Im hoping some of you may be able to help. I have a 12 month old bitch who is the best I have ever bred! She has been shown successfully since 6 months and have never had a problem but the last 2 shows she has been to she has been petrified of the judge. She shows her socks off up until our turn for the judge.

I cant think of anything that has happened and she is an outgoing bitch (totally full of herself!).

Anybody any ideas what i can do? She is fine with everybody else at the show.

Thank you.

Sounds like she may be coming into season or just been in. Bitches sometimes get moody and go off certain people/situations.

Its tempting to get loads of people to go over her,repeatedly forcing her into the situation she dislikes but I would give her a small rest ( you may have to if it is a season) and act as if nothing has happened.

Agree with tooolz, get everyone and anyone to go over her and then give a titbit, from the person going over if she will accept that. If she is not food keen then you will have to play with her as a reward for being handled.

Now about you, try to relax chat away to your dog whilst she is being gone over forget the showing for a while and try to make everything fun.

Thanks for your replies. I will be taking her to some different ringcrafts and making everything fun for her. She is a toy freak but wouldnt even look at it as she was so focused on trying to get away from the judge :-(

Think you need everyone to start stroking her, start with the family and people she knows and then move onto those who are strangers to her, not at ring craft but at home and in the street.

my bitch did this at 12 months - I do think it's linked in with seasons especially the first one  but it can lead to a long lasting problem - I pulled her out of the ring for a few months and worked on her at ringcraft - a couple of things I did was:

1)  This should be done at your ringcraft club -  stand your  bitch between two barriers ( chairs or small panels will do ) then you stand on the other side of the barrier and get the 'judge' to just quickly go over her head and back -  then move your  bitch in the usual triangle etc and set her up again between the barriers - the 'judge' goes over her again but a little more thoroughly - move the barriers wider apart and repeat -untill you no longer need the barriers ( sounds odd but believe me it really does work !

2 ) to be done at shows : - go  down on one knee  at the side of your bitch holding her collar gently just under the jaw and with your bitch's flank resting against your knee - then stroke her side continuously with the back of your open hand in a gentle sweeping motion  as the judge is going over her-

Good luck - I know just how frustrating this can be especially when you know you've got a 'goodun' !

Yvonne

Thanks for that, will give it a go. Im at a new ringcraft tonight so will see how she gets on (she has 2 new toys for her to have fun with lol)

Looking back I think it was while the judge was walking around her, he then crouched down about 2 metres in front of her and thats when she went all to pot! She was watching him the whole time and looked very uneasy.

Well went to a new ringcraft last night n she never moved when the lady went over her ......typical!!
She was too focused on her new toy lol!

I am at another tonight (her usual one) so I am going to ask people to walk round her. Fingers crossed!