Hi I was talking to a friend and got on to the subject of bait She said some breeds are traditionally baited in the ring others aren't Why is this? My breed German Spitz Mittel seem to be baited and I was wondering what bait everyone uses if at all.
Angela and Lily

The favourite is fried and oven dried liver, but Matessons (sp?) sausage is pretty popular with my lot (Rhodesian Ridgebacks)

I used to spend ages making liver cake and stinking the house out with the damned stuff but tonight I took with me to ringcraft...small pieces of celery and courgette :D Beard Boy will do anything for a piece of fruit or veg and it means no more smelly/mouldy pockets or fingers :D
Edited to say:other faves are apple, pepper, carrot and banana..last one is quite messy though!

Basically it is to hold the dogs interest especially if they are shown freestanding, otherwise with many breeds they will ahve their noses on the floor :D 

If you have a stacked breed that isn't large they are generally not baited as they are held in place. 

Some breeds are stacked and baited, I suppose because if your qare holding a big dog in place it could move away out of your grasp more esily without bait????

If I didn't take bait in the ring then I would have the dogs with noses glued to floor and no chance of them moving with ehad up let alone standing.

I have Pharaoh Hounds and you have to have something interesting for them to get those huge ears up! When I was showing the Hamiltons I only used bait with one of the five I was showing, the others were stacked.  When you show a free standing breed who should have their ears up it's really the only way of getting them looking interested.

I used to use liver but found it made their poos a little runny and black so I switched to sausages.

Debs

I discovered black pudding when I took a holiday to the Hound Ass of Scotland last year, as it came with the breakfast in the B+B

There is nothing worse than going in the ring the day after dogs that have been baited, because our breed are so close to the ground all our work into free standing them WITHOUT baiting is a waste when all they want to do is sniff around them picking up odd bits and pieces

Even worse I should think if it was near a Boxer ring :d  :d  Even more dangerous if you are showing in the ring next to them, with the odd bit of liver hitting you on the head!

I think you misuderstand baiting.  Baiting should be about attracting the dog with food in your hand that goes in the dogs mouth. 

You are describing the misuse of bait which is a pet peave of mine too, as you can guarantee the bait on the ground left by unsporting exhibitors is always going to be more interestign than what you have got.

Try and show a Beagle properly when the floor is covered in bait, impossible!

I bait all the dogs a free stand and for the dogs I top and tail (I stack most of the freestood dogs into place) I use bait to praise.  Either way there's always something tastey in my pocket at a show! :D

Is free standing when you have to stand the dog away from it's owner

Yes, free-standing is where the dog is touched as little as possible (ideally not at all) by the handler and stands itself in a natural position. :)

I think it depends on the dog.  We never had to bait Beagie when she was shown as she was stacked and very easy and not particularly food motivated.  Food just seemed to get in the way

Buddy loves sausage, Tigger loves pepperami especially the spicy one.  Some dogs just dont take any notice of food.  The only problem we have found with baiting is that the dogs become so focused on the food when the judge tries to get the dogs attention it cant get its mind of the food.