Great post CYJ.

Basically it is finding the lowest possible weight in which your dog will optimally perform. The 4 week plan mentioned is a good idea incorporating the very tools that will be used when it is a 'for real' situation. This is just using one of the tools but it would be the principle for all of them combined.

Just for numbers sake, the dog weighs 50lbs and can pull 25% of his bodyweight on a steady walk for 1 hour and he is beat, can't do anymore for that day. Cut his feed til he is 49. He pulls the 25% again for 1 hour and again he is beat for the day. Cut his feed til he is 48. Pull that 25% for 1 hour and he is beat at 1 hour. Cut him to 47 and at 55 minutes he is beat and can do no more that day. 47 is too light for him at this time. So 48 will be his ideal weight.

Several theories on 48 being his ideal weight. Refer to CYJ's post for adjusting based on the dog's style and maybe even the opponent's style.

At 48 he is perfect. I like to add a pound and call him at 49. I prefer to work the dog on pit weight and then feed him up every day the last half of the keep. On average a show lasts :45-:55 minutes. Some a lot shorter but the 2 plus hour deals are not the norm. If the dog is perfect at 48, called at 49, at the :50 minute mark he is just about on that perfect 48 mark at the end of the average gathering.

Some will work him at 49-50 and then draw him to 48 the last couple of weeks. It becomes a matter of personal preference, outside temperature, style, being kept inside or outside, type of work, type of worker.

The dogs have an optimal weight and that is always a singular number. It is 48, not 48 or 49. Some of the true athletes can have a window of a pound or so either way. Some perform in spite of the weight called and some (a lot) succumb due to the chosen weight.

It's an art. It takes time and experience. Just dialing in on a weight is rather easy, dialing in on the correct weight is the most important part of the show. EWO