My coworker Jon carries a coffee mug that says, “Nobody cares. Work harder.” That call to
stop making excuses reminds me of some advice I offer to my fellow conformation
competitors… especially my fellow owner-handlers.
Dog shows are about evaluating breeding stock, period, end of story. With that in mind, when
I think about what it takes to win dog shows, it really boils down to three things:
- Quality of the animal
- Quality of grooming and conditioning
- Quality of presentation
…notice how I didn’t say anything about quality of judging?
Yes, judging matters, but I only worry about what I can control. By and large we as exhibitors
spend too much time worrying about judging and politics, and not enough time critically
evaluating the variables directly under our control.
When I walk out of a ring without the win, I ask myself three questions: First, did I have the
best-presented dog in the ring? If not, I need to become a better handler. Go to class, get
some coaching, take some video or work in front of a mirror… I need to do whatever it takes
to get better at handling and presenting the dog to the best of its ability.
Second, did I have the best groomed and conditioned dog in the ring? If not, I need to learn
to be a better groomer, or do more bathing and brushing at home, or spend more time doing
roadwork to make sure the dog is in peak physical condition, with muscle tone and coat on
point the day of the show.
If the answer to the first two questions is YES, I had the best-presented dog and YES, I had the
best groomed and conditioned dog in the ring, then I ask myself, did I have the best dog in the
ring? If the answer is no, then I need to go breed or buy a better dog.
This last question is the hardest, because we naturally think our dog is like Mary Poppins –
practically perfect in every way. However, we forget that there is no perfect dog, and we
might be a tad kennel blind. We tend to overlook our dog’s shortcomings and dismiss other
dogs’ virtues. Being objective about the dog on the day is tough, but it’s incredibly important if
we want to stay true to the actual purpose of dog shows: evaluating breeding stock.
Only when I know that I had the best dog in the ring, that I was the best handler in the ring,
and that the dog was the best groomed and conditioned dog in the ring, do I consider the
quality of the judging. Too many of us skip critiquing our own skills and preparation and jump
right into playing the blame game. We look for some pretext or excuse to cover up our own
shortcomings as an exhibitor or breeder.
Yes, campaigning a dog as an owner-handler is difficult, and professionals do have an
advantage… but it’s not “politics.” The advantage the professional has is that they spend every
day working their dogs, improving their skills, and making sure the dog is on point when it
walks in the ring the day of the show.
If we want to be competitive in the ring with people who make their living exhibiting dogs, we
need to make sure our skills and our dogs are up to the task. As my coworker would put it, we
just need to work harder.
