A PERSONAL BY DAN SAYERS BEST
OWNER-HANDLERS CONTRIBUTE TO THE LEGACY OF PUREBRED DOGS
B eing an owner-handler means different things to different people. For some, taking your dog into the Amateur-Owner- Handler Class is a great way to simply have fun with your dog. (Bringing home a ribbon for your efforts is a nice reward, but it’s not essential.) For the more competitive exhibitor, competing in the National Owner-Handled Series allows your hard work and dedication to be acknowledged in a measurable way. (Making it into the NOHS rankings offers the kind of motivation that’s nec- essary for improvement.) Many owner-handlers claim that the only class worthy of an entry fee is the Bred-By- Exhibitor Class. (Showing a dog that you’ve bred is the whole reason for con- formation shows—it’s about “breeding stock,” right?) Still, more owner-handlers participate in dog events as a kind of avocation. (Showing dogs isn’t quite a job for the hobby handler, but it’s certainly more than a pasttime.) And finally, the true professional may argue that a dog show is a bonafide sporting event, a competition that’s held specifically to determine a Best in Show winner. (For the genuine pro, owner-handling is a seri- ous contest, but it can also be an enjoyable way to spend the day with your four-legged favorite.) Owner-handlers bring a wide variety of expe- riences and various levels of commitment to the sport of dogs. By setting goals and achieving them, every owner-handler contributes some- thing of value to the legacy of purebred dogs: their own personal best.
126 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, APRIL 2021
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