In 2009, my family received our first purebred Bernese Mountain Dog, Zack. Zack’s breeder encouraged my older to get involved with Junior Showmanship, leading to my family’s devotion to the breed and sport of purebred dogs. When I turned 9 years old, I began showing in Junior Showmanship with our Bernese Mountain Dog, Juliette. Throughout my Junior Showmanship career, I have had the opportunity to work with a variety of breeds including Rottweilers, Dachshunds, Whippets, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and Havanese. I have had a number of success in the junior’s ring, but the lessons I have learned and memories I have made will always be important to me. Through Junior Showmanship, I have been able to develop my skills as a handler, as well as grow my confidence. I have become a leader in and outside of the dog show community, which can be attributed to my junior handling career.
Outside of junior showmanship, I compete in breed conformation, assist in my family’s Bernese Mountain Dog breeding program, and participate in therapy dog work. The sport of purebred dogs will always be a passion of mine, and I plan to continue advocating for the integrity of purebred dogs in the future. Furthermore, I plan to continue participating in AKC events, such as breed confonnation, and even get involved in other events such as obedience and rally. I am currently studying Pre-Veterinary Medicine at the University of Delaware and hope to attend veterinary school after receiving my undergraduate degree. Through my career, I hope to give back to the AKC and sport of purebred dogs, by studying genetics and reproduction, in order to better advocate for safe breeding practices and maintain the integrity of breed standards.