Can anyone give me some advice. I have an 8 month old beagle who I've recently starting showing - have been to a couple of open shows and take to ringcraft. One problem is that she's a right old fidgit - won't always stand still, secondly have trouble keeping her head up and walking her without her 'pacing'. Is this something that will improve with practice or are there certain ways of training beagles? Also, what sort of collar is best? I'd appreciate any help. I've got a couple of months to improve as I've entered her into the Hound show in August!

Puppies are fidgets, and (good) judges will make allowances for this. What they don't like is a dog that backs away if the standard calls for an outgoing personality. As for pacing - you may be taking her too slowly. Get her attention on you before you start moving, set off smartly, and talk to her to try to keep her head up.
Good luck.
:)

I know exactly how you feel. I have a 9 month old beagle, her nose is always to the ground, more so if she is in a new place. We have gone to ringcraft class for the past 3 month but if anyone drops a treat on the floor that is it, she just starts hoovering the floor. I went to crufts to watch the beagles being shown just to see the standard. Although the standard was very high they seemed to be more relaxed than other breeds. Some dogs were sniffing the floor occasionally and others lost concentration quickly. I think its just the breed. I find talking to her gets her attention and she always gets a treat at the end of an exercise if she has behaved. A few people at crufts had a piece of cheese in the palm of their hand which they didn't actually feed the dog they just used it for encouragment and attention. I don't know about your beagle but mine will do anything for food. Which hound show are you going to in August ? We were thinking of going to a proper hound show so she could be shown with other beagles but we are real novices at showing so we don't really know whether shes ready. We are going to a few open shows in the next few weeks.
Good luck with the showing.

ITS REASSURING TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT ON MY OWN. I MUST ADMIT, WHEN I SEE OTHER BREEDS, THEY LOOK SO MUCH EASIER TO SHOW - NOT BATTLING WITH KEEPING THE HEAD UP. WILLOW WILL DO ANYTHING FOR FOOD, LIKE YOURS, SHE IS A CANINE HOOVER! WE LEFT IT A LITTLE LATE WITH WILLOW TO START RINGCRAFT TRAINING AS SHE WAS 6 MONTHS OLD, WE DIDN'T REALISE YOU COULD START FROM 12 WEEKS, SO WE HAVE SOME CATCHING UP TO DO.
WE'VE ENTERED HER INTO SOME OPEN SHOWS AND THE HOUND SHOW - THE BIG ONE FOR US - IN AUGUST, WHICH IS AT THE STAFFORD SHOWGROUND. TO BE HONEST, I DIDN'T THINK EITHER WILLOW OR MYSELF WOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH, BUT I WAS ENCOURAGED TO GIVE IT A GO, FOR EXPERIENCE - EVEN IF WE DON'T DO VERY WELL - I THINK A LOT OF IT IS TO DO WITH CONFIDENCE. ALSO IT HELPS IF YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT A DECENT DOG THEN A LOT OF IT IS THEN DOWN TO YOU TO PRACTICE AND LEARN TO SHOW THEM. - WE'RE STILL LEARNING!
ONE THING WE'VE FOUND IS THAT A LOT OF BREEDERS DON'T BOTHER ENTERING OPEN SHOWS SO YOU MAY NOT HAVE MANY BEAGLES IN YOUR CLASS. WE'VE BEEN TO SOME IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE BEEN THE ONLY ENTRY, WHICH IS A BIT DISAPPOINTING.
GOOD LUCK WITH THE FUTURE - DO YOU HAVE A DOG OR BITCH - MAY SEE YOU AT THE HOUND SHOW IF YOU DECIDE TO ENTER!