9 month puppy bitch who refuses to let anyone go over her.

[colette tuite]

I wondered if anyone out there has experienced a puppy who has been shown since 6 months but suddenly has decided not to let anyone go over her.She started this at 8 months and has done this for the last 3 shows.Has anyone any idea how to overcome this problem.? She has not had a bad experience in the ring to my knowledge.

[Catherine Carter]

Yes Colette, I experienced the same with Roger who is now 3 and a half. He went to a few shows at 6 months having done ringcraft since he was 12 weeks old ,and then I took him to Bath Champ shows under Gill Dale and he would not let her near him. I just persevered until he got to the age of 12 months and suddenly he figured it out and stood rock solid for the judge. I don't really know what it was that made him such a difficult youngster in the ring but I kept on practising at home and going to ringcraft. I wish you the best with your puppy. Keep on encouraging her, always positive thoughts and rewards that is the way I went about it.

[colette tuite]

Thanks Catherine

[Susan Stone]

I find practising with a tube of meat spread (or similarly tasty) is very usueful:-))
To begin with I do not stack the dog just let him stand as he likes and let him suckle and lick the end of the tube. Next step is I ask someone to touch the dog just for a moment and at exactly the same moment I give the dog the meat spread (yummieyummie). I remove the meat tube at exactly the same moment as the person stops touching my dog.
Touch = tasty treat, no touch = no treat. This teaches the dog that being touched is a great thing because that is the exact moment he gets to lick the tube... this works better than someone else or yourself giving the dog a biscuit, because the biscuit just gets swallowed, wheras the tube stays there to be licked during the time of handling.

[colette tuite]

Thanks all for your kind help.I particularly like Susan's suggestion using a tube of meat paste.I shall look out for something like that ,i didnt know you could get it in a tube.I will then take it to ring craft to practise.The last show i tried that kind of approach using cubes of cheddar (which the dogs seem to like) but to no avail but i hadnt been doing that with her during practice.I hope she wont be like Daktyl as she has been ok at shows for two months before starting this silly behaviour. I guess it will be a slow process but hope we get there in the end.Thanks for all your help.

[Susan Stone]

Colette - I don't know if you can get these meat paste tubes in Britain... but I could always send you a couple;-))
Youngsters of around 6-9 months often go through a 'sensitive' phase in their developement. Often a bitch comes in season for the first time and looses the devil-may-dare confidence she had as a puppy.
This is usually a passing phase, but still needs counterconditioning or else the behaviour may become a habit - not what you'd want for a show dog...

[Nicole Wilson]

If you mean "le parfait" then there's no equivalent in Britain, I don't think. I usually get my supply in Switzerland and bring it over ;-)) Maybe a gap in the market, Susan... :-)

[Susan Stone]

That's the one, Nicole! No equivalent? How on earth do people manage???? ;-))

[Nicole Wilson]

It's quite difficult!! There's a cheese paste in a tube which is OK but not quite the same....

[Nicole Wilson]

Actually, I tell a lie. There is one equivalent: Tartex. You can get it in health food shops here but you have to watch out for the ones that contain onions. Also they don't contain meat but lots of yeast but most dogs love that just as much ....

[Margaret Sierakowski]

Mail order from Switzerland?

http://www.swissmade.com/1334/nestl%C3%A9_-_le_parfait

[Susan Stone]

That's great, Margaret, exactly what we are talking of:-)) but I can get them at half that price!
There is one with liver taste and one with chicken - and another brand with smelly messy salmon paste... meant for humans, but work wonders for dogs and puppies.

[colette tuite]

Susan ,I am willing to do whatever it takes if it is the means to overcome this problem.In the next day or so will look at the shelves in various supermarkets to see if there is an equivalent over here.Otherwise i would be more than grateful if you would be able to send me over some.Thanks also to Margaret for supplying the web link.