Socializing in the ring

[beachdogz]

Hi Everybody

I have a friend with a problem in that her dog is "ring wise".  I gave her my thoughts and ideas, but I'd like to hear any other thoughts and ideas others might have.  Here is the situation:

Dog is a female Aussie around 4 yrs old.  This person has trialed multiple dogs over the years - she is not a beginner. Her dogs are extremely well trained and she puts a lot of work into them.  The dog is competing in Open. 

At class and at run-throughs (even at other clubs) the dog executes the retrieve over jump perfectly. 

Has been at 4 trials and basically did the same thing at all 4 trials:  Jumps and retrieves the dumbbell, and then either goes to visit stewards and/or judge before coming to front -- or jumps back but before fronting will go to visit stewards and/or judge.  She always eventually ends with a front. 

Evidently there is now some sort of "fix and go" option in AKC (I'm not familiar since I don't show in that) and she was not made aware until before the 4th trial - so she did a fix and go at the fourth trail and has not shown again to know if that took care of the problem. 

Anyone have any ideas as to what she could do to fix this problem?

Thanks in Advance!

[Journey]

Ah, the fun of proofing! Tell her to get out of her training box and have fun. Do this with a group of people, toss, send, then the handler needs to haul butt and hide! I mean out of sight and quietly. Make this dog start thinking. Just like proofing recalls, out of sight till about near panic sets in then a whisper to help. Then we can always do the 2 dumbbells' game, 2 dumbbells', 2 jumps, set up between them and forget the front, toss, jump, as returning, toss over the other, game on time! She's got to make this FUN! Fun in returning and fun in playing the game in general.

[beachdogz]

Thank you!  Passing this along!