I'm new to showing (done 4 shows) and we did sunderland open show on sunday. I was disappointed with our judge -he gave si much time to all of the other classes until our class. there were only 2 of us in the class, mine 7mths old the other 11 mths old and i've never seen a judge "go over" 2 puppies so quickly. when he approached my 7mth old he squealed "puppy, puppy, puppy" at him. needless to say my pup backed off! surely judges have exhibited puppies before and realise that open shows are a great place for puppies to get vital ring experience - not to mention novice handlers! Please , please if you are a judge take note and give us a chsnce - we have paid good money to enter and travel and are supporting local open shows - give us a chance!

ps my baby qualified for crufts on his first show aged exactly 6 mths old out of a class of 9  (my 2nd show) :-)

I was at the same show as you, and our judge was extremely heavy handed when going over the dogs. So much so that a veteran in the same class as me went completely to pieces. So clearly poor judging practices are commonplace.

I just looked in my catalogue and your judge is a very high profile exhibitor and handler so should know much better than to behave the way he did. Things like this can ruin a puppy.

Dawn R.

It is a shame when the judge ruins your day. We went under a really lazy judge once, barely looked at us, and when we were placed in the group he told the steward to hand out the rosettes as he left to make a cup of tea!

To be fair a lot of breeders will call 'puppy puppy' in an exciting voice when they have puppies, when calling them for meals etc,  and it would normally be something that puppies would remember as a precursor to something nice, sounds like it backfired in your pups case.

>To be fair a lot of breeders will call 'puppy puppy' in an exciting voice when they have puppies, when calling them for meals etc

Mine have responded eagerly to that well into maturity! :-)

Yes it often makes them all silly and giggly and I expect the judge thought he was putting the pup at ease.

Mind you even if they're weren't put off by it, I'd just as soon the judge didn't squeal 'puppy puppy' and make my puppy all excited and wriggly if I'd just miraculously persuaded him/her to stand still for 3 seconds.... ;-)

I didnt see you Dawn! Yes he should have known better - if anything it was a good learning curve for me! We then went to a boxer xmas rally where they had a bull breed class on- the judging couldnt have been any better - if only all judges were like that!

Given a choice I would go with the silly voice any day, if it makes the pup OTT then the judge will have to deal with it and I have to say I think I may well have done it as well when I am confronted with a pup standing like a statue as if you want to assess a puppy you need to know that it is behaving as a puppy of the breed should.

I will not tolerate rough handling and have actually asked a judge to be more careful when I was a show sec. he was not pleased but I pointed out that if I got an official complaint I would have to report it, he was then more gentle.

It is pretty stupid to squeal at pups but maybe it was a temperament test of some type?
I'd much rather that than some judges I've been under who looked as if they'd rather be else where, at least he was being happy & cheery with the pups