can anyone tell me why some breeds need to have food thrown infront of them, i have seen this twice at shows,and i don't understand the concept of doing this,the first time i saw it the bait went all over the floor and could not be picked up by the owner , and then i saw it again at another show and the bait was thrown and it went outside the ring beside people sitting around the ring,the guy doing this was not even looking where the bait was going so why do they do it.
Sorry if i sound thick but as i say what is the purpose ?
Carol

Throwing food is very bad ring behaviour, and makes an exhibitor extremely unpopular, although some people don't care. :(

Throwing food and or toys is a common practice in some breeds and it is not just in their ring sometimes it is into the next ring as well, she says, having not forgotten being hit in the ear but a flying rabbit foot when trying to show my hounds teeth. IMO anything thrown or dropped in the ring should be retrieved by the person who dropped it and the steward should see to it that the ring is clear of such things before the next class, but they don't.

It gives a dog an elegant neckline if the food is thrown in front, the dog is strung up and looking at the bait.   It saves on training your dog properly.

Here's where I get my head bitten off:

This seems to be a very popular practice amongst boxer handlers and heaven help anyone following them into the ring as it can be very difficult to get your dog's head up.  It is bad enough with a Dobe but with something close to the ground it must be even worse.  The last time someone did it (with a Dobe) they were standing behind me and mine kept turning so I just picked up up and gave it back to them commenting that I think they dropped their bait.  I suppose I could have let my lad eat it but that could have started a scrap between him and the dog behind

As I understand it to get the dog up on it's toes and to improve head and ear carriage making it look more alert
                   Anne

Edited to add Christine's right I used to show Boxers but I at least used a toy to throw which i picked up and wouldn't throw infront of another dog.

nor peoples ears ;)

Not that good a shot ;) Could have been a lump of liver which happened to a friend of mine, she chucked it back whence it came :)

Cant the same be achieved by just holding a piece of food in your hand, a little away from the dogs head. Maybe not, I dont know anything about showing. Feel sorry for Jackie, getting hit by a flying rabbit foot......yuk......

Kat

The judge was angrier than I was, he picked it up and went to have a sharp word with the steward in the next ring.

I've been in the ring when Boxer people have been throwing big pieces of liver around in the next ring, it infuriates me!!!!  One small piece of food in my hand and my dogs are there well and truly alert, they don't need a toy or food to be thrown.

I think it should be totally banned myself. 

Not wanting to get at Boxer's but it makes me laugh when some of them come out with their dogs little mats in the show ring to tighten up their feet.  Sorry if they're not right in the first place then should they be shown?

I also know of a couple of stewards who refuse to steward for boxers as they throw bait where ever.  Saying that it is less then there used to be and now  most people just pretend throw!

I wouldn't say it saves training!  You have to train the dog just to look at it and not run after the bait!!!

Roxanne

I have been in the working group a couple of times standing in front of the boxer whose handler is throwing bits of liver right where my dog is stood. Obviously its almost impossible to get my dogs attention in this situation and is really unfair. I think the practice should be banned, but until it is then I've learnt my lesson and will stand as far away as possible from boxers! Then again, double handling isn't allowed either, but thats never stopped as anyone who's watched the GSD's will know!

funny thing is i never mentioned the breed but you all got it correct,now i know why they do it.
so if i was sitting at the ring and bait was thrown and it hit me would i have the righto complain
Carol

husky i have to agree we have a gsd and i hate the double handling i have a list of judges that we will not show under as they allow the double handling to go on it is wrong and should not be allowed but if a judge allows it what hope in hell have we got to change it.
Carol

Is double handling more predominant with GSD's? 
Funny you should say about boxers and liver - I was at a local show last night and a boxer owner had HUGE chunks of liver - must be a common thing amongst the breed.  Food in the ring is one of my pet hates.  With a beagle it is hard enough as it is to keep the head up without them trying to hoover bits of food up as well.   If she sees a piece of food in the ring, I'm damned if I don't let her have it as she knows it's there, or if I do, she'll be looking for more.  Personally, I think dropping food shouldn't be allowed (- after all, in the agility ring, food or toys aren't permitted).   Dare I say it, but is it sometimes done deliberate?

As a fellow hound owner you have my sympathy, it is not just food in your own ring either they will dart into the next ring taking you by surprise and almost off your feet. Suppose it is their sense of smell or is it that most hounds are always hungry.

And yes, it was a boxer exhibitor who throw a rabbits foot that hit me and I too find the running round the ring shouting and shaking of tins with one assumes biscuits in as done by GSD exhibitors a pain too, guess that is why a lot of shows put the GSD's outside away from the rest of the rings. That does not help in the group or BIS ring, of course.

Whilst I am having a moan one of my other hate is groomed hair left on the floor to be picked up in your dogs pads and it is not until you have blown your chances because of bad movement that you inspect the feet to discover other dogs clippings and combings in your dogs feet.

Jackie - I agree with the hair as well.   On Sunday my husband showed Willow who went round the ring with what looked like something in her mouth.   Apparently it was some dog hair which she'd picked up.
I thought exhibitors were not supposed to leave any dog waste - including hair!  

Hi,
Im trying to understand all this about showing, so just wondered if you could answer some q's for me. How does standing a boxer on the mats tighten up their feet? Also how does throwing food on the floor help? I went to watch cruffs this year and while watching the boxers I noticed a lady in the ring dropped a piece of food, and while all the other boxers where been taken around the ring they where all trying to get it.
Thanx
Lou

That is the sort of thing we are complaining about, and why the mats, no idea, if a dog cant stand on the floor provided I would be worried about it. Think a lot of the things that happen in some breed is just pretension, now ducking to avoid lumps of half cooked liver and festering rabbits feet. :)

I was once told that boxer exhibitors use the little mats to stop their dogs' feet slipping when they stack them. To me it suggests that the dogs are either being over-stretched or are over-angulated, but luckily I'm not a boxer judge! Perhaps they're meant to be! But it's odd that they seem to be the only breed that has this problem ...
:)

Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't the Boxers in the Working Group which means they should be able to stand on whatever terrain is presented to them. If you can't 'work' on any surface you are not a worker.

Standing on mats does not tighten a dogs feet, however it can stop them slipping.
My Boxers do slip on carpet which they have at such ch shows as LKA, Crufts etc,
but they are normally fine on other surfaces unless of course they have fluff stuck to their paws.
I suspect that some other breeds use tacky paw spray instead of mats to stop their dogs slipping etc.
There is also paw wax and the good old fav of fizzy drink dabbed on the paws to stop them slipping.
I do use my mat at shows where they don't have matting down and are on highly polished sports hall floors
IF my dog is slipping on the stand.

Throwing food on the floor doesn't help those that are around the ring etc.
I have thrown food when I'm at home taking photo's of my own dogs for breed publications
and have got some lovely photo's to prove that it can really make a dog look good.
HOWEVER I'm also of the mind that you should always be considerate of others in the ring.
So I don't tend to throw my bait in the ring, but hold it out in my hand for the dog to look at.

I believe that ALL of us regardless of breed should show CONSIDERATION for others when we are showing.
Which includes picking up one's own dogs mess (yes some exhibitors don't pick up after their dogs, you only have to walk
from the car parks at the NEC to see this bad example),fluff, bait etc.
I could also whinge about those that smoke and don't put their 'fag-ends' in bins but just drop them on the floor and don't put them out
properly etc.
We've all got our pet hates, I have quite a few myself, but please if we all showed a little more consideration the world
of showing would be a better place!

Kirstine a considerate Boxer exhibitor and proud of it :)

I agree - esp about the cleaning up after themselves.  We arrived about 7am at the NEC on Sunday and already there were HUGE piles of C**p all over the place.  I just can't believe it.  And then we want the rest of society to take us seriously.  Give me a break.

But what I really hate is when I'm out with my two and if there's a pile WE get glared at.  Hey - baggie right here on my lead!!  If it was mine I'd pick it up.

Sorry for the soap-box - that's my biggest pet peeve - of 'show owners' and 'pet owners'.  But I think as show owners we should be even MORE responsible because we're the ones being watched.

Wendy

The last Boxer show I was at - I was sat right in the "firing line" - huge chunks of liver were flying past me. I was funny watching my dog though - it kept his mind occupied waiting for the next "missile" to fly past. Unfortunately on one occasion he managed to catch a piece!

Hi,
Just wanted to say thanx for answering my questions, and thanx to boxercrazy for showing that not all boxer handlers throw liver around the ring. I thought if I was to get involved with showing I was going to have to learn how to hit someone with a flying rabbit foot from a distance, :) Don't even think I would be able to pick one up, let alone throw it, I'd be there in my pink rubber gloves :)
Oh, thanx for letting me know what the mats where for, I didn't have a clue, both me and my husband have been wondering since Cruffs.
Lou

boxers are not the only one to have little mats to stand on there is a lady that has rotties that does it also, have seen her at a couple of shows that i have been to,she only does it on highly polished floors as her dogs seem to slip.
Carol

I use non slip mats too for my American Cockers, they are invaluable when the ring has no matting.
Dawn R.

Just wanted to add that LOTS of breeds have methods of showing/presentation which may seem odd to those outside the breed but are used to enhance the breed points which 'make ' the breed. I have Belgian Shepherds and like the Boxer this is a breed where head and expression are paramount. In my breed a high ear set and a keen expression are highly desirable. Belgians should never look bored or 'flat' and are penalised if they do by most breed judges.  Consequently many handlers now show their dogs at the end of the lead looking outside the ring at their owners or use bait/toys etc . Other breeds stack their dogs (almost all gundog breeds are shown like this) other breeds are strung up on the move, some terriers are shown facing another dog to get the 'fiery' temperament which seems to be prized.

Of course it goes without saying that bait should never be left in the ring or disturb other breeds BUT I do think a little understanding of why handlers use these methods would help. VIVE LE DIFFERENCE I say !!

Think how someone shows their dog is up to them, it is only when it interferes with other that it should perhaps change. Having said that I know one of my dogs disturbs others in the ring, much to my embarrassment, but there is nothing I can do about it. From the moment he walks in the ring until he is chucked out or placed he barks, he never does it outside the ring so I can't train him to stop, not too bad in my own breed but not to good in a mixed group. I always go to the end of the line up but then sometimes the steward comes and moves us to the middle of the line so we can cause the most havoc. So may be I should put up with other peoples rabbits foot, lumps of offal, hair trimmings and in season bitches, without complaint, which, of course, I do at the time, just have a moan on here.

It's not just getting up the noses of people in the ring WITH you, but those AFTER too. One of the shows I try to attrend regularly schedules my breed straight after boxers in an out door grass ring. Trying to "show" a stomach on legs after that lot is an absolute nightmare!!!!

Lynn

Talking about added extras, why did the Yorkie start having it's box in the ring, and why the maroon colour?  Presume the colour is to highlight the dogs own natural coat colour but not sure.

This has all ways struck me a ludicrous but harmless, the thing that worries me more is the display of underwear that sometimes accompanies the stacking of the said terriers on their little red boxes.

Perhaps we should all return to showing our dogs/hounds in stockman's coats it would save us from wondering what we could wear that was comfortable yet respectable and save spectators from some of the less than pleasant sights on view at summer shows

not bothered about knickers on show, but had a good laugh at a show when a ladys boob fell out.
Carol

Aha now hippychick you knew to what I was referring, must say I find the flash of pink gussets not very appealing.

you mean you see gussets, with what my daughter wears you think it was just dental floss
Carol

LOL, but bet your daughter can bend down without exposing whatever it is she would expose in the circumstances. Changing the subject somewhat why do those lace decorated elastic bands cost so much more than a normal pair of knickers.

suppose it is like everything else the less you put into it the more it costs
eg, jam with no sugar  cost twice as much as the jam with sugar.
i have told her that she could go to the market andjust buy a yard of knicker elastic tie it in a couple of nots and wear it,
of course she was highly disgusted when her dad said why not just go commando saying as there is not a lot there,
and why do they always end up looking like a worm in the bottom of my washing machine.
Carol

They look reasonable enough when being worn but when removed they resemble something the dog brought up. When I say they look ok being worn not by me you understand, ;) you would not be able to find them :D

i would have to have mine surgically removed
Carol

Isn't that the norm :D

I have a lot to thank the baiting habit for, the Tibetan Mastiff bitch that I had was I pig on legs so I never had food on me while showing as she always tried to get her head in my pocket or bag we were in the line at Crufts for best of sex and the lady in front was waveing a bit of something about and Thea stood mesmerised watching it we got best bitch and went on to be best of breed, but with T.M's being working we always got in the next ring to the boxers or followed them in AVNSC you either skidded roung the ring on left over tit bits or tried to get the dog to move while they tried to hoover up the bits of food.
Anyone noticed the trend of haveing red  blue pink hair when showing it could not be to get the judges attention would it