I took my 7 mth old rough collie dog to an open show today,  not to show him,just to get him used to the environment. It was a disaster we could not get him to walk into the hall where the rings were, my husband had to carry him in, he was terrified bless him(the dog not my husband) does this mean his show career is a non starter? He is first and foremost a pet but he is such a handsome dog i thought id try showing but the poor wee soul was most upset id hate to make him do something that stressed him out so much. Has anyone had similar problems at first but found their dog has gone on to do well in the ring?

Hi Trinabeanbag,

Was it a sports hall?  A lot of dogs hate the shiny floor and some refuse to walk on it.  If he was just terrified of all the other people and dogs it might be an idea just to keep entering him and just sitting inside the door til he sees that it's all ok :)
Don't give up just yet :)
Debs

I had a dog that didn't like indoor shows, but did really well outside. Conversely I had a different one who preferred indoors Have you tried going to training classes? Obviously ringcraft if you are interested in showing, but any kind of training inside a hall would be a good place to start. That way you can get him used to being in a hall with other dogs, but you can him used to it slowly.

That's not unusual for some Rough Collies.  I had some like that many years ago.  It's part nature and nurture as always.  Roughs need to be well socialised from early on, even before they leave the breeder.  Hopefully yours was.  Now you can only introduce him to as many different life experiences as you possibly can eg supermarket car parks, High Streets with traffic, people, buggies etc and hopefully he'll become more confident.
Most ringcraft classes are held in halls and so that also a good way to get him used to the shiny floors and echos in halls.
If all of that fails, then you have the summer shows to look forward to, which are usually on grass and outside.  Many Roughs are happier outside.
We do have a problem with temperament in our breed.  I was at a car boot sale this morning and saw an adult Rough with a muzzle tied onto her lead.  I said Hi from 10 feet away, and the bitch started doing twirlies on the end of her lead and shaking for England.  The owner told me that the bitch always wore a muzzle in public but as she was 2 years old, she thought that she'd try without it!  She'd already bitten one person this morning - I suggest that she put it on again and found a good trainer! :rolleyes:  I wasn't surprised when she told me the breeding.
It really is worth doing the best socialising that you can.  A male adult Rough Collie who down't want to go where you want him to go, regardless of dog shows, is a pain in the neck! :)

My dog doesn't like shows in sports halls at all and thats because of the type of flooring they have.  He's ok in other inside venues but loves outside venues best.
Keep taking yours and letting him have a good look at whats going on and i'm sure he'll settle down and get used to it, good luck 8-)

With many RC's you really have to be careful regarding the flooring, not easy when you enter and don't know what to expect though!  We used to have a Rough Collie years ago, the most outgoing and friendliest that you could ever meet but he hated wooden floors, he'd just throw himself to the ground and wouldn't move!!  The dog training that we used to go to had a wooden stairway leading to the room so we would have to carry him up the stairs!

he has been going to puppy classes since he was old enough to go he is about to start his proper training class, but the trainer says the floor will be a problem,he just hates it he just has not seemed to get used to it. he hates the floors, we took him to my sisters at christmas and he would not walk 2 foot across her wooden floor in her hall to get to his food and water, as for the show i think just the genral din coming from the hall scared the pants off him, we have the same problem taking him into strange places, the vets, pet shop ,friends house, he just refuses to walkand i stuggle to pick him up as he is quite a size

i stuggle to pick him up as he is quite a size
I understand that, which is why you have to get him out and about asap.  I've been there and got the t-shirt!
These day, when I have a new puppy, I put a crate in the car and take them everywhere.  My latest puppy had travelled over 1000 miles in the car and had stayed in 3 other peoples homes by the time she was 12 weeks old.  She's a monster, in everybody's face all the time and not bothered by anything!! :)
Don't praise him and tell him he's a good boy when he's nervous.  Behave in a jolly hockey sticks confident manner to show him that you're not bothered and it's all OK.

the trouble is val is that i know he hates the car so when i got him i intended to take him everywhere but he would yelp and bark the whole time the car was moving, it upset me to see him getting so stressed so i dont put in the car now unless i have to , just a kop out i guess

He's trained you very well!!! :)  As I said - I've been there and got the t-shirt, which is why I give all my new puppy owners VERY explicit instruction about socialising! :rolleyes:

our puppy howled screamed cried, climbed up the bars in the cage for about a month every day we took him out in the car he hated it, but we just put him in and off we went, we would take him to the shops, they are only a 5 min walk from the house but he went, we would drive the long way to the shops with him doing a very good impression of a banshee in the back, we just ignored him, but every time he was quite for even a second we would just say good boy ,we took him to the beach , to the woods every where and i mean everywhere, the children would put in ear plugs as he was that bad and off we went, after constant putting him in the  car he started to settle, but it took a month it was horrible really horrible, but now, he loves the car, just have to pop the boot and he is there ready to go where ever, keep trying and let himscream and protest he will learn,
carol