DANIELLE RUBIN THE BREEDER/OWNER HANDLER
1. When were you first introduced to the sport of purebred dogs? To your breed? I enrolled in an agricultural high school at the age of 15 for Equine Science, and was introduced to a canine 4-H program from one of my friends I’d met at school. My family already had a Saluki that we’d purchased as a pet when I was 13. My stepdad owned a Saluki previous to marrying my mom, and I became fas- cinated with them from a dog breed book. So, we searched for a breeder and I got my first Saluki, Skye. I showed her in 4-H shows and was also offered to go with a few other people in my 4-H club to enter an AKC Junior Showmanship competition. Shortly after, we also went with her to our first Lure Coursing trial. 2. How many years in dogs? How many as an Owner Handler? As a breeder? I’ve been in dogs for 16 years, and have been an Owner Han- dler that whole time too. I got my first show dog as a junior in high school. My first litter was whelped in 2016, and I have co- bred one other litter. 3. Do you attend show handling classes? Have you attended any handling seminars? Yes, I try to go to at least one handling class a week. I am for- tunate to have three different classes taught by different instruc- tors close by. I find that even though my dogs know what they are doing, they are Salukis and can get bored. So, I use the classes to strengthen our bond and figure out how to make the ring a fun place to be. I have noticed a huge difference in my success after I started to go to classes on a regular basis. I have gone to one handling seminar and learned quite a bit. 4. Have you found virtual learning tools to be helpful? Classes? Videos? Websites? Social Media? During the COVID shutdown, there were quite a few livestreamed interviews done online that I watched and really enjoyed. I have not done any online classes though. I tend to learn better by doing hands-on versus watching. 5. Do you compete in the National Owner-Handled Series? Are rankings important to you? Yes, I do. Rankings are fun, but that is really all I see it as; fun. It is not really a good indication of how good the dog is for breeding stock. I see rankings as more of a game (and, yes, I do enjoy participating and it’s fun to have a top dog and brag about it), but as far as determining what is a good Saluki, I do not look at rankings. 6. How important is the Bred-By Class to you? How important are specialties? I really enjoy showing in the Bred-By Class. I often find that at large entry shows it has the deepest quality, so even a placement is very meaningful. Most of the time, specialties hold a lot of impor- tance, especially if the judge is a Saluki breeder or Sighthound expert. Showing at a specialty, there is usually a larger entry in the breed ring. So, I do value specialty wins very highly.
“I HAVE NOTICED A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN MY SUCCESS AFTER I STARTED TO GO TO CLASSES ON A REGULAR BASIS. I HAVE GONE TO ONE HANDLING SEMINAR AND LEARNED QUITE A BIT. ”
238 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JULY 2021
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