This tip is by Dr. Al Grossman, a psychologist, dog show judge, and shower/handler of several champion dogs, including the former number one dog in the U.S. He has been involved with dogs for more than thirty years.

Tip #7: Dog's Eye View of Dog Shows

How Do Dogs React to the Rigors of the Dog Show Game?

If you're new to the dog show game, you need to appreciate that dogs are under a great deal of stress. It's an intense experience for them and they burn a lot of calories during a show. Being confined to a crate most of the day, riding from one strange place to another, and being separated from their owners is all very hard on dogs.

Because they can't speak out and tell you their problems, you need to observe their behavior and performance. An article in The Oregonian on pet stress points out that "recent technical advances reveal that pets can face the same health risks as people, such as hypertension." You and your dog share the same risks that stress presents.

Some dogs handle all this with aplomb. Others react with varying symptoms, often failing to respond handler's wishes. Many a handler has come out of the ring cursing the handful they had to contend with that go-around.

Most animals are happiest when they have a set routine. They get let out of their runs at certain time, they get fed at a set time, and in the same place. Kennel or home surroundings are constant. They gain confidence by this routine. They know what and when to expect things to happen. In effect, they are in control. Now, you take that same well-adjusted dog to a handler for his show career. First off, the handle is a stranger in a strange environment. The dog is suddenly unsure where he is supposed to go or what he is supposed to do.

The handler's feeding schedule--and often his food--are different from what your dog had been used to. Next, your dog enters into a training program that is foreign to him. Hopefully, he eventually gains confidence in his handler, but he is definitely not in Kansas anymore.

Just as your dog is getting used to this new routine, he is tucked into a crate, put in some strange kind of vehicle, and driven many miles away. He gets hauled out into unfamiliar surroundings yet again and has to perform in a strange setting. (Happily, most of the time he can do it.) Then, once again, he is tucked into his crate and it is off to another show on the circuit. During all this, the handler, can't pay much attention to your dog because he has a full slate of dogs entered. So, the dog gets a quick brush out, a cluck under the chin and he is expected to do his thing to perfection.

Is it any wonder that sometimes these great dogs "go off their feed?" They can handle only so much stress and then there is a breaking point.

Symptoms can include a dull coat, pulling back on the lead, whimpering when touched in certain places, and acting as if the lead hurts and they have tonsillitis, even though the Vet says they have no sign of it. These symptoms are reactions to a situation the dog can't handle. They want to withdraw and unconsciously chose the route that works best for them.

To the stress the dog is experiencing, add the handler's disposition and mental and physical health, and you can begin to understand why odd things can happen on any given day.

How can I insure that my dogs will win more regularly and be able to handle stress?

Let's start by acknowledging that good temperament is essential in any breed. This means the dog has to come from parents and grandparents who exhibited these qualities. Today, a big thing is made of behavioral testing to see which puppies in a litter can react to strange and challenging situations and not panic or attack.

Dr. Ian Dunbar writing in the AKC Gazette in 1990 stated,

The quality of a dog's behavior, temperament and training varies inversely with the number of dogs in the household. Most dog fanciers start with a single dog which is both pet and show dog. Additional dogs are acquired along the way and at some point, many breeders opt for outdoor kennels to accommodate the growing dog population.

Kennel dogs receive less human attention and affection than household pets. Most breeders are women, and less than 40 percent of breeders have children living at home. This means that many puppies and adult dogs sold as pets have seldom met children or men (the two most common stimuli for fearfulness and aggression), are seldom exposed to the confusing commotion and cacophony of an ever changing domestic environment and are less likely to be walked regularly where they would meet a wide variety of human strangers as well as other dogs and animals in different urban and rural settings.

It's easy to see that the dog you purchased as your show dog may have come from just such an environment. Not that he hasn't been raised well and show some equilibrium , but he may not be ready or able to handle the new world you have thrust him into.

While a dog's basic personality is set at an early age, you can still help your dog and yourself by building on the foundation you have. Take your dog with you on walks. Take him to the mall (if he is allowed there), take him to outdoor shopping centers, and take him on short rides while in his crate that don't end up at the Vet's or the boarding kennel.

Reassure him at all times when he comes across a strange situation and is not sure how to react. Be positive and don't drag him into frightening situations telling him he is a crybaby and should be bold and aggressive. Buddy, if you do that I can guarantee a problem dog.
Go with your handler to the dog's first shows, let him know you are there and pet him a lot. Slowly, he will make the transfer to his handler and you will probably become jealous because the dog seems to prefer this other person to you.

Keep your expectations reasonable. If this is your first dog, the breeder probably didn't sell you a Best-In-Show specimen. You may more likely have a finishable dog. Having him finish his championship is surely better than a sharp stick in the eye, so show him, enjoy him, and most of all, love him.

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