It's Not (just) About The Dog

[Workers]

This sums up handler attitude well

Fantastic. Commenting on the thumbnail.

[benshiva]

Before I even get out of bed on the morning of a show, I run through the day in my head. I always go through the motions and picture the outcome I want.

When I'm at the show, I spend five minutes watching the judging to see what the judge wants the exhibitor to do.

I then don't watch the ring at all until it's getting close to my turn in the ring.

This is great except when you have a young Male Afghan! LOL.

Sometimes it pays not to watch the first couple of dogs in the ring as some Judges use them to work out what works for the ring. I had this happen a few times. Go in with the Afghan and the Judge gets me to do one thing, go in later with the Wolfie and it is different. Fortunately I do keep an eye on what they are doing in-between.

This might be a Hound ring thing, due to the difference in sizes of the breeds, some Judges will do different things for different size dogs - Large circle for the big dogs and straight to the table for little dogs etc. If you're not sure always ask the Steward, they usually know what the Judge requires.

Leave your wins and losses in the marshalling area, and don't dwell on mistakes. Learn from them but don't beat yourself up. The best handlers in the world still make mistakes.

This is one I need to work on. I have a habit of letting some handlers and or dogs get to me.

That has happened to me a few times over the years so I should amend that to read, watch the ring a few minutes BEFORE your turn LOL. Makes it hard though when you are A for Afghan. At least B for Border Collie there are plenty of dogs in the ring before me

[BittyMooPeeb]

Ok, so what are the confidence builders??

1. Practice! I am much more confident when I know I can do what I am supposed to do, and that the dog will also. I practice everything because I am so uncoordinated. For the week before I royal I practice getting up from a kneeling position with a skirt on LOLOL.

2. Winning. Sucks eh? You need to win in order to gain confidence to win.

3. Feedback. I think 'OMG I am such a crap handler', but when I look at the video I think 'OMG I didn't do a half bad job'. Friends can give the same feedback. We used to practice at lunch breaks as a group giving feedback and practicing one thing until we got it right.

4. Good venue. I am much more nervous at the pot-holed, bur filled, wind blown country show than at a nice indoor venue.

5. A routine. I had some show training, and the trainer pointed out that each time I was makign it up as I went along. Very true! Now I have a routine I stick to, and fall back positions for situations that fall outside the routine.

6. Fake it. I have heard this a lot in regards to my own showing ability "Fake it until you can make it" LOL. Faking it is easier than you think. Stand up tall - shoulders back; well dressed; don't let yourself be rushed; take confident steps; check visually back in with the judge regularly (I am terrible at this one); right wrongs (politely request that the exhibitor behind you give you more room, re-do a triangle that fell apart the first time etc)

7. Refine your technique. Get someone to review your technique - is there a more efficient, or more snazzy way of doing something?

[emery]

I had a mate let me practice on his dogs last night i was then able to see what i was doing wrong he also gave some pointers on where i should be holding the lead, the head and how to get dog to stop pushing back on itself thus a framing.

i then put this all into practice with my five month old pup and low and behold he stood and looked decent :D

so although i am still learning my advice might be to see if you can practice with someone elses dog (we were at his house) it gave me the confidence when i was like oh the dogs looks good oh wait thats what i am doing wrong with mine its funny how i could see the faults using someone elses dog that i watch week in and week out.

[conztruct]

It's lots of things but mainly just about knowing your dog and having a relationship with them. Very rarely does a very successful show dog not work as part of a great team with their handler.

For me, I don't think I'm in any way a great handler but I always do all I can to just focus on my dog and me and what we are doing. If we win, we win...if we don't then I try to look at what I could do better as a handler to improve my chances.

By not worrying about what anyone else is doing it certainly takes a bit of pressure off although I must admit that I try to watch the really good handlers who do well so I can hopefully pick up some good habits.

[Asalei]

This is one thing I also struggle with a lot. And it's evidenced in my dogs. When I'm not stressed, my dogs perform. When I am stressed, they play up. It's nerves, I've been showing for 3 years now and I still get nervous before going in the ring. I hate it, it puts my dogs off, and it puts me off.

I keep repeating to myself in my head, go out, have fun, your dog will perform. I need to have the confidence in myself first, then I can have the confidence in my dog. I'll be concentrating on doing this over the next few months while my bitch is out of the ring. I'll concentrate on my dog, being confident in myself and him and knowing that he can do it. It's me that lets my dogs down.

Funny how a lot of the comments have come from hound people! hah.

[Keshwar]

One of the things I have found useful is watching other people handle my dogs. Having 2 breeds in the same group means I sometimes need to find a handler for one of the dogs. Watching how they behave/perform for other people has helped me realise that some, if not all, of my issues are with me and not the dogs. LOL.

But seeing my guys go well in the ring with others has helped me realise that I do have good dogs and this has helped ease my nerves prior to going in the ring.

[eschlachter]

Hi guys-

A little off topic- but I would like to find someone to handle my Ridgy for me and have no idea how to go about it! I've handled her a bit but I'm terrible at it lol (no, I really am). So a little within this topic!

There's no register or list or professional association for handlers is there? I know a few people in the show world but they all have their own Ridgys, and enough to handle as it is... Could anyone recommend a handler, or a way to go about finding one?

My dog is not a feral I promise :)

Cheers Emma

[ellz]

Things I have learned over the years....

1. It never hurts to go back to basics. No matter how long you have been exhibiting dogs for, sometimes it's a good thing to go back and start again. You'd be surprised the little things you can pick up.

2. Don't assume that because you know what you are doing that your puppies don't need the occasional "formal" show training lesson. Each dog is different and needs different ring preparation.

3. You "own" the space in front of you in the ring. If you are pushed up on top of the dog in front of you, it's your fault. You choose your speed and your distance. Always allow plenty of room for yourself and your dog.

4. Have a mirror set up somewhere flat so that you can practice stacking your dog and seeing it as it will be seen from the middle of the ring. Just because you think it looks great from your side of the dog, doesn't necessarily mean it is so.

5. Have a wide variety of leads in your possession and don't be afraid to try something new. Just because a lead looks the best with your outfit or the dog, doesn't mean that it will be the most effective for the job.

6. Listen to the stewards and the judges and don't be afraid to ask questions to clarify if you think you may have misheard.

7. Remember that you take the best dog TO the show and no matter what anybody else thinks on the day, you also take the best dog home with you.

[Gumnut]

Some really great advice in this thread

I have no confidence in the ring at all and I'm guilty of looking at the other handlers and thinking I have no chance at all.

I have been wearing skirt suits and I'd love to buy a nice red one but I don't think I could be so daring

I'll have to work on all the advice given here as I have some puppies and I don't want to ruin them.

[Rottshowgirl]

I'm a big rap for sitting ringside & just watching, even make notes if you like.

Watch the really accomplished handlers, analyse what they do, little tricks they have, really approach it as a study project & be really logical about it.

Whilst some people have an innate ability, a lot of good handling is a skill, you just need to spend some time working out what the skill is & then gradually learn it yourself.

When I decided that I was sick of being a crap handler & wanted to better myself, there was a SUPER dog/handler combo on the show scene. I spent as much time as I could watching them at interstate shows, they were an awesome sight to behold & I found them really motivating through how great they were.

[Trisven13]

Well this thread has really changed my showing - a complete turn around.

Today when Bazinga and I were in the ring for Junior In Show a good friend of mine who is a very accomplished exhibitor/handler asked me as I waited if I'd been having professional handling lessons. As I said to her - simply a change of attitude and its gone down the lead. Since I've changed my attitude I've had so many comments about how great me and my dogs are looking so if you haven't given it a whirl yet I highly recommend it!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Salukifan]

Well this thread has really changed my showing - a complete turn around.

Today when Bazinga and I were in the ring for Junior In Show a good friend of mine who is a very accomplished exhibitor/handler asked me as I waited if I'd been having professional handling lessons. As I said to her - simply a change of attitude and its gone down the lead. Since I've changed my attitude I've had so many comments about how great me and my dogs are looking so if you haven't given it a whirl yet I highly recommend it!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Well done on today's Junior in Group Trisven!

[Trisven13]

Thanks! It was probably our biggest win as, whilst we've won Junior in Group (and other classes in group) before, there were some real quality dogs in the line-up including a couple shown by "faces". My first thought was "shit *Joe Blow* is in the line-up" and I immediately said to myself that it didn't matter, we were good enough. Even in photos I can see my changed attitude.

[WreckitWhippet]

I made it into the ring today, kind of by default but it's been the first time in a long time that I've actually thought about what I was going to do and then made it happen. I found myself thinking back through the basics of positioning the lead correctly, walking the straight line in, picking the spot and counting through the stack, it's been a while since I've not handled on auto pilot.

Well done Trish

[Trisven13]

I'm trying to work on getting my lead neatly packaged when I stack my dog. With Fauves it is REALLY important that you control their head at the beginning of the stack or else you lose them. If you can get control of their head early, they will stand well for quite a while but if not they battle you the whole time. So... I stack them and go head first, then move to legs etc and get to the end and realise that the lead is lying all over the ground. Will have to work on it.

[Trisven13]

Its not a great photo of the stack but it shows the lead issue I have - this is after I've tried to stuff it all into my hand once I've got him stacked. He was being a right royal turd at this particular moment in time :laugh:

[Rebanne]

But you won the battle Trish!

[Trisven13]

:laugh: Yes I did! When I look at this photo I can see the battle we were having though, I love it!

[Rottshowgirl]

Can you sling the lead around your neck?

Well done on your success :)