Junior Handlers - How Did You Get In To It?

[Trisven13]

Campbell is turning 7 in June and will be able to start handling the Fauves with me then. Not sure if he is going to be all that interested - I suspect it will be McKenzie who really enjoys it but they'll both get the opportunity to have a go. I'm a very long way from being a good handler so I'm going to get someone else to give them some training but I am really curious about how others have dealt with it.

Have your kids shown your breed? Have you got them their "own" dog to show? What are the benefits either way?

The Fauves are a great dog with kids BUT they're very heavy to lift on to the table. Do Judges mind if someone helps the junior handlers to get them on to the table or should they only be showing dogs they can completely handle on their own?

[Skyfire]

At the time I was getting into shows my mother had a Great Dane and Shiba Inu she used to show for a friend, I used to practice with the Shiba but never showed her, and the Dane was a puppy and far too much for me to handle. I distinctly remember mum and I having conversations about what breed of dog I should get "A whippet, you could turn up to the shows in the middle of the day and not miss your call" "No not a standard poodle! I can't see you grooming it!" we finally decided upon an American Cocker Spanial (Really I think it was just an excuse for her to have one ). But the Yank never made it to the ring (He had constant battles with Cherry Eye as a puppy, and he then turned out having agression problems) so I never made it into the ring!! A year later my mother bought my grandfather a Dalmatian (she used to breed damnations back in the 80s, but gave them up when she had kids.. She ALWAYS said Dallies are like Children and she'd have one or the other, but not both!) my first handlers class I took him in as a 3 month old puppy. Worst. Experience. Ever! But anyway, I was hooked just for the love of dogs, not just for winning.

I went in a few times as a 10 year old but stopped, and started again when we moved from SA to NSW as a 13 year old. My mother never lectured me on how to handle, she used to watch the dog show mums in SA pull their child aside after a class (if they hadn't come first) and sternly tell them what they did wrong and make them do it til they did it right. She wanted me to love it and not think of it as a chore, so I taught myself how to handle! I would watch other people show and just basically go from there, as well as what handler judges would tell me after a class. Within only a few months I went from non-placing to winning basically every heat up here I competed in (not gloating or anything, back when I was a junior only 2 or 3 people were in a class or 13-18 years, the same people every heat!) Then there came a time when I was beating my mother with her griffons, she wasn't impressed! And it was totally out of the blue that we were offered an Italian Greyhound from an old friend of mums (from back in the dally days), that gave me a breed to show! Mind you, I wasn't allowed to show her! Mum FINALLY gave her up for me to show when she was a Junior.

Mind you, nowadays DOGSNSW offers regional workshops for junior, so they can fine tune their skills. Man I wish I had that oppurtunity! And the choice of choosing another breed would be up to the individual. I know that through the years of handling you do handle all sorts of breeds, and make friendships, and through those friendships your child could be offered their own dog to show! Just as long as you're willing to house and feed that breed! I wasn't allowed big dogs! "firstly they won't fit in the car, their poops are too big, they eat too much.."

[Shaar]

I used to show in Junior Handlers way back when.

I loved it.

Personally, I think if the dog is too big for them to lift on the table then it's probably not the best breed choice, usually there are people at shows who would be happy to let kids run their dogs in for handlers.

I used to show a Griffon Bruxellios of my mums friends and I used to be a very shy kid (to the point where some of mt parents friends didn't know I existed because I would sit in the corner at shows making teddy bears out of poodle hair)... it really helped me gain some confidence, especially after winning a few ribbons.

This is going completely from memory so sorry if it has changed, in the State Finals you actually had to swap dogs over with other handlers so you were handling a dog you had never handled before. It was a good test to see how you 'handled' the situation. So showing a variety of different dogs would be of benefit (both large and small dogs)

[nabs]

I am an ex junior handler. My parents always showed Danes so I followed. I had a terrific bitch who was always the bridesmaid in the show ring but when she got in that handlers ring we both shone. We won a lot of handlers together (well before the days of winning a trip to Crufts) Had a blast. I will never forget her. Naturally I followed on and still have the Danes. We have also had Dalmatians and I have handled dozens of other breeds.

My daughter started handling over in NSW when she was 9 (cannot handle in QLD under 10) she started with Boston Terriers and Corgi's. When she was old enough she took on one of our Dane pups. She went Minor in Show first weekend out! That was it she was hooked. She handled the pup until she got too big for BJ so Bianca helped many other people handler other breeds. She is quite a natural at handling. Finally we settled in a Shetland Sheepdog for her. We found a terrific dog and the rest is history.

BJ is now 11 years old. Has put 500+ points on her Sheltie with several best in groups and an all breeds best in show in the last year. She is as hooked as we are. My son on the other hand can take it or leave it. He much prefers his footy!

[Ashanali]

Grew up in a doggy family and always wanted to handle but didn't have a dog of my own so had to rely on begging people to use their dogs.

The first time I stepped in the ring was in 1987. Back then you had to enter to go into child handlers at the ekka and entry to the ring was alphabetical order.

First time handling, no practice, showing an ex-racing greyhound who has made the change over to showing... first in line at Brisbane Royal show. I can still remember it so clearly. Peter Jeremy was the judge and he told me to go in a triangle and I didn't move... so he physically pointed, "You go over to there, then to there, then come back to me." Needless to say, I didn't go so well.

But in 1989 after lots of practice, I was placed first.

My own dog for showing only happened when I was 19 and had moved out of home. That's when I ended up with Pointers.

[ellz]

During the early 90's in NSW, one of my American imported American Cockers was the flavour of the month amongst the juniors. He was always booked early in the day for the handlers classes and as one youngster qualified, there was always another to take their place on his list of kids!

I'm always happy to help juniors get started, whether it be with one of my dogs in the handlers classes or letting them help me out in breed competition.

[chelle~aussie~dragon]

Is the age rule for children still the same in QLD, I thought your child could start at age 7 aswell in QLD now?

[nabs]

Is the age rule for children still the same in QLD, I thought your child could start at age 7 aswell in QLD now?

There has been no change and there probaby will never be any change. Starting age is 10

[LizT]

My 9 year old was encouraged to give it a go by a fellow competitor whose daughter does it (very sucessfully), her first effort was almost comical ( she was facing the other way from everyone else! ) but she is improving with every go. She looks forward to it and is improving greatly and is getting further up the line up. Of course there are some very polished youngsters out there who always seem to have it together and win each time (like their mums!) but my daughter is a good sport and that hasn't put her off, even the time she had another persons dog being more wriggly on the table than she was used to (she usually shows our Cavalier) and the dog fell off the table! SHE CAUGHT IT! but was upset and on the edge of tears, quite a learning curve that day. Fortunately she wasn't put off and looks forward to shows that include Junior Handler. She gets lots of advice from fellow competitors who have helped me and as long as Mum remembers to pack her little "Show Bag" (with nice outfit in it) all is good. Oh, and as long as we check to make sure which ring they are putting it on so we are not 5 minutes late and miss out Thank goodness she is a good sport and forgives her old forgetful Mamma!

You can show from age 7 here in Victoria and I believe that as of next year ALL shows (in VIC) must include a Junior Handlers class.

Edited May 18, 2010 by LizT