Page 238 - ShowSight - July 2019
P. 238

                     Owner Handler Q & A
amateur or professional, that have a special bond and it shows in their performance. A professional handler that has handled a dog for a few months develops the same bond that an owner has. I think that where you see a huge difference is when you hand an unfamiliar dog to a professional and to an amateur. The professional can usually coax an adequate performance out of most any dog where the amateur
usually cannot.
What’s more important to me, an all-breed win or a specialty win?
Both an all-breed win and a specialty win are very important to me. Both of my breeds have very few Breeder Judges. In my opinion, a Specialty win by a respected Breeder Judge would be most important. I have an all-breed BIS with a Black and Tan and two Specialty wins with a Manchester and I would have to say that the BIS is very special to me.
If you’re a breeder/owner/handler, are your wins that much more special? Yes. Winning with a dog that I have bred means way more to me than winning with a dog that isn’t of my breeding.
Is fitting the show schedule into my “regular” life a constant bal- ancing act? Now that I am retired it is much easier to schedule dog show trips. I am lucky enough to have my daughter and her husband living in my guest house who trade dog care for rent.
Advice to a newcomer: have fun with your dog! Listen to oth- ers who have more experience and be open to advice. Read anything and everything that you can on your breed, grooming and presenting your breed, and general handling tips. Watch professional handlers and try to learn from what they are doing. It’s best to watch not only your breed but breeds who are shown similarly to yours. But most of all—have fun!
ANNE BOWES
I live in Duxbury, Massachusetts and I am a dog breeder which is my passion as well. I purchased my first Pembroke Welsh Corgi in August of 1968, so I have been in the breed for nearly 51 years.
I feel that the NOHS program has encouraged exhibitors to show their own Champions and therefore has allowed owner/handlers the chance to improve their handling skills.
Do I feel that owner/handlers have an advantage because of their bond with their dogs? Most owner/handlers do have a close bond with their dogs. However, that can work against them as much as it can be in their favor. Sometimes dogs will try to take advantage of their owners more than they would a professional handler whom they don’t know as well!
Do breeder/owner/handlers have an extra added advantage when it comes to showing? Only if that breeder/owner/handler is as pro- ficient a handler as the professional handlers in the ring with them!
Where do I whelp pups? I whelp all of my litters at my vet’s office as they are born via cesarean section. My vet and I deter- mine optimal breeding time and whelping date with the use of progesterone testing.
At what age do I place show or pet pups? The Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America’s Code of Ethics states the member-breeders cannot place puppies before the age of ten weeks, so my pet puppies are placed in their new homes between 10-16 weeks of age. Show pup- pies are placed much later, anywhere from 6-12 months so that I can fully assess their show quality. Pembroke Welsh Corgis are a dwarf breed and I think the dwarfism makes it very difficult to assess show quality until they are 6-12 months old.
Has local legislation affected me? So far, there has not been any local legislation that affects my ability to own, breed and raise dogs. Duxbury has always been an animal-friendly town with many residents owning horses, dogs, goats and chickens. I hope that it stays that way!
Bill Trainor was the mentor that gave the most valuable advice and I miss him every day! I taught conformation training classes for 40 years and have written articles and given talks and seminars on
how to handle your own dogs in the conformation ring. Of course I am available 24/7 for my owners with show dogs or pets!
Advice to a newcomer: find a mentor in your chosen breed— someone who has had many years of success in the whelping box and in the ring—and follow their advice. Many new breeders breed what they have, keep what they get and show what they keep, whether it is show quality or not. Most of those breeders don’t stay in the sport very long! My advice is: breed the best to the best and hope for the best. If you don’t get the best, then start over.
The Sport of dogs has literally “given me the world,” for which I am so grateful. Judging Pembroke Welsh Corgis has taken me to seven foreign countries that I never would have been able to visit on my own. But what I love the very best about our sport is that it is open to everyone—no matter what your age, sex, religion, national- ity, sexual preference or the color of skin. Anyone can breed and show a dog and win, if they put in the incredible amount of hard work, long hours and dedication that it takes! If there were a job description for a dog breeder, here is how it might read: “Position available for goal-ori- ented, high-energy, disciplined individual with a passion for dogs and puppies who thrives in a challenging, fast-paced environment. Must be able to work long hours. Requirements: thorough knowledge of the Standard and the basics of genetics, strong back, strong stomach, thick skin, and a heart not easily broken. Rewards: the intense joy and satisfaction which comes from creating beautiful animals who give a lifetime of love and devotion to their owners.”
CECILIA BOZZO
I bought my first ‘pet’ Chihuahua in 2009. I attended my first Regional Specialty in 2010. I began showing later in 2010. I bred my first litter in 2012. I breed very little as I work and travel for shows. I purchased a puppy bred by Darwin Delaney of Dartan Chihuahuas in 2013. I knew she was special but didn’t realize how special until our journey began. She has been in the top ten breed and/or all breed rankings for 4+ years and top five breed and/or all breed rankings for 3+ years. She has been number one NOHS for five consistent years. She has a Regular BIS, RBIS, MBISS, Best of Variety at the Chihua- hua Club of America National Specialty 2018, NOHS Finals RBIS 2018, Best of Variety at Westminster 2019. She has 17 OH BIS and I’m not sure how many OH RBIS. It can be done!
I live in Wilmington, Delaware and I’m a professional NICU nurse of 27 years. I have been in Chihuahuas for ten years.
I began participating in the NOHS to help my young Special become more comfortable competing at the Group level. She had fin- ished her Championship at eight months old. I truly enjoy participat- ing in the program and will enter a circuit based on the judging panel and if NOHS is offered.
I feel all professional handlers and owner handlers can have the same advantage when they develop a very special bond with their exhibit. As as owner handler, perhaps more time is spent one-on-one, however, I have met many dedicated, professional handlers who have incredible bonds with their dogs.
Both all breed and specialty ‘wins’ are meaningful to me. What makes the ‘win’ more meaningful is the judge and the competition.
At times I have felt that it would be impossible to compete on the same level as the professionals. Then, after many years of hard work and consistency, I began to realize that it was very possible. There are, of course, some judges which are more likely to judge the dogs than others. Over time, paying close attention enables you to know which judges to show to and where to show. I can not compare if my owner handled wins are ‘more special’ because I have always been an Owner Handler. There have been a few select ‘wins’ that have meant more than others.
As a nurse I’m required to work every other weekend. I can make ‘deals’ and ‘switches’ with my colleagues to get to the shows I want to attend. It can be very challenging. The years I was trying to show
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