THE OWNER HANDLER
JANET WEERTS
1. How were you first introduced to the sport of purebred dogs? To your breed? My first introduction to the sport of purebred dogs was via an Obedience training book by Winifred Strickland, which I used to train my first Shet- land Sheepdog as a child. Later, in my 20s, I was able to take an actual Obedience training class and, through the instructor’s assistance, began competing with my eventual HIT Obedience dog (again, a Sheltie). Moving on to Conformation, I was most fortunate to co-own a young bitch with one of the breed’s great breeder/handlers, Sharlene DeFee, who taught me the intricacies of grooming. Much credit for learning to handle must go to the young bitch herself. CH Shu La Le Miss Muffet’s Tuffet, ROM was a natural who DEMANDED attention! I owner-handled her to multiple Group wins/placements (in the days of the combined Working/ Herding Group) and finished multiple champions from my two champion bitches (“Tuffet” and her daughter, “Torocco,” both ROM). After a substantial time gap for my “other” life, I have recently re-entered dog sports, first starting with performance (Agility) and then being drawn back to Conformation, this time with a promising Toy Fox Terrier male. 2. How many years in dogs? In your breed? Nearly 20 years of Shelties, beginning with that first pet at age nine to eventually showing/breeding in my mid-20s and early 30s. Those years included a High in Trial Obedience star, a multiple Group winning/plac- ing Sheltie bitch (in the days of no divided Working/Herding Groups), and finishing multiple champions from my two champion Shelties. Then there was a substantial time gap for family and travel, including living/ sailing on a boat in the Caribbean for a number of years, to the present day, beginning 12 years ago with my first Agility Toy Fox Terrier to finish- ing my current youngster who qualified for the 2023 AKC Royal Canin Finals in Orlando in just six months of being competition-age eligible. 3. Do you attend show handling classes? Have you attended in-person handling seminars? I have not participated in handling classes/seminars, etc., primarily because they were not readily available all those years ago when I first began. Now in Toy Foxes, I have again been most fortunate in having a friend and mentor in the breeder of my young male, Susan Thibodeaux of Kallmee. Presenting a Toy Fox is very different than a Sheltie! 4. Do you compete in the National Owner-Handled Series? Are rankings impor- tant to you? I do currently compete in the NOHS, having qualified for the AKC/Royal Canin this past December in Orlando. I show on a very limited basis, hav- ing just started in March 2023 when my boy became old enough! 5. In which class(es) are you most likely to enter your dog(s)? GCH Kallmee The Heartful Dodger (Dickens) was finished solely from the 6-9 Puppy Class.
“AFTER A SUBSTANTIAL TIME GAP FOR
MY ‘OTHER LIFE,’ I HAVE RECENTLY RE-ENTERED DOG SPORTS, FIRST STARTING WITH PERFORMANCE
(AGILITY) AND THEN BEING DRAWN BACK TO CONFORMATION...”
136 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MARCH 2024
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