest in that. Get her used to having a collar on, leash hanging, and leaning over her to adjust her legs. Always be on the dogs right side, inside leg forward, outer leg back. For puppies, it takes some time for them to balance with the inner leg forward so dont worry if her toes are not under her knee. Make sure toes are forward, adjust her front legs first, then inner rear, then outer rear. For placing the outer rear leg, pick it up by the hock and place it gently down. This way she pushes into it and rocks back a little. Bait her with your right hand, left hand on her collar in her stack. I use a command "pose" for the stack. We dont show without a leash and collar, so practice with one now. As for her coat, blow dry it down like Marsha said. Keep nails short. Practice showing her bite, then her teeth as well. Have Fun!


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

mnm said:


> When you bathe her, use the blowdryer close to the body and blow along the body, in the direction the hair lays. that will flatten out the hair so it lays down properly. Again, her attention needs to be several feet in front to draw her forward. Really tough to do by yourself, but you are getting there.


Going to try the blow drying trick and try throwing something out further and see how that works. She’s been doing amazing on her sit-stays and down-stays but needs more work on the stand and stays.


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

mnm said:


> When you bathe her, use the blowdryer close to the body and blow along the body, in the direction the hair lays. that will flatten out the hair so it lays down properly. Again, her attention needs to be several feet in front to draw her forward. Really tough to do by yourself, but you are getting there.











We are getting there haha at least I hope this is a step in the right direction. Her fur is behaving more so though. 😂 So that’s a start I guess.
I threw some kibble out in front of her and it definitely helped her to stretch forwards and not lean back.


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

11 months old. Crazy what 3 months will do for them... still can’t believe people are still doing pediatric spay/neuters
She is going through the back end of her first heat currently


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