While I don't often publish reviews on much of anything, I am impelled to make an exception with Helen Grinnell King's newly published eBook titled "Picking Your Performance Puppy".
This wonderful eBook is jam packed with information on structure and how it correlates to performance especially agility competitions.
Throughout this eBook, there are many pictures of dogs depicting the differences in structure on several breeds with the use of line graphs. Helen does an outstanding job in describing how form (structure) follows function.
In the section titled 'Reference Drawings' there are 3 drawings outlining and labeling the difference aspects of the dog's body. I intend to copy these drawings for my own evaluations and giving credit where it is due to Rachel Page Elliott's book "Dog Steps" (as Helen does).
Throughout my journey in competing in obedience, herding and agility, I have always been drawn to watching other dogs perform with more emphasis on HOW they perform with their bodies.
While I don't have the expertise that Helen has, I feel that I have 'an eye' to what I feel is a balanced dog. A balanced dog can come in many different forms as so eloquently depicted in Helen's eBook in such chapters as Fronts pg 15, Backs pg 18, Necks pg 19 & Rears pg 23.
Pictured above is Hob Nob Creme Brule aka Bru showing his balanced form & extended reach while weaving
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to attend Helen's 'Recipe to Win' presentation and thoroughly enjoyed it as I came away with more insight into the mechanics of a dog's structure. I had previously attended a seminar by Pat Hastings and for me, there is just no comparing these two individuals. Since I am more into performance then that of the breed ring, I found Helen King's presentation much more useful to me. My only disappointment with Helen's seminar was that so few people were in attendance and missing out on the valuable information that was wonderfully presented.
To purchase your own copy of Helen's eBook 'Picking Your Performance Puppy' click on this link http://www.recipetowin.com/ It is sure to be the best $24.95 purchase you have ever made and your next performance puppy will thank you for it!
