Page 138 - ShowSight - June 2020

I live in the Chicagoland area. Maltese is my breed, but I have also bred Best in Show/Best in Specialty Show, and/or Group-win- ning Lhasa Apsos, Shih Tzu and Tibetan Terriers.
My hobbies are my dogs, and I also enjoy going to the theater and out to dinner with friends. History in dog shows is also a hobby of mine.
I do not breed my dogs often. I breed strictly for conformation, but I still breed for dogs with good temperaments, smart brains, and good health. I actually breed to make a better and better dog each time, and since I have been in it for so long I have a very high bar to keep. I think it is so funny when the description of some of our breeders is “I am a hobby breeder” and they have litter after litter for sale, or have 100’s of champions.
Do I compete in the AKC National Owner-Handled Series? No.
My biggest challenge as an owner-handler has been when I can- not show my own dogs due to clients (yes, I am a professional han- dler too, but also a breeder/owner-handler). Throughout the years, my own dogs have taken a backseat to clients’ dogs. One time I had to campaign a Maltese that I truthfully did not like. However, I had to put on a game face in the ring and win with him as I was being payed to do the best I could. I also once had a Lhasa Apso I did not breed that was so far from the type that I liked, but still I was win- ning for the client as that was what made them happy. I have been fortunate through the years to have great clients, so I can exhibit dogs that I’ve bred and owned too.
What has been my biggest thrill as a competitor? Recently, besides winning back-to-back Best in Shows, Best in Specialty, it has been winning Westminster Best of Breed with the dog that I bred and is the result of many years of dogs I have bred and/or shown. That is a great thrill!
How are me and my dogs keeping busy now that dog shows are on hiatus? I am busy taking care of my dogs. With the extra time at home I get to love them even more and give them extra special attention. I also have one puppy that keeps me amused too. I haven’t even begun going through all the old pictures and organizing that I have planned to do. I also am enjoying the park-like setting of my yard, which is normally hard to do when you are not home. I am literally sitting and smelling the roses!
Do I have any specific goals in mind for my return to the show ring? I am not rushing back for the almighty win. The goals will be the same as I always have had throughout my life; just do the best you can do, take your best shot, and take your wins and your loses. I still get to take my dog home with me and he will love me. (He always wins in his mind.) I am very fortunate to have his co-owner be more concerned about the health of me and our dog and would rather that I be very careful. After all, I am of “that age group” in theory of years, but not in my “mind!”
How important is the owner-handler to the future of the sport? The owner-handler is just as important as it used to be and will be in the future. Those who work at any craft or competition will do well if they do their homework. Many of the owner-handlers are like the people of the day—they think they are entitled.
The funniest thing that’s ever happened to me as a breeder/own- er-handler? In a Best in Show ring, the elastic band to a bow broke. So I quickly put the other bow over both topknots and basically formed a Shih Tzu topknot on my Maltese!
CHARLA & KARI HILL
We are Charthill Scottish Terriers: Charla, daughter Kari, and husband Tom; all contribute to the success of our breeding program and our exhibiting successes. We have consistently had Scotties that can win in the best competition, with a total of 260 champions under our prefix to date; 1980-2020.
We are proud of producing the first American-bred Scot- tie to win the breed at Crufts with a Group placement and to become a World Winner in 2007. In addition, we have secured titles in 12 different countries on four continents. Personally, plus the USA, we handled and won in Spain, France, England, Chile, Uru- guay, Panama, Canada and Mexico. Greenville, South Carolina is home.
We have many other interests although our first love is our Scot- ties. I have a website and Kari loves to run marathons and bike out- doors when not working full-time. We own a “Pet Resort” (on three acres) on a US Route with a lot of traffic. My husband, Tom, keeps it running. It has been successful, although slow now with many not travelling. Grooming business is still good. Our own Scotties are kept at home, no crate except for travel and showing. Puppies are born in the bedroom and, when up on their feet and weaned, are moved to the kitchen where they have a large play room. Breeding is not for selling now, as it is for the purpose of showing. However, it has been a delight to work with several people recently as a mentor.
I have loved this breed from being a child whose favorite toy was a stuffed Scottie. In 1965, we bought our first Scottie. We had a lot to learn. As time passed, we found our first show Scottie. What a sweetheart, and she gave birth to our first two litters. As time went on, we bred more often, showing, and took on mentoring new- bies in the sport with all aspects of doing the work themselves. We helped others to learn to breed. It is more important now than ever. Breeding is not happening as often as when I was younger, but of the puppies we have had in the last ten years, we have kept and shown most of them to a title. Kari has enjoyed the opportunity to judge Terriers, and she will have the entire Group soon.
Last year, we were the owners of the number #1 Scottie in the Owner-Handled Series, ranking high among all the dogs. Kari did most of Keith’s handling. We started 2020 out with #1 again, but with the Coronavirus, shows were cancelled. We are anticipating taking him back out. We would like for Owner-Handled to con- tinue as an event, but many judges think that a win in Owner- Handled does not merit a win also in the regular classes. A win with a handler in so many cases is considered better. Many instances are looked at like if you pay a handler you rank higher.
The greatest challenge in breeding and showing one’s own dog is time and help. Families who share the work can be more successful than those who have to hire help while at the shows.
How are we and our dogs keeping busy now that dog shows are on hiatus? Being home all the time without shows being held gives us more opportunity to train, groom, and play with our Scotties. It has given us an opportunity also to relax and reorganize, and get a lot done that needed attention around home. We have some won- derful young dogs needing to get into the ring, and returning to the ring would be a thrill. They seem to be raring to go. The young ones should finish quickly.
How important is the owner-handler to the future of the sport? Owner-Handled is very good practice, even though some judges look at it as a beginner class, and it is quickly taking on the role of Novice in prestige. In the future, the AKC would benefit from giving it a study, perhaps an article on the Groups and the Amateur- Owner-Handler Class, in light of the main Group (handlers) being perceived as the “top” dogs.
136 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2020
BREEDER/OWNER-HANDLER Q&A