Lessons
by Tyler Cegler

I am what is known as a first generation dog person. During the summer before I entered the fifth grade, I earned money by working odd jobs for my parents. I took that money and bought myself a purebred dog, a dachshund I named Jasmine (Not after the flower, but because I thought Jasmine from Disney’s® Aladdin was incredibly beautiful) Through a series of almost lucky accidents, my parents and I found a local owner/breeder/handler who was willing to train me, a 110% novice, about dogs, dog shows, and AKC. Ten months later I went to my first dog show and I was hooked. Eleven years later, the dog world is the single most influential item in my life, save my parents, who were and continue to be incredibly supportive of my hobby. When I left for college, my parents gave me a poster which was headlined “Everything I Need to Learn I Learned From My Dog.” That poster, which now hangs in my tiny living room in my tiny apartment, contains lessons that we all learn sometime in life, and which I learned from my dogs, dog shows, and dog people. The influence of dogs on my life has shaped who I am and who I will become.

Lesson 1: Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Before my first-ever dog show, I seriously considered being ‘sick’ because I was so scared and so nervous. Going to a dog show would be weird and different, certainly nothing my schema had ever experienced before. However, one weekend of shows later I realized that ‘different’ was not equitable to ‘bad.’ This new experience has led to some of the most wonderful and exciting things ever to happen to me. Without dogs, I would never have experienced the feeling of standing on the floor of Madison Square Garden. I would never have flown across country to compete in the AKC American Dog Classic. It is because of my interest in dogs that my grades stayed higher, mainly because my parents blackmailed me into keeping them up. The higher my grades, the more shows I could attend. While at the time I didn’t think so highly of their actions, I now realize how many doors have been opened due to their loving actions. I have both willingly and unwillingly been led into new experiences because of my hobby. I have learned that whether the outcome was good or bad, the experience was always ecstasy.

Lesson 2: If you want what lies buried, dig until you find it.
It is this lesson that has had the greatest impact on my life. Before I began showing purebred dogs, I wanted life handled to me on a silver platter. It wasn’t so much that I was lazy as apathetic. The reason I was hooked into dogs after just one set of shows is because I realized I could succeed at something if and only if I worked hard and gave it my 110%. I wish I could say I was a natural talent and walked out of my competition in the juniors ring with a big, beautiful green and pink ribbon, but I did not. I would walk out of the ring empty- handed more than twenty times before I could claim ownership over any color ribbon. However, when I did walk out with a ribbon, it wasn’t merely because I was the third best Novice Junior there that day, but because I had improved so much. I always looked longingly at the Open Seniors and their amazing skills. I knew if I wanted to compete at that level, I would have to continue to work for it. So I did. My hard work eventually paid off. I qualified for Westminster three years, and the first and only year I was able to compete in New York, I made it to the top eight for the finals competition. I was also able to compete at the AKC American Dog Classic, and while I did not do as well as I had hoped, competing there meant more to me because my academic successes were taken into consideration.

This new found work ethic did not end at the show’s borders. I wanted good grades, so I worked hard and made it happen. I joined my high school’s speech team, and while I fumbled in competition for the first two years, by my senior year I had placed 4th at the state competition. Yes, there are some things that I wished to do or be good at where I failed miserably, such as skateboarding. Or singing. Especially singing. But at least I know I can’t skateboard or sing and I know longer have to wonder if I can or cannot. I wanted something that was buried, so I dug.

Lesson 3: When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
The most frustrating thing with any competition and sport is when you know that you were unfairly robbed of your placement. Of course, knowing that you or your animal was better than the winner’s is in the eye of the beholder. Nonetheless, it can be frustrating and often angering. Walking out of a ring where you felt you were guaranteed a win can ruin a person’s days. As mentioned earlier, it took a long time before I started placing in the junior showmanship ring. Over time, I moved up to the Open Junior class, where, for a short time, I dominated the ring. I learned to win badly and lose badly. I had acquired a big head, and because of it I had many bad days. Once I moved forward into the Open Senior class, I was very quickly put back into my proper place, and I learned good sportsmanship. This sport, more so than most other sports due to the sheer number of competitions, allows you to start all over the next day. One day you may have extremely bad luck and lose everything, and the next day win it all. This lesson has many more implications than just the dog show ring.

Even outside of the ring, everyone has a bad day. I have a motto that I write on every page of my daily planner; “Think Positive, Be Positive.” When you are having a bad day, whether because you lost with your top ranked poodle, didn’t do so well at that history test, or perhaps lost your job, one must keep their chin up. At times though, everyone needs help keeping perspective. This lesson has taught me that sometimes you are the one doing the nuzzling, and at others you are the one that needs nuzzled.

There are many other lessons on that poster that I have learned from dogs, such as Lesson 13, Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do. More often than not something is a misunderstanding, not an attack on your character. There are others, such as Lesson 24, Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough, that I still need to learn. I certainly eat with gusto and enthusiasm; it’s the stopping that I find so difficult. There is little doubt that my continuation in the fancy will present me with the opportunity to learn many, many more lessons.

So what is my future in the sport? It seems every year when I am presented with this question, my answer has changed. At this point, I do not know what my official capacity in the sport will be. For a while, it was my goal to be a professional handler. I no longer wish to do that, though I do have great respect for the handlers, because after working for numerous handlers over a period of seven years, I have learned that it isn’t always an easy life. What I do know is that I will continue to be active in the local dog club to which I belong. Once I have graduated college and can live in an area that allows me to have dogs, I will reconstitute my suspended breeding program. I will also stay active in the juniors ring by continue to judge. This summer, if all goes according to plan, I will finally finish my provisional assignments for judging junior showmanship. I continue to work with the few interested juniors in my area, to pass along what I have learned. I think Lesson 99 sums it all up; The future comes one day at a time; make time everyday to romp, play, and wag your tail.