The Owner/Handler Competition and…

By Fran Reisman of Santa Barbara, CA

Did you ever have a light bulb go on inside your head and all of a sudden you realize you’ve been very wrong about something? Well I just did and I’m shocked at my own negativity.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about the AKC’s new  Owner/Handler Competition. When I first read the announcement about this my thoughts were that it had no worth and would only cause dog shows to go on forever into the darkness. I also felt, “Oh, another way to bring more money into AKC’s coffers, needed or not.” (How could I have thought that?)

Another thing that I didn’t understand was whether the judges are to judge the dogs or the ability of the owner/handler.

I discussed this with many people and at first got the feeling that most agreed with me. As time went on I seemed to be standing alone. Most owner/handlers felt that it would be fun to compete with their peers in this competition, and not with the professional handlers where their chance of winning is little to none. I must add that, of course, if all things were equal there would be no necessity for this competition. But handlers do have an advantage. This is their job and they must be on their game at every show. Their dogs must be perfectly trained, perfectly groomed, and in perfect condition.  The handlers know the different preferences of each judge they show to. Also, being at all the shows make them a “face” and yes, the camaraderie that grows does play a part in our sport, and some would say not always on the side of fairness.

There are breeds that are owner/handler breeds. In my breed, Afghan Hounds, the top winning dogs through the years, have mostly been handled by their owners. There have been some exceptions, but not many. In other breeds, such as Poodles, it takes a long time for an owner/handler to break through the professional barrier. Very few do, though many walk into the ring with beautiful examples of this breed. This seems to hold true with most Terrier breeds as well. Why? I think the first reason is that it’s been this way forever and the owners, and most of the breeders, realize that they have little chance of walking out of the ring with that purple and gold ribbon. Most Terriers and all Poodles require a great deal of grooming and “polishing”.  All dogs need physical exercise and mental conditioning.  Not everyone has the talent or time to keep his or her dog in condition to the degree that is needed to be a Top 10 dog. But if this new competition becomes what it is meant to be, the owner/handler can be showing the number one owner/ handled dog in the breed, group and possibly the owner/handled Best in Show.

So now, owner/handlers, you have a new way to shine and to be seen and recognized by the people who may be judging your dog in the conformation ring.  At this time not all shows will be granted permission to offer this competition, as it is currently being closely evaluated. Hopefully this will prove to be a success with and for  owner/handlers and be made available to all clubs in the near future.

I still don’t understand how this would work out time wise, but I am sure those clubs who will host this new competition will have worked on the timing and we all will be able to enjoy watching our peers handling their dogs to perfection while reaching for their own red, white and blue. With many clubs experiencing lower entries and higher costs, it seems the AKC is open to ideas that will help increase entries and this could be one of them.

Now will somebody tell me what this “Breeder of Merit” thing is about?

Not that long ago I was (and still am) totally in a quandary about the new Grand Champion title, feeling that the title should have been Champion of Merit.

Well, now we have Breeders of Merit who only have to:

• Have a history of at least 5 years involvement with AKC events.

• Earned at least 4 Conformation, Performance or Companion event titles on dogs they bred/co-bred.

• Be a member of an AKC Club

• Certifies that applicable health screens are performed on their breeding stock as recommended by that breed’s parent club.

• Demonstrates a commitment to ensuring 100% of the puppies produced are AKC registered.

Each one of these requirements can be taken apart, but most of all where does this leave the long time breeder who has bred something like 50 Champions including National Specialty winners, BIS winners, Field Champions, High in Trial dogs, and so many other titles that take years of commitment on the part of the breeder and owners? Are they now Grand Breeders? Of course those people who are new to the sport and are doing a good job of breeding fine quality animals should be encouraged, but Breeder of Merit in five years? These people are advertising in magazines and online as Breeders of Merit. What will time tell about some of these people? Will they be here in 6 years? Will they use the title to sell lots of puppies? Will their breeding ethics be re-evaluated, and can the kennel club rescind their banners if they fail to uphold the requirements?

What’s next? A point scale to make you a Silver, Gold or Platinum breeder?

One quick note on a different subject: Welcome Arizona to our California point scale… Will this make a difference for either state? I hope it works for the better, but I think any big difference will come when people, once again, have the financial means to show their dogs.

Francine Reisman
Santa Barbara, CA

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Posted by admin on May 14 2012. Filed under Current Articles, Featured, The Buzz. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.