Are We Creating Generic Juniors?

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126 – August, 2023

By Jessica Braatz

On July 1, 2022, the American Kennel Club launched a pilot program permitting junior handlers to show dogs they do not own in junior showmanship. Originally, it was effective for one year but it recently became a rule and is now a permanent addition to junior showmanship. Its benefits seem to be unending. No more worries when a juniors dog comes in season. No need to fly your dog to a national when you could just show one already there; ring conflicts, dog illnessess–the benefits go on and on. While this pilot program has opened unending doors for some juniors, it also may invite more junior jockeys into the ring. These “jockeys” may be chasing points, ribbons, or wins rather than the experience gained by showing a variety of breeds. I have a concern. Could this new junior showmanship rule create generic juniors?

I am by no means bashing this new rule change. I think it can create amazing opportunities, especially for younger or less experienced juniors. Now, juniors who may not have a dog at home can come to the shows and learn under a breeder while showing their dogs in juniors. I also think it creates a great opportunity for someone to show multiple different dogs of their own breed to test and practice breed specific handling. Additionally, it creates opportunities for experienced and inexperienced juniors to try new breeds with little to no risk to the dog’s owners. It is beneficial to juniors to have last minute substitutions due to a dog’s illness or a dog coming into season. My only concern is those who will succumb to generic handling.

The way I see it is there are two paths with this program. There is the junior, and there is the jockey. The junior handler who wants to go on to be successful in this sport will take the program as an opportunity to learn. They will show puppies of other breeds, inexperienced dogs, or a more difficult dog to show. With this new dog, they will learn to react rather than going through the motions and doing what they think will be rewarded by the judge. They will learn niche, breed-specific tricks from that breed’s top handlers and breeders that the jockey will miss. They won’t just show the dog they think they’ll have the best shot at winning with; they will learn to master new breeds. In doing this, they will transcend the generic junior and become a handler by putting the effort into studying the breed, feeling the dog, and handling in a breed-specific manner.

Click here to read the complete article
126 – August, 2023

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