“WE EAT, BREATH, AND LIVE FOR OUR DOGS... POURING OVER GENETICS AND PEDIGREES, PLANNING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, STUDYING OUR BREED IN HOPES OF MAKING IT BETTER, DELIVERING EACH PUP, AND WATCHING THEM GROW IN HOPES THAT THEY WILL BE THE BEST YET. ”
7. Is it challenging to compete with your breed as a Breeder/Owner Handler? Are you intimidated by the professional handlers? By the judges? No. Not a challenge or intimidating for me. (I’m a Leo.) Our breed is primarily all owner-handled because pro handlers find Italian Greyhounds to be a pain in the neck to show because they are clingy, needy, warmth- seeking, quirky weirdos that need to be with their humans constantly. That’s a HUGE advantage for those us who saw that pup draw its first breath of air. Now, with that being said, not all Breeder/Owner Handlers can present their dogs in the ring with the ease and confidence that the pros have. Those of us who have mastered showman- ship at a pro level rise to the top and make showing IGs look easy. We know every nuance of that dog. 8. Who have been your mentors as an Owner Handler? As a Breeder? My mentors in every aspect have been Lois March of Marchwind IGs for allowing me to have great show and foundation bitches, Violet and Candy, to get a great start. Along with Lois, my very dear friends and IG breeders, Diana Chapman of Wynson IGs, Fran Matron of Mar- lord’s IGs, and Richard Valentini of Valhassar IGs have sat at shows or kitchen islands talking dogs with me for countless hours. I benefit from their combined hundreds of years (and dogs) of collective knowledge, and I soak in their every word. The beauty of our friendship is that we can talk frankly, respectfully, and honestly together, and offer constructive criticism and praise without hurt feelings or jealousy. We have become family. Sometimes we agree to disagree, but we ALWAYS cheer for each other and celebrate each other’s success. They help me when I stumble and encourage me every step of the way. And, most importantly, they have fast-tracked my Italian Greyhound education. I can’t imagine how hard every- thing would be without these relationships. Great men- tors are the most vital key to success in the dog world.
9. How important is the Breeder/Owner Handler to the future of the dog sport? I’m still relatively new to the fancy and don’t know how it was before, but it would seem to me that the Breeder/Owner Handler element is the backbone of the sport, from my perspective. If you took all of us out of the show building, it would be practically emp- ty. Some handlers, and maybe some judges, may look down on us as peasants. Handling is their job... but Breeder/Owner Handlers make it our PASSION! We eat, breath, and live for our dogs... pour- ing over genetics and pedigrees, planning for future generations, studying our breed in hopes of making it better, delivering each pup, and watching them grow in hopes that they will be the best yet. 10. What are your goals as an Owner Handler? As a Breeder? Is there a milestone that has eluded you? My OH goal is to finish the NOHS as the #1 IG at the end of the year. My immediate goal as a Breeder is to combine the blood- lines of my two foundation bitches together and see how that looks. (I’m currently awaiting two early August litters with these combos.) A milestone is to someday win BOB at our National Specialty and at Westminster. 11. Is there a funny story that you can share about your experi- ences as a Breeder/Owner Handler? Due to the COVID shutdown, I did some serious driving to attend shows far beyond my normal home region, resulting in my lead foot getting me not one, but two (TWO! !) PRICEY SPEED- ING TICKETS in August 2020. I also had a couple dogs “trapped” with my co-owner/co-breeder in Canada for a few months. She finally managed to sell one of her kidneys (wink, wink) to secure an animal transporter to get them across the Canadian border bridge in Buffalo, New York, for me to pick-up. On my very long, 12 hour drive home the following day, my supportive “dog show husband” sent me this text: “Netflix contacted me about movie rights... some- thing about Sandra Bullock playing you... it’s about you driving across multiple states, committing moving violations on a hot dog show run... as a notorious “coyote,” moving Italian Greyhounds illegally across the Canadian border... leading the FBI on a wild lure coursing chase across the country... collecting ribbons as you go.”
98 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2021
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