WHAT DOES ‘Paying Your Dues’ MEAN IN OUR SPORT?
R ecently, a post on Facebook in one of the groups for new exhibitors asked what long-time breeders meant when they said they expected newcomers to “pay their dues” in the sport. The tone of the post was defensive, suggesting that those who used the phrase were gatekeepers, unwilling to share their better dogs with people coming up through the ranks. I beg to differ. Smart breeders recognize that one of our most important duties, to keep the sport thriving, is to identify, encourage, and mentor dedicated novices. Most of us started with less-than-stellar specimens but it was how we advanced—taking handling classes, learning from knowledge- able breeders, sticking around for a few years until we proved ourselves worthy of a co-ownership on a better-quality dog—that showed we were willing to pay our dues. Objectively looking at why our dog placed third or fourth at a particular show adds to our canine education; blaming the judge or claiming it was politics is an easy out that accomplishes nothing.
BY ALLAN REZNIK
“SMART BREEDERS RECOGNIZE THAT ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT DUTIES, TO KEEP THE SPORT THRIVING, IS TO IDENTIFY, ENCOURAGE, AND MENTOR DEDICATED NOVICES.”
142 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2024
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