Forgive me if I waffle, but I've several thoughts going on at the moment.

We did our first ever show at Bath yesterday.
As I said on another thread our pup took first in MPB, and second in PB.  We are thrilled to bits.

I know we have a gorgeous puppy, every one who has seen her and knows the breed has said so, and other breed judges have made comments about how she has the whole package.  Her pedigree is outstanding, and she looks to have inheirited the best from both sides.

I'm brand new to showing and I've been trying to learn as much as I can. 
Where I seem to have a problem is getting her to focus and pay attention to me.  No matter how silly of a voice I use, how happy a voice, a noise, if she wants to ignore me and smell the daisies, or watch the people, or sniff the bits of bait people leave, she will.  It's a bit like her on recall...if there is something more interesting she will pay attention to that.
She tends to go off her bait in the ring.  Things she loves and can't get enough of suddenly she loses interest.

Also, if I put her in a good sideways stance, she will start to fidget around until she is showing her backside to the the point where the judge is.  No matter how many times I correct her and reposition her she does that.

I look at the other puppies in my breed and am amazed at how they just pose.  How they focus, the intensity on pups the same age as mine.  Mine won't even show that when her food is on offer.
I must admit she has a very independent nature so wonder if this has something to do with it.
I've asked other people and they tell me to just stand in front of her with food.
Well, I KNOW there has to be more than that to it!

The other thing is, I can not believe the difference in this dog when we are at a show.  She is calm, not fazed, just takes things in her stride.
This pup who greets for England at her training class, her ring craft classes is so totally cool, calm, collected and uninterested in all the other dogs.

So, any insightful advice?

Marri,

I would much prefer to have a dog like your's at this age, if they are 'cardboard cut-outs' already in MP, then they will probably be bored to tears come PG.   Your girl is out there enjoying it, ok she might not be concentrating on you all the time but neither is she nervous or overawed by the whole situation.    If you saw what my Mia was like as a puppy you'd be grateful you have what you have, she wasn't nicknamed 'Tigger' for nothing!   Full of herself, cocksure little madam, who used to pace, bounce, and generally have a whale of a time showing me up..............she now has her title and shows like a dream!   Likewise her younger sister, outside the ring - the biggest pain in the a*** you could find, in the ring - dream show girl!

Marri, Its called being a puppy and interested in the whole adventure of a big show with lots of dogs.
From what u say I guess it is a free standing breed.
She is in MP, since when should MPs be statues and show like seasoned adults? I much refer pups to show life and bounce. In fact my 3 yr old is still a bit ott on the move - in a breed where we show well into veteran, so I am happy he is bouncy
However much you say yr pup faced the wrong wy she still won. Any judge worth the name will not expect pups to be perfect - the worst thing you could do at this age is to worry and try and get yr pup to be perfect.
I never think it matters too much how much they win as babies - although it is nice if they do - what matters is that they enjoy the day out, so dont panic and have fun. A bouncy happy pup now will be a great showdog at 4 - just when fully mature an ready for top winning

Thank you so much for those replies.

I prefer her to be the way she is also.  However my 'mentors' as much as they think she is perfect, keep telling me to watch the others, to see how they act.  There is no way our girl is going to do that.  Okay, yes she will with the male mentor.  With me she knows she can act up.  When he was baiting her alongside his three you would have thought she was carved in stone.  I couldn't believe that was our pup.

Yes, it is a free standing breed, and for the most part she can stack with the best of them...when the spirit moves her.
I love my pup, I love her interest in things, watching her take it in.  I love her puppiness.  And when that's gone, it's gone, they never have it again.
So, the heck with the 'cardboard cutouts' (I love that!), my puppy is going to act like one (within reason - this trying to kiss the judge has to stop) and we will just try to make it charming and take any wins we can for actually being the best puppy!  Now, if only she will just be quiet while waiting...I have a breed that loves to talk!

Again, thanks for the refirmation of allowing her to be a puppy.  :)

Also wqith the p7utting bum in the ring, a trick worth using is stand more into the ring yourself and ehr bum will need to swing out again, she probably doesn't want to be staright onto you as she gets a better view the other way so go with it, if you see what I mean?  As long as you are far enough in front of her you won't blosk the judges view.  Also somew dogs show better with you to the side and watchin your hand held out in front of them to make them look ahead..

I was just about to post a new topic about a puppy who's become increasingly fidgety on the stand and found this thread already up and running. I don't mean to hijack it (!) only to add that I'm experiencing similar probs with my dog. He's only been to 4 shows and so far has done ok but if anything, his concentration on the job in hand seems to be decreasing with every show we go to! When I try and stack him, sometimes he bearly lays claim to his limbs when I try and place them! - he wont put weight through them - it's as though they're nothing to do with him (generally when this happens he's gazing off into the next ring to see what's happening there)! I know he's just a baby (8 months) and I always try to jolly him along when we're in the ring but the thing that's frustrating me the most at the mo is that he's started to completely break his stand when the judge goes over him. He never used to do this but now seems as though he's just not taking it seriously. I realise that's quite a human expression to put on a dog, but you know what I mean. I'm new to showing, so I guess I get quite flustered and nervous over the slightest thing that goes wrong which doesn't help. Perhaps I'm making too big a deal out of what I'm repetedly told is a 'phase'.

Vinnie, without knowing the breed its hard to advise - beyong yr dog is  a 8 mths puppy - puppies are puppies and will act as puppies. Believe me there is nothing worse than a bored adult - I have seen so many people ruin promising pups by dragging them to every show possible as youngsters and expecting them to stand like statues. puppy wins are nice - adult CCs are better - often you dont get both

I've a few things I'm going to try with my pup at a local show tomorrow.  It's much easier to do it when in that circumstance than just the two of us working.  I don't feel we get enough ring craft (one every alternate MON) and will have to look for another to do in between.

LOL, she certainly acted like a pup.  In her MPB class when we were doing an up and down movement she played up at the start.  I went to restart and the little minx slipped her lead!  She took two steps and looked at me.  The look on her face was priceless.  I had to laugh because of her look and the fact my worst nightmare had come true.
The laughter confused her I think because she trotted straight up to me and allowed me to put the lead on her with no fuss at all.
I went back to the judge and told him, "That's it then, I just realized my worst nightmare!"  He laughed and said the rest should be easy.
We took a first.  I was amazed because I thought we had completely blown it.

Something that you might want to think about (though you can't do much about it ;) ) is that your nervousness will have gone down the lead, making your puppy feel the tension. As you have just stated, your worst nightmare happened, so your nerves will have gone to some degree. My 19 month old bitch is only just starting to behave in the ring. Sometimes. I have another 'Tigger' :D At her first show last year (WELKS ) she decided that she didn't want ANY of her feet on the ground. But she enjoyed her day out. The day she lets me know she hates it is the day she retires from the ring. :) Enjoy her puppyhood. She will calm down. In maybe 10 years or so ;) Just kidding :)

Lindy, I dreaded going into the ring, and LOL, everyone left me while I was grooming.  I looked up and they were gone, so I grabbed her off the table and went to the ring.  They were all shouting that I was called to the ring.
I went in (thankfully not the last one there) and had no time to be nervous - it was 'showtime'.  From then on it it was concentrating on Misha and getting her to do her thing.
Nerves hit after it was all over - my hands were shaking so bad I couldn't handle a cup of tea!

At least you got in the ring! At my first show (Border Union!) I was sitting at the benches, wondering where everyone was. By the time I realised what was happening the puppy class was just finishing. They were handing out the cards Give your little angel ;) time and enjoy the learning curve.

Marri, you really do risk over doing it with a pup that is having a great time at shows. First Ch Show @ Bath, now an open show, and u want to keep on going to ring training weekly - honestly that is asking for a bored pup. 5 minutes a day in yr back garden followed by a game would be plenty, in fact every ohther day would be plenty. It doesnt matter is she bounces, gallopsm, wriggles - she is a puppy! I have seen so many promising pups ruined by being over shown....but you can only give advice

I was talking to someone today at the show we were at.  She shows my breed and has one who is a couple of months older than mine.
With her help I've figured out what we need to do. I'm sticking to one structured ring craft fortnightly and my impromptu sessions with her on her walks. 
She also has given me some tips on how to make the stacking process more of a game.

I was glad we went today as it gave my gal some more opportunity to get used to the atmosphere.  It honestly helps her.
Oh, and we took a second in AVMPB - again, unexpected.

Hi babz,
Thanks for your reply. My boy is a weimaraner. Am really chuffed today - we had a little win at an open show and got BPIB. I took a v laid back attitude to the whole proceedings and fucused more on the pupster having a good time, which he did and consequently was a good boy when it came to going in the ring. I'm so pleased with him - nothing to do with the rosettes, but because we both had a really nice, fun day out together which for me is what it's all about.

Thats great Vinnie. Always and only reward when he stands still, never when he moves, and dont expect him to stand still for too long - dont know why judges seem to need to stare for ages! If he moves and looks awful walk him round and start again. At least with a Weim you have a front and back bit to hold onto!