Showing bite

[Lynxlover]

Does anyone, that shows there dogs, have any tips on teaching the dog to let you show it's bite? I've been taking my 7 month old chow to conformation classes for probably the last 2 months but I'm still having trouble trying to show his bite.
Thank You
Natasha

[Rory's Dad]

Practice, practice, practice.

And beyond that, reward.

At 7 months, your Chow is only a month into eligibility, and bite showing is not a natural behavior for any dog. Confirmation classes are good in some ways. They introduce strangers to the inspection process and the different methods they may run into with the various judges.

My male is just over 2 years old and has no issue with bite inspection. He used to avoid having his boy parts checked and did better on a ramp than on the floor. Different judges uses different methods. He also tended to not react so well to judges that bent over him rather than standing at his side. The 'hovering' method got him a little on edge at the beginning. He is 1 Major win away from finishing.

Our female is almost 15 months. She is more difficult (typical bitch). She does not like bite inspection in the least. On a standard 3-4 day show set, she allows it the 1st couple days, but then has had enough. We usually end up pulling her for the last day or so and it has cost our male crossover pts on a couple occasions.

Practice at home with his family. It can be tough if you try alone as you will probably have to approach her from the rear to handle the muzzle. Since this is not the way it is done in the ring, its not great practice, but will get him used to having his mouth handled. I would recommend having a show lead at home. Use it for practice walking. Do not use it for anything else. Use a standard collar/leash for walks. Believe it or not, they will learn the difference, and that is what you want. He will learn that the show lead means 'strut'. If you plan to handle him yourself for confirmation, then be on the end of the show lead. Get him in position and have a family member or friend do the mouth inspection. If he is resistant, don't worry. Learn to get a grip around his neck and display his teeth yourself. Most Chow judges are accepting on that as long as they can see. They are reluctant to excuse Chows for bite resistance and certainly don't want to risk a bite with a strange dog. They will not be so tolerant for body inspections.

Make sure you reward good behavior. Most handlers use a liver bait, but find something that your Chow reacts well to. My female loves cheese or a good kiss on the nose. She is pretty good with normal family members, but doesnt appreciate the mouth stretch with strangers as much. And ignore complaints that sound like snoring...unless its a true growl, he is fine. Vocalize what you want...'teeth'.

Repetition is key. He must be used to being handled. Again, classes are good, but it needs to happen more frequently to really get him accustomed to the routine.

[maikinda]

Rorys dad is right, it takes practice. I would use a high value treat, something he loves. Maybe chicken or liver. Have they showed you the correct way to show his bite at class? You want to be very gentle and treat just as soon as you do it. Even if he just shows you a little, reward him. I always tell mine teeth and tongue when I do it when I start. Just like every other command they soon learn.

Good luck!

Laura

[Lynxlover]

I don't know if they've showed me the "correct way"...its all new to me. This is the first chow I've wanted to enter in conformation. There is another lady who comes to class with a chow. She's very nice and she's showed me how she shows the bite. Maybe you can explain the correct way to me...

[Lynxlover]

Rory's Dad: Congratulations on being so close to finishing his championship. Yes, I plan on handling him myself. I have a show lead at home. He's pretty good about walking and inspection. It's just the bite we need to work on. He's actually improved a lot in the last 2 months. The first time they tried to open his mouth he freaked out, screamed bloody murder and made a total scene. Now I can open his mouth with out a fight. He'll let me see his tongue. I just struggle showing the actual bite (teeth).

[612guy]

Do it every day but just once. Don't make a big deal about it and he will become comfortable with it after awhile. Say " teeth" and then " open".

[Rory's Dad]

Thank you Lynx, hopefully finish Rory next month. Just trying to get the numbers entered into a show since he needs a Major...no easy feat here in the Northeast.

Correct inspection technique is tough to explain. Best bet might be to watch some videos. Go to the Westminster Kennel Club website and watch some of the breed judging videos. Naturally, the Chow videos would be best, but the process is the same for most breeds of similar size. LOL, but probably avoid some of the spaniel vids since they cover the dogs eyes with the ears and you can't do that with a Chow...well not gracefully anyway.

[Sirchow]

Mine all get a treat at bedtime. It's a tiny treat but they look forward to it like it was a meaty bone! So to get that treat they have to walk up to me and "stand" then walk perfectly placed at my side and "turn" and walk back at my side "stand" again then I say "teeth" and pop their mouths open and "open" and one more perfect "stand" and then the microscopic treat is theirs. Isla is so desperate and so focused on that treat by the time we get to opening mouths she is so in the treat zone she just does it to get it over with.

It's a whole other ball game in the ring as she loves showing till the judge comes near her. I am not sure if I will show her again. It's a shame as she got best opposite s*x as a puppy and has few firsts in classes but she has got to an age that judges expect her to behave

Good luck. I hope you get there.

[Lynxlover]

Mine always has his mouth open. I can't manage to close his mouth...to show his teeth. I'm afraid I'm going to make him bite his tongue.

[Lynxlover]

Sir chow: what does she do when the judge comes near her?

[Sirchow]

Thats a new one on me Lynxlover....usually I am prizing mouths open not forcing them shut!

Isla goes from a beautifully balanced happy little show off standing and trotting up beautifully to a cowering terrified "don't touch me you chow beating person" chow. Here we do not use ramps which I think would help as the chow is not loomed over by the judge....they are more on an equal height. I did pop her on a table the last show we were at but whilst you can get away with that with a youngster she is now nearly two and I think a judge would want to see a happy confident girl and they will, but they will never get to touch one sigh...

Her mum Izzie (the black girl in my sig strip) is so laid back in the ring she would probably take a snooze whilst the judge was going over her if I didn't keep sticking pins in her. Her favorite trick whilst waiting her turn is to let all four legs slowly splay out in different directions on the polished floor and sink down in slow motion with a weary sigh. She has reduced whole show rings to tears of laughter doing this in her most theatrical manner. Her father does it too apparently and she has never even met him.

[maikinda]

I don't know if they've showed me the "correct way"...its all new to me. This is the first chow I've wanted to enter in conformation. There is another lady who comes to class with a chow. She's very nice and she's showed me how she shows the bite. Maybe you can explain the correct way to me...

I don't know if I can explain but I'll try. Use the index finger of each hand to lift the upper part of the lip and the middle finger of each hand to push the bottom lip down. Be gentle. All the judge wants to see is that they have a scissor bite.

An all breed judge told me that when I'm showing I should always just go ahead and show the bite myself.

Good luck

[maikinda]

Mine always has his mouth open. I can't manage to close his mouth...to show his teeth. I'm afraid I'm going to make him bite his tongue.

~
Try blowing on his nose or mouth, he should close his mouth.


Laura

[Rory's Dad]

Rory loves to display his tongue. He is an open mouth chow right up until that ramp time. Then he knows its coming and closes up. Picture attached to demonstrate how he looks on the ramp. I had a much better picture just before he won his Major, but couldnt locate it. Anyway, you should get the concept.

[maikinda]

When I first started showing I waited for the judge to ask me to show the bite. This one day the judge decided she wanted to do it herself. She tried to open my girls mouth and couldn't. My girl never moved a muscle just clamped her mouth and refused to open it. Then the judge put her arm around my girls neck and tried to pry her mouth open again. Again my girl stood perfectly still but would not open her mouth. Finally the judge looked at me and asked me if I could show her the bite. I reached over and opened Ebony's mouth and showed her bite, no problem at all. That's a chow for you.

I had only showed a few times when this happened. Looking back I have to wonder what in the world this judge was thinking. You live and learn in the show world.

Laura

[612guy]

It seems easy but when you're in the ring with the judge anything can happen. Looking back when Brutus was in ring for groups, the lead came completely off him while I was showing his bite. I was very lucky because he just stood there, I was a little nervous to say the least that he might take off. Could you imagine a loose young chow in groups at a dog show? So just make sure the lead is always tight. Also have a towel on you in the ring to wipe his mouth because judges don't like to feel wet mouths. I don't understand why they don't make the handler show the bite because it seems easy to spread germs because they go don't wash their hands between the dogs.

Good luck,
612

[Rory's Dad]

612, it really depends on the judge. Most of them that i have run across actually have the handler open the mouth and present the bite. They just do a cursory touch and inspection. Rory's only fault is his bite, and any experienced judge notes it right away (he has one bottom tooth that is pointed inward). I have found that judges that are more comfortable with chows will do the bite inspection themselves. But they spend more time with the dog and try to build a rapport. I have learned to watch ahead on the Chow breed judging and assess the judge. If the judge hunches over for inspection, refuses a ramp, or rushes through the process i know ahead of time that Rory is going to be less comfortable.

[Lynxlover]

Exciting new! I've been able to show Odin's bite for the last 3 days. I don't know if that will translate over to showing it in class. But were making progress! Thanks for all the advice.

[Rory's Dad]

That is good progress Lynx. Congrats to you and Odin both. It's definitely a team effort.