I go to ringcraft every week - but each time I don't seem to be able to get my girl to stand still - as soon as the judge goes to touch her or get inbetween her eyeline of the food/pocket it comes out of - she jumps a foot to the side or wriggles away to do a 'stand' on the other side of me so she can concentrate and stare at the possible bit of food coming her way - I've somehow managed better at shows - I think she assumes once she's in that village hall it's just food time.

But if I try to hold an arm under her that seems to make her panic/try to jump out of the way more vigorously. I've sort of had slightly more success once the judge has managed to go over her head/looked at her teeth by grabbing a massive handful of food and shoving it in her face - but she can literally either hoover it so quickly I'm out of food and she realises she's being touched and jumps away before the judge has finished - or she's so strong and vigorous trying to get the food she bends herself like a ragdoll trying to get it - so the judge can't feel properly.....

Am panicking as we've got a big breed show coming up and then Crufts - and the slip I got with my passes said they had to be able to let the judge go over them....

She's only seven months old, but I don't want this becoming any worse - anyone got any ideas?!

At least in my breed judges expect puppies to be puppies, and the whole point is for the judge to se them standing, and as long as they can confirm whet they see by handling then it matters not where she stands as long as she does, and as long as they can assess her movement, even if it is only in parts.

I've not been showing for long and don't do it often but I panicked like you to begin with! My boy did his first champ show at nearly 7 months old almost entirely on two legs!! He still won a respectable class. Everyone told me the same as what brainless has said, pups should be pups.
I'm sure your girl will calm down with maturity and experience :)

Thanks, I would have thought that, but I keep seeing other pups in her age range and same breed standing like a rock while the judge goes over them, making me think we're going to stand out for the wrong reasons! :S

>I keep seeing other pups in her age range and same breed standing like a rock while the judge goes over them,

and many of these will have no sparkle by the time they exit puppies, and judges are human, and am sure much prefer a puppy to show some spirit and character as long as it doesn't disrupt judging too much.

My first champion bitch was like that most of her show career, yet still won 10CC's.

Thank you, I feel a lot better now.....we shall just keep on training and see what happens! You've all made me feel a lot less anxious about it.

The sad fact is that in very numerically large breeds, MP can have 25+ entered.
When it comes to splitting hairs and knowing there are hundreds more dogs to judge, many judges aren't quite as patient with naughty puppies.

I would have something 'chewable' rather than 'eatable' to give her when the judge is going over her.  Something like a hard tripe stick, and let her chew away and hopefully not notice what the judge is doing.  :)

It's quite true that most judges will allow a degree of 'puppy-ness' with a puppy.   However, whether it would affect his placing, or not, would depend on how good he is, compared to the others, and how bad he is about standing to be gone over.   If the judge, especially at a show like Crufts, can't assess him properly - and with a coated breed especially you have to feel - then she may simply move on.    But don't panic.   If he's only 7 months and you have managed to qualify him for Crufts already, he must have quality!!  

Is he a breed that has to be on a table to be examined because it might be a good idea, provided he doesn't panic up off the floor, to get him used to stand on a table, and get somebody else to gently go over him.   

Agree with the others, give her something you can hold for her to chew while the judge goes over her, try not to get too stressed as the judge approaches as you may be making her worse as she can feel your panicking, and just let her be a puppy. My 9 year old still tries to twist round and kiss the judge every time she is gone over, I just figure it shows good temperament!

The veteran I show still gives the judges kisses during the exam as well. Judges don't mind puppies being puppies as long as they see everything they need to see.

One thing though... it sounds like she's caught on to the fact that food comes out if she misbehaves. Why not put the food away when she misbehaves and only reward when she starts standing still? I know a lot of people bring the food out in desperation to get the puppy standing for the exam, but it seems to be having the reverse effect here. You don't have to be heavy-handed with her, just take the food away when she starts acting up then wait for her to settle down and stand before rewarding. Once she realises that standing still equates to food, then add the judge going over her and slowly build up from there.

Thanks again for all the good advice, thankfully she's a smooth coated breed that doesn't need a table and I'm extremely lucky as she's very nice quality and I think she could do very well when she's matured.

Like you say the food is starting to turn against us in a way - without it I'm thinking I need to experiment with how much exercise I can give her before so she's not so full of beans but not too much so that she gets dirty or becomes overtired.

The other thing I'm starting to think is I should take a tray of wet food to give her just before her class so she's had something and doesn't act like she's not eaten in a week - I'll have to experiment with quantity as I tried a whole tray of naturediet right before a ringcraft class once and she scoffed the lot and still acted like she was starving!

I've also bought some treats that are long enough that I can hold half and she can hold the rest in her mouth - and they feel quite chewy/rubbery so they may give us enough time for the judge to go over her.

I think I need to start with practicing with my partner playing the judge and then ask a couple of friends to have a go once we've made some progress?!

I take varied treats, more boring stuff for the OTT chow hound mood, or really good stuff if they appear at all lack lustre/bored.