My childhood was enriched by showing in junior showmanship and my adulthood was shaped off of the lessons I learned through junior showmanship. I am eternally thankful for the junior handler program through the AKC.
When I was active in Juniors I qualified for Westminster and the Eukanuba Classic each year, but due to life outside of dog shows I never got a chance to go and compete. In 2004 I was the #1 Junior Handler for German Shorthaired Pointers in the USA. Now at 26 years old, I'm excited that I get to partake in Juniors once again by judging.
I get misty eyed when I watch junior handlers now. It touches my heart to watch young individuals work so hard with their dog and partake in this hobby that creates a unique and wonderful bond with their pet.
Through my years of handling, I have learned a few techniques that can really improve performance. Here are my top ten tips!
This article is dedicated to Carol, Alice, Nancy, and my Mom for their love, support, and education in the dog world. I wouldn't be anything without you.
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| Eukanuba Classic Junior Showmanship with "Becky" CH Imagine-ation Runs Wild JH 2003? 2004? |
1. Be Prepared and On Time
First thing is first! Make sure you are there and ready.
Know your number before you go to pick it up from the ring steward. Entering the ring frazzled will cloud your head and distract you from your dog.
Being on time means arriving for your class early with all of the ringside tools you might need. Make a checklist if you need to. What is the weather like? You might need the cool coat and spray bottle. Do you have enough bait? What about that squeaky toy? Once you get this down to a science your ring experience will be much more relaxed.
2. Don't Look for Mom
Parents are great. They let you do this. They probably taught you how to show dogs in the first place. Go give your parents a big hug and say thank you.
I'm asking that you do this now because they can't save you when you're actually IN the ring. I see this mostly in the novice classes and it bums me out that these awesome little handlers aren't trusting themselves in the ring.
If you're not feeling confident yet, watch the more advanced classes. Take notes and learn from your peers. Look for handling classes in your area! Many show catalogs will have a list.
From a judge's perspective, we notice when you're looking outside the ring. We notice when you get frustrated. Handling your dog is a special time you get to have with them so don't let outside interferences tarnish it. Getting upset and splitting your focus will make matters worse. The only person that can save your showmanship is you!
Parents... please let your children do their thing. Your confidence in your child will build confidence in them. If your child has fun, learns, wins, or loses, the entry was not wasted. Supportive critiques can be talked about after junior showmanship judging has come to a close.
Trust yourself, junior handler! You have a wonderful companion at your side! You've got this.
3. Disappear
Junior showmanship is a special conformation class that judges how the handler shows their breed appropriately to the written standard. The conformation of the dog is not judged, but the correctness of their presentation by the junior handler is. One of the best pieces of advice I've ever received is to show your dog like you aren't even there.
What does this mean?
No unnecessary movements. Don't be waving your arm around with bait and switching positions around your stacked dog when they're standing like a perfect statue and don't require it. Demand attention to your dog, not you. Busy hands draw attention for the wrong reason. Clean, precise, and well thought out handling is a very advanced skill that should be rewarded.
I know how nerve racking juniors can be. Trust me. I know. Fidgeting might feel like you're showing how badly you want that win, but it is an even stronger skill to release that energy into enjoying the moment. I want to see you love and present your dog in a way that shows them in their best light. Getting up, kneeling back down, waving your arm around, and throwing bait does not do that when they're already holding a perfect stack.
That being said, if your silly pooch is distracted or not listening, do what you need to do to get them to stack and move well. We can tell the difference and I know you can, too!
4. Smooth Movement
The way a handler moves their dog says a lot about their abilities. While we dive into this tip, keep my perspective on clean handling in mind.
Get to know your dog. Do they need a little turn before the down and back or can you go straight from a stack into the movement pattern?
Make sure you've adjusted their collar to being right up under their jaw. Some breeds/handlers prefer the lead to come off the top and some prefer the lead to come out from under the right side. Either is fine.
Take your time. You don't need to rush into your movement pattern the second the judge instructs you. Take a breath, look at your dog, and get your lead held nice and neat.
Make sure the dog is going straight out from the judge. They don't need to see your gait so show them your dog's. Line your dog up with the judge so they do not have to move to see them. When you get to the corner and turn, look at the judge to make sure your dog is lined back up (they may have moved to test you). It is okay to stop for a moment and take a breath to do this.
Keep your dog on the mats if you are indoors! We want all humans and dogs to be safe. Wear shoes with good traction so if you need to run off the side of the mat to keep your dog safe, you won't slip either.
When moving, you have THREE places to look: where you're going, your dog, and the judge. Split your attention between these points.
5. Be Polite
Junior Showmanship is about sportsmanship. YOU are the future of this sport. Think about the kind of community you want to compete in 20, 40 years down the line. Be a good example by being a gracious winner and loser. You can't win them all. I promise. Give your congratulations and look out for your fellow competitors. Use your "please" and "thank yous". Take care of each other and be supportive.
6. Be Aware
Safety is the top priority. While there are precautions in place to keep the show and the junior ring as safe as possible, you have the responsibility of being aware of your surroundings.
Keep a close eye on your dog to make sure they aren't getting too close to another dog. Is another dog coming too close for comfort? You may not notice these things if you aren't paying attention.
How fast is the dog in front of you going? If you need to move fast give that little dog in front of you plenty of room before you take off.
What is on the ground in front of you? It might be a courteous gesture to move that left behind treat or stick out of the ring for the safety of you and your fellow competitors.
7. Keep it Functional
When I try to explain to people why we dress up for dog shows, I use the parallel of dressing up to see a play. When you attend a live theatre production, you dress up as an audience member out of respect. You aren't the one on stage, you don't have anyone to impress, but your attire and effort commend the work of the performers and crew.
As handlers, we aren't the ones being judged, our dogs are, but we still dress presentable for the occasion. As a junior handler, your handling is being judged. Please understand that you don't need to go out and buy an expensive outfit. The key to your outfit is that it needs to be functional. If your skirt is too long you run the risk of tripping. If your hair is in your face, it could be distracting. Do your shoes have enough traction? I will not judge you on your outfit. However, keep in mind that an outfit that is not functional or well prepared can impact your handling.
8. It is Okay to Ask
Sometimes judges do not give clear instructions. Sometimes you just didn't quite hear them. Maybe your judge speaks a different language.
It is okay to ask for your judge to repeat or clarify their instruction. However, this is all leaning on the understanding that the way you ask is everything! Trade out a "huh" or "what" for "I'm sorry. I did not hear you" or "Could you please repeat that?". It is better to ask and do it right than assume you understood and do it wrong.
If you have a special need, please inform the ring steward. If you are Deaf or hard of hearing, hopefully your judge will either use ASL or very clear gestures. If you need a special step stool or another piece of adaptive equipment, informing ahead of time will help the ring procedure run smoothly. These are not circumstances anyone should be embarrassed about. The dog fancy is for people of all walks of life and all abilities. I can only hope every judge and ring steward will be helpful to you.
9. Mistakes Happen
I've slipped on wet grass (multiple times in the same class), fell flat on my face in a gopher hole, had my shoe fly off and across the ring during my go around, and bumped heads with judges during examination (this happened in my junior days and actually happened last weekend, too). My very first show at 10 years old I went around the ring the wrong way.
Here is the secret: It is all how you handle it. You're a handler, remember? From the days I made those mistakes, I still went BJH or won my class.
Don't die of embarrassment! Keep going! When you fall (literally and/or figuratively) you have to get right back up again. Take a deep breath and refocus yourself. You're too great to let a little thing like that ruin your day.
Apologize if you bump heads, make sure your dog is okay if you slip and fall and then keep going (if you're not too hurt), and if your shoe flies across the ring keep going, do your free stack and then wait for the judge to say it is okay for you to go get your shoe (that's what I did at least).
10. Smile
Okay. I know this one probably seems cheesy (no pun intended). I'll have you know that I won a few BJH with tough competition because I was the only one that smiled! I'm not talking about a fake synchronized swimmer smile. Show your judge that you love this sport and that you love your dog. A smile here and there won't hurt. Be genuine!
It's a dog show. We are so privileged to have this experience with our animals. Enjoy it!
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| Michelle and her family's first dog "Morsel" circa 1994 |
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