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Hi Mari

I'm afraid I find your reply to Bill a bit disturbing - caffeine is quite a powerful drug & I can't believe someone is openly advocating giving a dog such a substance (even though I'm not so naive as to think it doesn't go on but that doesn't make it right!) If a dog does not "sparkle" in the ring & you cannot improve the performance without using drugs or alcohol, then no-wonder "Joe Public" often has such a low opinion of dog shows & the people who go to them.
Maybe I'm just being over-sensitive & it really is common practice to "drug" reluctant show dogs. I prefer to show dogs that show well because they enjoy the experience - if they don't, then why make them? Just my personal view :-)

Jane

I agree with Jane !
If the dog doesn't like showing to the point that you have to take such measures, then you have to question why you are making it do it

Leigh

I agree with the last two posters. There is no point in showing a dog that doesnt enjoy it, surely that is classed as cruel. Would you like to be made to do something you did not like. All my dogs really enjoy being in the show ring and if they didnt than I wouldnt show them!

Longdog

hi leigh sorry i disturbed so many people with a spoon of whiskey and a flipped egg its also good for a dog that has travel sickness its good for yourself Iwas wondering what itwas disturbed someone else .every one knows that some terrier people face their dogs up to each other as terriers are supposed to be foisty. i hate them getting their adrenalin going like that .and thats why i said alternatives by the way i dont have terriers so relax and on reflection i suppose coffee is addictive
mari

Mari, it was the implication of your statement "You know how", and not flipped egg!! :-)

well leigh now you know what i meant .i did not elaborate it because it was meant for billy ,and as i said terrier men know .I was judging terriers 2yrs ago and when it came to the challenge .one man said to the .other face them up to each other and may the best dog win .i was supposed to go for the foistiest one. that is terriers, but now im wondering what did you think i meant ? mari

Thanx for the explanation Mari. It read that you meant some form of *Chemical Stimulant* :-) As for terriers, I judged a terrier and lurcher show 6 years ago. I made my choice for BIS and as I walked away the winner and the reserve layed into each other !! And that was the owners not the dogs. Never again :D

well leigh .thats terrier people . now are we friends again or what?

Me ? I love everyone :D

I am remiss in that I really haven't watched terriers being judged in the UK, other than a cursory look. It's common practice in the US to have terriers face each other. In fact, one that does not 'alert' when turned to face another dog really will have a hard time winning. I never liked the practice.

Is this something that is not commonly done in the UK? Just looking for some more education.

Marie, I have terriers and show them, and not once have I done this in the ring, if my dog is not confident by its self then I DO NOT SHOW it, it is kept as a family pet, and as for the Whiskey and Egg, Well I will not comment on that one as I would be banned from this board. !!!!!!

there you go now youve had your say . could you go to visitors questions page 1 rough collie coatand let me know if you feel as strong about the castration of healthy dogs as you do about a spoon of whisky and an egg mari

The part that really bothered me was the 'you know how' which to me implied a lot more than caffeine or alcohol.... I guess I need to delve into the UK show rules a bit more, but I assumed that they prohibit the use of artificial substances given internally just as it does hair dyes and hair sprays, etc.

For the record, I've seen the result of dogs which have been 'hyped' up with the use of stimulants -- and stimulants are stimulants, regardless of whether we term them alcohol, caffeine or drugs -- as well as dogs which have been 'calmed' down with the same. The point of dog shows SHOULD be to find the best possible breeding stock, which includes temperment. Who loses out when specimens are shown fraudulently? We all do. The other competitors, the people who then want to buy puppies from those dogs, the exhibitor who fails to condition the dog to enjoy the ring, but most of all the DOG loses out.

Not all dogs have the temperment for showing -- I know because I retired an absolutely gorgeous bitch who hated the conformation ring, but enjoyed the obedience ring. Perhaps it was because I wanted it so badly and it communicated down to the dog. One of my first GSPs, I learned a lot from her -- things I would not have learned as soon if she had not needed lots of motivation.

The best way to 'help' a dog who doesn't like the show ring? Quit attaching so much importance to it, go into the ring with a 'hell, who cares, we're going to have fun and I don't care how much of a fool anyone thinks I am!' attitude. I've eaten many an entry by going in and playing with the dog the entire time, sitting on the floor next to it and cooing while the judge went over it and laughing and clapping my hands as we gaited.... foolish? Maybe. But that particular dog ended up really enjoying the ring and winning quite a lot.

As a popular saying goes: 'Just say 'NO' to drugs' .... and yes, to finding whatever makes your dog sparkle with enjoyment.

Thanks everyone for the replys.Like most people we do not like going to work but with a good cup of coffee or tea it makes a bit easier in the morning.( just a wee bit mind ).Bye

Point taken Billy but the difference is I work to live not live to work :-) so why force a dog to do something that it doesn't really have to do especially if it doesn't enjoy it :-)

I feel I must say that if a dog is going flat in the show ring then maybe it's trying to tell you something. I've had Labradors who have no interest in working. We just have to accept the fact that sometimes our dog does not want to do these things.

John

It could be that your anxiety or boredom? are transmitted to the dog, try someone else handling, some dogs just don't find Dad exciting enough. also go to ringcraft, and see if you cannot get the dog to enjoyit,if not then it is best not to bother, as it is unrewarding to show a dog who doesn't like it. I have a bitch who is a total slouch in the ring. Her problem is that she has such a sugarry temperament that she goes all gooey,,leaning on your legs, trying to roll over, when anyone takes notice of her, including the judge. You try going over the dog who just runs through your hands, because they like your petting :)

hi brainless .ihave a dog who keeps offering her paw to the judge, and if we are to proceed he has to take it . sometimes it makes a judge love her sometimes it doesentim not looking for a cure i like her fine mari

I love my soppy girl too. luckily daughter and grqandqaughter are great show offs!