Hi there hope someone can come up with some help my bitch is 3 years old and loves showing but she is not over shown. she gets very excited when she is outside the ring stand lovely but when it comes to moving her around the ring she is so lazyie and will just do enough i would her like a bit excitmentable when she is in the ring and a bit more energy she has loads of engery at home and will run round all day long if you let her she is feed on a complete diet with fresh tripe we did think that she might be better going on somthing like pedigree chum or beta would it make any difference if the protin level was higher in her diet.she is a boxer

Ideas anyone?

Hi, I would try halving her last meal before you travel - so if you feed her at night only give her half, or if you give breakfast, you could miss it out completely, unless she would look tucked up. Have tasty bait in your hand ( small bits of baked liver is adored by most dogs) when you go into the ring and make sure she knows you have it, give her a couple of bits just before you go into the ring, to "get her going". It might work. Then you can feed her properly after her classes, but not too much if you are waiting to go in for BIS!!! Never give her baked liver except when she is in the ring and she might brighten up if she knows she's going to get her treat. I bake it, cut into bits and then dust it very lightly with flour to stop it sticking together in your pocket. You will probably all think I am cruel now! I dont think changing her diet would make a lot of difference if she is lively at home.

Hi Guest, my youngest dog is a bit like this! I talked to him in a squeeky voice all the time & had a kiddies tiny squeeky toy in my pocket that I would squeek now & again, he didn`t know where the sound came from as he never saw it :) Try the liver as well.
Christine, Spain

I don't feed my dogs on the day. So take something nice like the liver and it may perk up for this.

I must admit I wd. never take a squeeky toy in to the ring. This is because I have Spanish Water Dogs and if they hear someone squeeking one they go mad wanting it and there attention has gone completely away from me.

I must admit like Christine I use a daft squeeky voice and they seem to react to it:D

Hi P/deagua, well I`ve never done it before, but my young male was like a piece of wood when I first started showing him. So after trying everything I tried the toy. I would only do it when going round the ring just squeeking it a couple times & then when standing him I would be on my knees & just the tinyiest of squeeks. Bear in mind he was in junior class when I did it & wouldn`t usually suggest it cos my elder dogs like yours, would go mad if they heard a noise like that :) Should have thought before I posted eh?? Mind you it never worked, the only thing that did was me getting down to his level & then he would wag his tail & be happy.
Christine, Spain.