A very interesting article on Junior Handling was posted by Ante Lucin and Best in Show Magazine last night which everyone should have a look at. I agree with many points raised in this article in particular the point about enjoying the junior handling experience and having a good rapport and bond with your dog. Like it says in the article; the dogs are not machines or statues. The article also raises a problem where a lot of handlers tend to look for dogs that are flashy and win BIS. In Ireland, one of our rules in that the handler may only show a dog that is in his/her name or family name. I have always been a fan of this rule as it cuts out a lot of decisions based on politics, in favor of forming a bond with your own dogs. Numbers for junior handling have dropped dramatically over the years which as Secretary of the club is difficult for me to see. However, I think the reduced numbers are partly due to the competitiveness in the sport these days. Parents dont want their kids going into a competition where people are more focused on winning than enjoying it and making friends. We need to encourage these kids before everyone stops doing junior handling all together, and then where will the future of dog showing be?? Georgina Alford
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 17:36:12 +0000
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