Anyone who mentors newcomers to showing dogs knows the steps to follow on the path to success. Yet we may present the advice as if it were a script, forgetting to take that occasional refresher course ourselves. The start of the year is an excellent time to get back to dog show basics and try to look at the sport with a fresh pair of eyes.
Reread Your Breed Standard
A recent discussion on social media and a reference to big feet had one longtime breeder-exhibitor asking when that “preference” began. Well, it wasn’t a preference but a requirement clearly stated at the start of her breed’s standard. In other breeds, a particular look, style, or even exaggeration may become common, and is then quickly assumed to be correct until we consult the breed standard and discover that it is nowhere mentioned. As we talk to others in the breed over the years, read judges’ critiques and attend seminars, it’s easy to internalize certain phrases. Rereading our standard regularly reminds us of the precise language that is used to describe our breed. Synonyms are not always interchangeable.
Rejoin Your Local Kennel Club
Newbies are always encouraged to join their local club, make friends, find some mentors, and learn the sport from the ground up. Along the way, some of us may let our memberships lapse because at the time we felt burned out, overwhelmed by family and job responsibilities, and short of time. Fast forward five or 10 years: our children are older, we’ve changed jobs, but we haven’t rejoined the club. Meanwhile, the club is limping along, with fewer, aging members, trying its best to keep putting on shows and trials each year. We need to rejoin and give back. Whether we are judges, professional handlers, or simply active exhibitors, it’s vital that we do our part to keep clubs viable and solvent.
Donate a Trophy
Remember how proud you felt starting out in the sport when you brought home your first trophy from a regional or national specialty? You packed it with care, unwrapped it equally gently, dusted it often, and admired it daily. A well-stocked trophy table at a specialty is a beautiful sight to behold. We have many talented artists in the world of dogs, creating a range of breed-specific items to suit every budget. Donate a piece or two to gladden the heart of an exhibitor and express your love for your chosen breed. To those lucky winners of trophies: please take a few minutes to send a thank-you note to the kind donor. It will mean the world to them and perhaps encourage others to donate just as generously the following year.
Teach a Class
Handling classes are an inexpensive but essential part of preparing puppies and new exhibitors for an upcoming competition. Finding a suitable venue and willing instructors is a perennial challenge for dog clubs. If you know of a church hall or training facility that could hold handling classes, make a few calls to secure it for your local club. Perhaps a ring could be set up on your own property during the warmer months. Breeders and new exhibitors in your community will appreciate your efforts.
Share the Wealth
Is there a junior in your area who hangs out at ringside at every show, admiring your breed, asking questions, and offering to help groom? Is there a sincere novice exhibitor who has groomed and trained his dog well but ends up getting fifth out of five at every show? Before that junior ages out or that newbie throws in the towel in frustration, consider paying it forward and sharing a promising dog with them. We can’t do justice to all our nice puppies so give someone deserving a leg up with a fair co-ownership. Your act of generosity may keep someone in the sport for a lifetime. When we mentor, we teach our protégés to evaluate their dogs objectively. Here is a way you can help teach that novice directly to up his game.
Read a Classic Breed Book
In this age of Nooks, Kindles, and e-books, we may forget the classic breed books of decades ago, that were published by such venerable book houses as Howell and written by the likes of Lina Basquette, Conni Miller, Mackey Irick, Nigel Aubrey-Jones, John Marvin, Dr. Sam Draper, Anna Katherine Nicholas and other greats. Hopefully, you have your breed’s great reference books on a shelf at home; reread them some weekend when you’re snowed in or have a few hours to yourself. They will offer not only nostalgia but lots of timeless advice. If you need to replace some, they are regularly available at reasonable prices on eBay. Treat yourself to a few titles, or order one for a special friend’s birthday.
Allan Reznik has been an Afghan Hound fancier since the early 1970s and also owns and exhibits Tibetan Spaniels. He is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster, who has served as editor-in-chief of several national dog publications. He appears regularly on radio and TV discussing all aspects of responsible animal ownership. Allan is an AKC approved judge of Afghan Hounds, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and Tibetan Spaniels.