Hi guys

Advice needed.  I had my first show with pup on Saturday I was totally dreading it because she is so hyper.  She was fine on the bench but when I brought her off she started doing her spring lamb impersonation.  I know my breed is an excitable breed, but I've never had one like this. Personally I think she has hidden/stored energy in the tail and that's why I've never had this problem with any of my others.  Anyway in the ring when I finally calmed her down she looked fab but then the moving she thought it was play time and started chasing the pup in front causing her to choke.  OMG I wish the floor could have opened and swallowed me.  Although she played up she did get short listed to 7 from 23.  I was a bath of sweat leaving the ring.

Anyway the point of my post was any tips on what I could do to calm the beast (lol) before the ring.

Thanks in advance

What ever you do, dont try and wear her out...she'll just get fitter :-)
Why dont you teach her to freestand and then she can channel her energies into watching you on tippy toe.
On the move... well... she'll stop enjoying herself 'quite so much' before you know it and you'll wish she were a giddy puppy again.
I love it when pups think it's all so shiney and new and fun!!  The answer...Obedience I'm afraid :-) 

I really could have died :-)
What made it worse her first show was a breed champ show, her second show this saturday again another breed champ show.  aaahhhh help!!!!

It's wonderful to have a pup like that as opposed to a shy one! :) Believe me, one of my breeds are almost always shy and worried when pups and it is so much harder to work through this than with a over excited, happy pup. It's just more practice that is needed. I was at my first breed champ.show for my other breed yesterday, and my bitch used to get so excited at the sights of lots of other dogs of the same breed (other breeds don't count according to her!) that she'd not behave at all in the ring and would just try to play with the other dogs -no chance of a decent stand or anything. However yesterday she was fine and I was really pleased with her. :) She's 13 months now. She just had fun now without being silly. :)

I've got to get my hands on a material slip collar, something thats not too harsh on her neck when she's pulling around the ring.

Reesy, I can't offer any advice as I have never shown but I just wanted to say THANK YOU for making me feel better about my own pup.
I too have an excitable breed :) and was getting quite worried about his behaviour in the ring as he has his first show in 6 days!!
Glad its not just us, the more "disaster" stories I read about makes me feel less nervous!! ;)
Great that she was still one of the seven pulled forward. :) :)
Hope springs eternal
Paula

springs is the correct word ;-)

Just grit your teeth and remember the lively ones will learn in the end the quite ones always show like a sack of potatoes, most judges would prefer a pup to be a pup but they do need to be able to go over her. After a few shows she will settle a bit so carry on and wait for the miracle.

Reesy, how old is pup? I only ask because I had one that went round the ring mid air ;-) At least it felt like it :-) She wanted to be eye level the whole way round at her first show (WELKS!) a few years ago. We all had a good laugh, including the judge :-D The best thing to do is laugh at it. Even when you want to curl up and die (and believe me, that's what I wanted to do) It didn't take her too long ( a few shows) to realise that the ring was not play time.

I had another that behaved in the ring for the first few shows then decided she didn't want to do it any more. Ever had to drag a sack of tatties round the ring? That's what it felt like ;-) I retired her after a few shows.

Enjoy the fun and games. They don't usually last (don't quote me on that though ;-) )

Try the Resco ones they are waxed cotton kind to puppy and kind to your hands.
The ones I had are called Resco Cordo-Hyde show lead and Tan in colour.
They have a sliding brass type clip which you press to loosen and move the clip to
where you want.
I think they also do the slip type collars too.

Far better to have an animated pup than a stuffed tin soldier that absolutely hates the show ring after a while ;)
Although doesn't do much to help the handlers sanity LOL been there and done that with one of my monsters...
who is now 10 1/2 years old and still full on.

Might get to see your pup at Cotswold?

Reesy,

Your pup sounds exactly like mine :-D :-D   On her first show (Breed Champ Show) she leaped off the table and  snogged the judge!!   a full on, paws around the neck and feet in the waistband SNOG!   I was mortified and tried to apologise but the judge laughed and said he was loving it and to let her enjoy herself :-D  She went BPIS !!!!

She did the same at her second show - an open, and also went BPIS !!!  that judge said he loved to see pups who were having fun, she did stop leaping about for a few seconds tho and walked beautifully :-D

Like you I was  bath of sweat and my hands shook so much :(  I found it very stressful :(  but as long as pup enjoys it then I won't correct her.  My answer is to take some Kalms or Quiet Life tablets before the show, then I won't get so stressed and can laugh with everyone else.

What I've noticed about pups like this is that they usually have great movement (when they're not being tigger ;) ) and a 'look at me' attitude which is exactly what you need in the grown up show dog ;)  when your dog begins to settle down you'll be glad of that 'sparkle' ;)

thanks guys. I've got it all to look forward to again on saturday.  Will give you a report then. Oh well off to do some more training....now where's my kalms :-)

It's wonderful to have a pup like that as opposed to a shy one!   Ditto.

Once they mature a bit and settle they often make the most showy dog.    As long as it is just a wonderful happy puppy that would be my pick everytime.  Quite often you find in litters the pick won't be the showy one but then the second is.  

Dill,

That sounds like you have my pups sibling..

My last show I had rescue remedy in my hand and a fellow exhibitor passed and said,  "that won't work on the dog",  I replied, " It is for me" and it works :-)

Oh Reesy, I needed someone like you to make me smile today :)  My 6 month is a total nutter too and my first Spanish with a tail !!! 

Took her to MC's and she got chucked out of the AVNSC class.  Took her into the Puppy Stakes and she was pulled out in the last 8 even with her hopping around like a spring lamb.  Judged asked us to go up and down again and yep, spring lamb started again.  The judge just laughed at the end of the walk up, got hold of my dog and told her that she was supposed to behave herself now, needless to say we didn't get any further!

She's great at standing though the best I've ever had but other than that forget it.  Our breed club has got it's first limit show on Sunday and I just know that we are going to be the entertainment at it.

She sounds lovely! I really wouldnt worry about this, just let her enjoy herself, you see far too many dogs dragged round a show looking miserable .
A lot of judges will appreciate a dog with character and puppies should be puppies, I would look at this as a plus point, not a minus!

Good luck
Beth

it's hard going isn't it!  I've started getting a bit firmer with her training and she still thinks it's fun to jump up/bounch around.  I know puppies are playful but bloody hell she taking playful to the next level ;-)
Fingers crossed for you at the show, I have another breed champ show this saturday (joy) I just know she's going to do an exact replay! :-)

I've had many disagreements over whether a puppy should behave at a show or not and I've always insisted that they do.
At £24 plus fuel per show I always felt that it's the least the little devil could do to reward me for giving it a life of luxury :-)

BUT I started to get criticised for having little robots so I used to freestand then release the pup on command, when the judge had finished examining it. There would be a crazy mad game for a few seconds then, when places were being decided, I put the pup back in the stand. I find that this is the best balance for pups - to save boredom setting in whilst not entirely blowing your chances.
I do love to see a boxer with a lot of spirit and fun but I prefer to see it channeled into a 'showing fool'.

to add to all my drama, my male decided to eat my bate bag this morning :-( now I have to go out and get a replacement before South Wales on Saturday.

With all this fun I'm sure you'll do well ;)

Bag arrived in todays post.......thank god! Training went well with her last night, I have secret weapon now :-) hope it works on the day

The 'spring lamb' thing made me laugh. We had a breed champ show on Sunday and the minor puppy classes were a joy to watch, especially the MPD winner - I have never seen a Samoyed jump so high, he was obviously really enjoying his day out.

Well went to a training match last night.  Guess what?  Yes you guessed it, she was bonkers!!!  As soon as the judge put her hands on her she was bouncing around and shaking her bum.  The judge was laughing :-)
I do hope she will calm eventually

Well today was our club champ show and fleur was much better than normal in a class of 10 she was placed vhc. She was much better behaved right up until a lady slipped and fell in front of her.  She thought it would be fun to run up to her and give her a big boxer kiss to see if she was ok.  She got so excited!  Anyway its all experience for her and for me as I've NEVER had such a hyper puppy :-)

Just thought I would shame as there is judges out their who will place a VERY playful puppy in the ring.

Fleur has finally run her battery down and having a well deserved nap.....but for how long is the question lol!

well done on being placed! she sounds delightful!

Well today was our club champ show and fleur was much better than normal in a class of 10 she was placed vhc. She was much better behaved right up until a lady slipped and fell in front of her.  She thought it would be fun to run up to her and give her a big boxer kiss to see if she was ok.  She got so excited!  Anyway its all experience for her and for me as I've NEVER had such a hyper puppy



Well with a name like Flirtatious how could she not be hyper - LOL
I learnt my mistakes with an Ain't No Saint and then I bought a So 'N' So.
Now I had a Told You So and that's not much better either LOL...
Never ever name them with 'naughty/fun' names as that's what they seem to be like in character too ;)
Don't know quite how they do it either i.e. live up to the name..
That said my Perfect Edition is still really naughty too....maybe it's just the owner that has the effect - LOL but I'm not admitting to anything :D

Well done for the placing yesterday.

I'll be at Cotswold with Ain't No Saint and Told You so.
Might see you there?

We'll be at Cotswold, hopefully no-one will fall over in the ring there ;-)

Well defo hoping it won't be me ;) :)

did you not enter south wales?

No, didn't Cotswold is my last breed show this year, I've done the British which is an open show end Nov
I have four of the monsters out there.

Got a bit disheartened of late and haven't been too well.
Gutted to have stuffed up the easiest Crufts Q class I've ever been in only 4 in Junior bitch and
my little charmer decided she'd pace...arrrgghh..
I didn't have a good day that day - I think I could have had a Ch on the end of the lead that day
and I'd not have done anything....

Here's hoping that 2009 will be a better year :)

Well done on being placed!  My nutty pup got a fourth at our Breed Club's first Limit Show on Sunday which was a shocker.  She didn't walk brilliantly but much better than I expected.

Well just an update really on my little monster.  Lastnight I took her training dropped out half way through the obedience coz she was pulling so hard she was chocking.  So took her outside for a piddle and back in to try and calm her.  My friend had offered to handle her so when she arrive Fleur gave her a proper BOXER Welcome.  Off she went with my friend not bothered at all and handled like a totally different dog (OMG) I couldn't believe it.  Is it me she's playing up for........or is that my friend has the total different effect on her?  Either way I wonder if she fancies handler her at the next show lol ;-)

Soft mother syndrome :-)

Still happens with me Reesy - dog 6, just the same :-D  They all take the proverbial water spray with me but funnily enough when I take other folks with similar game plans theirs are very cooperative and I look like a pro (OK, maybe just feel like a pro!)

They aint daft - they know they can play up 'mum' but don't take liberties with aunties or strangers :)

Hardly, if i get angry, well assertive, she thinks she can play even more.  It going to be a long slog :-)

In my case its soft grandmother syndrome.  He's great with me and anyone else but knows he can walk all over my mum (literally sometimes when he's covered in mud and bounces her with all four legs at once!)