My 5 month old pup is doing his first (open) show in June and currently goes to ringcraft. But does anybody know of a top quality obedience trainer in or around the portsmouth area? So i can get him to stand/stay on command and not just when he fancies!!

Thanks in advance.

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He's very young - I hope you aren't expecting him to do brilliantly yet, as he will be very distracted I expect at a show.
Even if dogs do things well at home or in class, the training needs to be generalised - ie, you need to train often from scratch in a lot of different places before
a command or cue really means anything to a dog...and the dog can perform it even when distracted.

Good luck :)

"He's very young - I hope you aren't expecting him to do brilliantly yet, as he will be very distracted I expect at a show"

He's entered into 2 open shows in June then he's at the East of England Champ show in July. I just want want to have some [kind of] control. I don't expect him act like a crufts champ at his tender age.

> I hope you aren't expecting him to do brilliantly yet

I'm not sure I buy into that theory personally.

Before a pup's first show -  I will expect him to be fully focussed on me and , although full of fun, the fun chanelled into a desired behaviour.

Therefore I'm not at all suprised if they win big-time - even at their first show.

It's also a good idea to remember that the best exhibit should win, not neccessarily the best trained one.If you have the best pup and it shows well - you're pretty much unbeatable (IMHO of course).

Is this the one who is currently very wary about being handled and is backing off the judge in ring craft? Perhaps its a bit soon to be entering a show yet if it is as i wouldn't want them to practice this behaviour in the ring, they need to be confident at training before entering a show i would have thought.

I think my wires are crossed with the references to obedience; this pup is being shown, not competing in an obedience competition? :)

>I just want want to have some [kind of] control. I don't expect him act like a crufts champ at his tender age.

Absolutely not! A puppy which behaves like an experienced adult very often has a short showing career because they 'go over' too soon, and it becomes like trying to show a dormant slug! It's of primary importance that a puppy enjoys itself at shows and doesn't get bored having to stand still for too long.