ShowSight April 2021

INTERVIEW WITH LEE WHITTIER / DOG SHOW MENTOR (DSM)

SPOILER ALERT: Yes, owner handlers really can beat the pros in the ring.

ring procedure or hasn’t bothered to train their dog can result in the judge having to play catch-up to stay on time. So, the answer is, if you want to win on any kind of a regular basis, it’s important to take the time to understand basic judging procedures from the other side of the table. 5. Are most owner handlers intimidated by the profession- als? Can they really beat the pros? I don’t know about most owner handlers, but I will say that many owner handlers are intimidated by the professionals. Intimi- dation is simply a function of lack of experience. In other words, the non-professionals don’t know what they don’t know. Experience and education will give them what they need. Spoiler Alert: Yes, owner handlers really can beat the pros in the ring. In fact, they have an advantage. Typically, they have a deeper relationship with their dog and more of a personal investment in winning. They are likely to spend more time training both them- selves and their dog. 6. Why do some owner handlers think they can never win? Are the odds really stacked against them or are they missing something? I don’t know why some owner handlers think they cannot win, because the odds are actually stacked in their favor. What wins in the ring is a great dog and a great handler. Just because a handler is paid to step into the ring, it doesn’t mean they are any better or that they care more. In most cases, it means they are more experienced. But remember, experience is open to everybody. If some owner handlers think they can’t win, I believe it is because they haven’t created a winning mindset. Mindset is a con- cept I’ve been studying for a number of years. We spend a lot of time talking about mindset in Dog Show Mentor. We ask the question, “What if?” This is one of the biggest questions that drives change and allows outcomes to move from dreams into reality. As one of my members said, “If I had resorted to hiring a handler, I would not be where I am today.” In her case, she’s a Best in Show owner handler. 7. How important is it for owner handlers to understand their breed’s standard? It’s incredibly important for owner handlers to understand their breed standard. They can’t accentuate their dog’s virtues and mini- mize their faults if they don’t understand what their breed is sup- posed to look like, again, according to that standard. The whole point is to create an ideal presentation for the judge in the ring. I’ve created a system for exhibitors to learn their breed, by teach- ing it. It’s a well-known fact that when you teach a topic, any topic, you will achieve a deeper level of learning. At DSM, members have the opportunity to present a “Spotlight on Your Breed.” Under my personal guidance, they take a deep dive into their standard; ulti- mately they create a 10-20 minute presentation. This system works for newbies as well as multi-decade exhibitors.

Lee judges her Group Winner at the 2018 Orange Empire Dog Club show.

8. Any thoughts on the human-canine bond? How can this be utilized in the ring? The way the human-canine bond can be utilized in the ring is through the relationship, both in and beyond the ring, that is developed between the owner handler and the dog. Dogs were domesticated thousands of years ago and they want to please their humans. Typically, it isn’t the dog that has a problem in the ring, it’s the human. I have seen dogs blossom with the enhancement of a gentler bond with their human. I’ve been known to encourage owner handlers to hold their dog’s lead or head like an uncooked egg; the gentler the touch, the more powerful it is for the bond. Thus, the presentation evolves. 9. Does good sportsmanship still have a place in the sport of dogs? How can owner handlers keep this in mind when they’ve lost? How about when they’ve won? Absolutely! Good sportsmanship still has a place in our sport, perhaps now more than ever. Sportsmanship is really just how we treat each other, whether we’re happy with a particular outcome, or not. In fact, I believe that sportsmanship should be at the fore- front of the sport. Ultimately, we practice good sportsmanship amongst all handlers. It is such an important standard that Dog Show Mentor integrated sportsmanship into its own Core Values and, of course, AKC has the Code of Sportsmanship. Good sportsmanship means it’s just as important to be a good winner as it is to be a good loser. Never gloat. Be kind to those ahead of and behind you. If the judge doesn’t point to your dog, turn it into a win anyway. Learn something about yourself, your dog, the judge, or your competitors. Learn from the experience; use the evidence as information that opens an opportunity for further improvement. I can think of no better example than what we do at DSM. Every week, we share Monday Morning Mentoring Moments and Brags. It is an opportunity to reflect on our weekend shows and gather as a community in our Facebook Group. One of the Dog- ShowMentorisms is: “Reflection is a powerful tool.” And so, we do. We reflect on what we did well and what we could have done better. And we reflect on who we consciously invite into our sup- port circle. We share moments of joy and even challenges. Perhaps we didn’t win that weekend, but we can still recognize the joy that others have when they win. So, we honor that. It’s not Pollyan- nish, being excessively optimistic with a tendency to find the good

122 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, APRIL 2021

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