Without knowing what program your boy came from there are some general things to consider. A pet puppy is (in a best case scenario) going to be conditioned and socialized with the focus being placed on one type of human interaction. The pet puppy is conditioned to interact with his owner in a way that has very few limits, if he is happy-go-lucky and confident he'll almost surely have an easy time pleasing his owner.
Conversely the show puppy is conditioned to interact in a much different way. He'll very often spend more time with his owner in one on one time but each aspect of his life is disciplined. He will be exposed to new experiences but he'll be conditioned to have a controlled response. You certainly wouldn't want him to become aggressive or distracted while he is in the ring. This tightly regimented lifestyle is absolutely necessary to be a successful show candidate but is going to take a little while to relax from. If he didn't perform well in the show ring it may mean that he didn't "like" to show. This can mean a lot of different things but suffice it to say even the most perfect specimen isn't a show dog unless he decides in his own mind to be.
He is probably trying to adjust to the fact that the rules governing his life have changed. Once he understands the new rules he'll become more confident and the puppy you saw in the beginning will begin to shine through again.
Fix your mind on the kind of puppy you want him to be and treat him as though he were already that puppy. It may surprise you how quickly he actually becomes that puppy. He'll draw confidence from your body language and tone of voice...it's what he's been conditioned to do up to this point. Above all be consistent with him, repetition has been the order of the day and it will comfort him. |