Page 248 - ShowSight - July 2019

Owner Handler Q & A
Do I feel that owner/handlers have an advantage because of their bond with their dogs? No, I don’t believe we have any advantage over professional handlers because of the bond. Anyone can form a bond with a dog. Many dogs live with handlers full time or for large amounts of time, I know multiple handlers that think of some of their client dogs as their own.
What’s more important to me, an all-breed win or a specialty win? All wins are very important to me, that’s a really hard choice. Specialty wins often are under breeder judges and there is usually more competition so I would say those have a little bit more meaning behind them; but I wouldn’t say they are more important. I believe a good dog should be able to win under both circumstances.
Are my wins that much more special? Yes, I feel that wins as a breeder owner are more special to be, rather than if I had a handler, because *we* did it. We did all the training together, all the groom- ing, and the handling. We got to work together as a team and did it together. I think that is so special!
Is fitting the show schedule into my “regular” life a constant bal- ancing act? No, it’s not a constant balancing act, I am dogs all day all the time. I choose shows that I’ve never been to because I love to travel and see other places, my dogs love to show and enjoy traveling too, so it really is easy. Scheduling around all the different dog activities I like to do can be difficult because sometimes events are on the same weekend, but in the end we always have fun and enjoy what we are doing. That’s the most important thing.
I would tell newcomers to have fun, don’t listen to any negative comments and just do your best. In any group there is going to be competition and people that disagree. Do what you enjoy and don’t think about what others think. Get involved, find the awesome peo- ple that are there, and work hard. You’ll do great!
KENNON DICKSON
I live in Monte Sereno, California in silicon valley. My passion is rescuing senior dogs. I started in Maltese nine years ago rescuing a Maltipoo. Unfortunately she had metastasized cancer and I only had her for 39 days. that little dog had more heart and more drive that any big dog I’ve ever seen. I fell in love with a breed! I had a handler in the mid-80s show my Cocker Spaniels. I didn’t like sending them away and never intended to show again. At my first Maltese National I met Mary Day. Mary and her partner, Carole Thomas, have been in Maltese for over 50 years and have made a huge impact on our beauti- ful breed! Mary had a retired champion dog she wanted to place and I wanted to learn about Maltese coats. She gave me CH King Midas. Midas is now almost 14 and a very spoiled bed dog. I still only did rescue. With senior rescue you lose a lot of animals. In 2013 Mary had a beautiful litter with two lovely bitches in it. She wanted me to have something young and strong and healthy. She let me pick which of the girls I wanted and of course I picked the tiny spitfire! GrChB C and M’s Rainey California Spring. after Mary finished her I decided to try showing her in owner handled. She went on to be number two Maltese in the United States with an amateur like me on the other end in NOHS. NOHS got me back into showing dogs. If it had not been for that I would have never tried again. I think the program is wonderful and I totally support it! I do wish AKC and judges would give it more respect though. It’s very difficult time wise and economi- cally to really campaign a dog but with owner handled you at least have a chance. In the regular group against the top pros it’s very, very hard to win even if your dog is the best! If somebody is interested in showing their own dog I would suggest you go to a lot of shows and talk to people who have the breed with dogs that you like. Remember to be respectful because if someone is about to put a dog in the ring they can’t talk to you at that moment but most of us will talk to you after we show. Please don’t get disappointed that we cannot talk at that moment. We really do want you in our sport! We want everyone to love showing their own dogs as much as we do! Read as much as
you can and just go try. Owner handled is a great place to show and start especially! If you show your own dog even if you lose you get to be with the dog! That’s the best! It also means more for a win that you and the dog have earned together.
JEAN C. EDWARDS
I reside on a 40 acre farm in Upper Deerfield, New Jer- sey with my beloved Siberian Huskies and cats. I am a retired library administrator but contin- ue to photograph dog show wins and portraits for ads. I also take candid photographs at dog shows that appear in ShowSight maga- zine. I love to garden and enjoy all the nature that surrounds me: bluebirds, hummingbirds, deer and all the other natural wonders in my yard and fields.
I have loved and owned Siberian Huskies since the early 80s when I purchased my first red and white male Siberian Husky from Kath- leen Kanzler when Innisfree Kennels was in Accokeek, Maryland. Since that time, I have completed championships on dozens of dogs.
Although I have been an owner-handler for nearly 40 years, I have never participated in the NOHS. It is very important to many exhibi- tors some of whom will not enter a show unless it is offered. I hold this competition at my show, South Jersey Kennel Club. Since show entries are lower than in previous years, this is a way to attract exhibi- tors. I have heard one club member state that it does not bring in more income but it does since some exhibitors are primarily interested in the competition and wouldn’t go otherwise.
Some owner-handlers have an advantage due to their close bond with their dogs but if they don’t develop the same grooming and han- dling techniques, they cannot compete against professional handlers. The best professional and owner-handlers wash their dogs, groom them immaculately and stack and move their dogs to their advantage.
When I was competing with my girl, Leah, and in his early years, with her son, Carter, specialties were 100 or more dogs. It was very rewarding to win a specialty. At that time, Leah was tied with a few other bitches for the highest number of specialty wins. These days, specialties may be only 30 dogs. It is still a thrill to win a specialty but not so much as when there were 120 entered. Getting a Group 1 was always fantastic. There is no thrill like a Best in Show. I have owned two dogs that were Best in Show winners but they were not handled by me to the highest win.
In general, I would prefer to show my own dogs since I do believe there is more satisfaction in the wins. However, this isn’t always pos- sible due to numbers of dogs, time constraints and physical limita- tions. Every win is special to me but I have to admit that when my girl, Leah, won her first Best in Show with a professional handler, I was more thrilled than I had ever been in my whole life.
Since I’ve retired from my full-time occupation as a library admin- istrator, my time is more manageable.
Advice to a newcomer: work hard. When I first arrived on the show scene, I needed to learn about my breed, Siberian Huskies. I consulted with the experts. In order to learn to handle, I attended classes twice a week more than an hour away. I also watched handlers at the shows to learn what they did to succeed. Also socialize with breeders. A lot can be learned over a good meal with great company.
ANITA GAGE
We live in Fortuna, California, a small coastal community 4 1/2 hours north of San Francisco. I am a retired high school English
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