The Junior’s Perspective – An Interview With Junior Expert Linda Clark

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110 – February, 2026

By Jessica Braatz

AKC judge, mentor, and breeder, Linda Clark boasts over four decades of hands-on dog experience. Her journey began at sixteen years old, first working as a groomer’s assistant, before attending school to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). In 1979, she started in AKC with Shetland Sheepdogs, and since then, she has bred and handled numerous top-winning dogs across multiple breeds, including German Shepherds, Beagles, and Vizslas. A prior member of the AKC Registered Handlers Program and the Professional Handlers Association, Linda retired in 2011 to become an AKC judge. Since her pivot to judging, Linda has been an advocate for our sport, serving as a longtime board member of the Dog Judges Association of America (DJAA). She is also a member of many local dog clubs.

Linda was never a junior handler herself, but both of her children competed as juniors, and she has been a steadfast and dedicated advocate of the competition ever since. While she has judged internationally many times throughout her career, this fall, Linda embarked upon a different international journey: presenting seminars on the value of Junior Showmanship, the future of our sport, and offering insight into our potential tomorrow. She has generously shared her insights on the past, present, and future of Junior Showmanship.

What do you think is the value of Junior Showmanship?

Junior Showmanship teaches many valuable characteristics that benefit young people far beyond the dog show ring. It instills the values of good sportsmanship, self-confidence, discipline, patience, and good communication skills, including learning to listen to instructions. Junior Handlers also gain invaluable awareness of breed-specific ways of handling and grooming, along with self-care and good husbandry.

What do you think is the value of judging Junior Showmanship?

Click here to read the complete article
110 – February, 2026

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