we went back to ringcraft last night for the first time this year. Luke is now 2 years 4 months and I still can't get him to stand correctly. When all the dogs stand together he wiggles about with excitement then sits down. I bait him with a small treat and he really mouths my hand, even if I have the treat in a fist. He doesn't normally mouth at any other time, including when we practice stands at home...:rolleyes: and then he doesn't stand well for the trainer - he trots up and down OK though, but I'm beginning to despair if he'll ever get the hang of a proper show stand. :-( Any ideas, anyone?

Sorry, not much help, but I'd much rather see that than a dog that stands like a statue with no character at all :d

My bitch is 6 and she can still be a pain. :D Hubby always blames me for doing obedience first, in her mind a sit is what you do, not a stand. So she's hard work and doesn't often do the statue thing, but she has had a good few wins including several BOB: :) Her son, well he thinks you should stand for EVERYTHING as we did that first, so it's really hard work instead with obedience as nothing will make him sit!

I have a champion bitch age 6 that is still a pain to show, won't stand still for the judge, jumps up for the bait etc, though she rarely sits :D

You have to relax and be matter of fact and keep your cool and sense of humour :D

As others have said, far better to have a dog with personality and sparkle than a robot who stands stock still :D :D  and just think, neither of you are going to get bored ;) :D

gosh you could be describing my oldest ..she does exactly the same but is OB/AG trained  only started showing her last year...she is 2 and a half..... she behaved this way at our last show the critique said ..nice type moved ok would benefit from ringcraft classes...she was naughty but only because she wanted to kiss the judge..I am beginning to loose faith only a few weeeks ago we were place above well known dogs.
I have asked  well known people of the breed plus her breeder as to whether I should continue  showing her all say she is a lovely girl and too continue .

Only advice I can give is ....dont you give up either!

Roni

Try keeping your bait in a pocket and instead of having it in your hand just put your hand into your pocket as if to take some out.Works for one of mine....might be worth a try
Archer

I would try using a word like 'wait' or some such.  That works with my bitch although she still tends to stamp her feet in front of me when she thinks that she has had to 'wait' too long.  Mind you it didn't stop her winning the Veteran Bitch class at Crufts last year.  I think some judges like to see a dog with a bit of spark in it.

JJ is 18 months old and he (despite going to ringcraft) loves playing up.  We also took him to obedience first and only moved to ringcraft becuase the ob classes shut down.  I try not to get to stressed out when he does "do a JJ" in the ring because i'm sure he senses it and goes worse 8-)

One of mine jumps up and down and looks like she's a Harrier Jet, (think that's the one that goes straight up).  One of the judges put it in her critique once :d 

It was so funny as she moves beautifully and then she'll just dive 6 feet into the air

Ask anyone in Cavaliers what a complete idiot my boy can be when the mood takes him - and he's 4 in April!! He does this ridiculous gait which involves trotting with the front feet and a sort of quickstep with the back feet - and sometimes he glues his nose to the floor just for good measure! :-D