THE OWNER HANDLER JENNIFER REDFERN
“I believe the Owner Handler is a huge contributor to the overall sport of dog shows. Among those of us who are breeders and dog fanciers, some of us have children who are not competing as Juniors but are Owner Handlers.”
3. Do you attend show handling classes? Have you attended any handling seminars? In the beginning, I attended quite a few handling classes on a weekly basis for several years. Later, it became more difficult so that I have often resorted to YouTube videos with Will Alexan- der, Eric Salas, and lately, Amy Booth. I attended one workshop, which was a combination handling class and canine fitness. I am also a huge fan of the Dog Show Mentor program led by Lee Whittier. 4. Have you found virtual learning tools to be helpful? Classes? Videos? Websites? Social Media? In recent years, I have found YouTube videos to be very helpful. (Not so much when I first started.) I was not raised in the AKC world of dog shows, but I am finally grasping the language so that now the videos are helpful. I have not participated in online handling classes. The Dog Show Mentor program has been extremely helpful. Lee brings on some great speakers not only from the dog world but also in the area of goal setting; building self-confidence; focus; self-image; and building self-worth. She has built a community of Owner Handlers who reach out to one another at shows, and on Facebook in groups, to share good news and lessons learned. 5. Do you compete in the National Owner-Handled Series? Are rank- ings important to you? I do compete in the National Owner-Handled Series. Rankings are important. They help to keep us motivated as the competi- tion becomes more challenging. 6. Is it a challenge to compete with your breed(s) as an Owner Handler? It is a challenge to compete as an Owner Handler with my breed, the German Pinscher. We are a low entry breed that is not seen at every dog show. 7. Are you intimidated by the Professional Handlers? By the Judges? I was very intimidated by the Professional Handlers for many years. I am finally becoming more comfortable competing against them and have received helpful tips from several along the way. I still feel a little intimidated by many of the Judges. However, as I’ve become more involved in a few dog clubs by set- ting up shows and volunteering to ring steward, I interact more with some of the Judges who are also club members. I find them to be a great resource for my own improvement in this sport.
8. Who have been your mentor(s) as an Owner Handler? The breeders of my dogs were my first mentors, and then the people providing handling classes and puppy classes. When I began competing in the National Owner-Handled Series, I soon developed a core group of fellow competitors who shared tips and tricks. We supported—and still support—each other. I became more involved in our parent club, and at our national specialties my group of mentors broadened some more. A fellow Owner Handler introduced to me to Dog Show Mentor, which is of great help to me. 9. How important is the Owner Handler to the future of the dog sport? I believe the Owner Handler is a huge contributor to the overall sport of dog shows. Among those of us who are breeders and dog fanciers, some of us have children who are not competing as Juniors but are Owner Handlers. I believe that we outnum- ber the Professional Handlers at most dog shows, and some of our group members are highly competitive in the variety Groups and in Best in Show as well. 10. What are your goals as an Owner Handler? Is there a victory that has eluded you? My primary goal is to have fun with my dogs while training and showing them. Of course, I would love to earn the ultimate prize on any given day—Best in Show. However, my current goal is to learn to train and show my dog so that judges appreciate his soundness, conformation, breeding, and conditioning, and say that he is the best German Pinscher they have seen. Variety Group Placements and Best in Show have eluded me, but I have not quit competing. I am still learning. So, I can say the victory is not yet lost... it is still out there. I am still on the journey. 11. Is there a funny story that you can share about your experiences as an owner-handler? Oh my! Winston is such a funny boy, but he can also be quite serious where my medical needs are concerned. He loves to bow and will do this when he thinks the judge might feed him. How- ever, on more than one occasion, he has turned away from the judge and started pushing his nose in my face. At first, I was very frustrated by this until I realized that he was warning me that my blood sugar was “off.” We have since done some testing and training, and confirmed that his behavior is his alert for blood sugar issues. Lesson learned: Make sure to eat a proper meal before going into the ring.
140 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2022
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