# Professional Show Handlers



## clueless

Hi I was wondering if any of you would or does use a Show Handler. I personally would not as I go to shows to enjoy and have fun with my dogs. IMO If people have to use a handler they have far to many dogs. Whats you opinions


----------



## Guest

clueless said:


> Hi I was wondering if any of you would or does use a Show Handler. I personally would not as I go to shows to enjoy and have fun with my dogs. IMO If people have to use a handler they have far to many dogs. Whats you opinions


I'm on the fence on this one 'cos one of my nieces wants to be a professional handler. 

I can see what you mean though - why pay someone to do something when you can do it yourself and have fun? However, I can also see reasons where professional handlers are necessary - for example, if the owner is disabled or otherwise unable to exhibit their dog, or someone has two dogs they want to show in the same class, or sometimes a dog misbehaves with the owner but does not misbehave wth a handler, or for someone who is just learning how to exhibit. Sadly, however, I have to admit that the reason most people use professional handlers is that the judge will recognise the face at the end of the lead!


----------



## clueless

Thanks Spellweaver a lot of good points for. My opinions were based on the amount of Crested people in America that I speak to who use Handlers, there is nothing wrong with them to stop them showing their own dogs and always thought Why use handlers I feel they only breed the dogs, they are not involving themselves in any way re training etc... But they class themselves as Show People


----------



## Guest

spellweaver said:


> .... or for someone who is just learning how to exhibit.


Like me!!!  I can see why they can be useful because although once I know what I'm doing I'd like to be involved as much as possible in showing Jayjay I just won't have the time to take him to every show, so I'll need someone to show him when I can't.


----------



## Guest

From what I understand of the show scene in America (and bear in mind it's only what I've been told; I've never been!) showing there is vastly different from here. Just about everyone uses professional handlers - it's a big business over there; handlers are the "stars" and they have their own assistants! Owners send their dogs to the handlers for training, and in most cases the dogs actually live with the handlers (and not their owners) for the show season. Sometimes the handlers won't even let the owners attend shows because it upsets the dogs.


----------



## minnie

Humm, i will handle friends dogs for them if they have a good enough reason and will probably be taking one of the pups to a few shows for experience before her owner takes her as i have been asked but apart from Will and another young girl who occasionally comes with me to shows I'm on my own


----------



## Guest

ajshep1984 said:


> Like me!!!  I can see why they can be useful because although once I know what I'm doing I'd like to be involved as much as possible in showing Jayjay I just won't have the time to take him to every show, so I'll need someone to show him when I can't.


heh heh - wait until you see the list of shows I have lined up for you .....


----------



## Debbie

I dont use a handler on my dogs but I have handled for other people and so has hubby - neither of us have ever done it for money - just favours - sometimes a friend who has 2 breeds and the classes clash - so she needs someone to handle one of them. I dont have a problem with handlers - but in America it seems most dogs have handlers - it kinda takes the fun outta it for me but if I had both my girls entered and both ended up against each other and hubby wasnt there then I would have a friend handle 1 of them for me. I do know a couple of handlers in the UK but cannot see me ever using them


----------



## Guest

I have never shown a dog or any other animal in my life so I am only having a guess why someone would use a handler as opposed to doing it themselves. Pople own race horses for instance but they don't necessarily ride them themselves - they employ skilled jockeys. Jockeys with the knowledge skill etc. 

May be similar with dogs - not all dog handlers will have the skill or knowledge perhaps to show and handle their dog.


----------



## tashi

spellweaver said:


> From what I understand of the show scene in America (and bear in mind it's only what I've been told; I've never been!) showing there is vastly different from here. Just about everyone uses professional handlers - it's a big business over there; handlers are the "stars" and they have their own assistants! Owners send their dogs to the handlers for training, and in most cases the dogs actually live with the handlers (and not their owners) for the show season. Sometimes the handlers won't even let the owners attend shows because it upsets the dogs.


You have got that more or less right - in the States it is a great acheivement to show and win as an owner/breeder, one of the dogs that was with us is now 4 and has only ever spent a week of his life with his owner!! But most of the dogs that we had on the truck were dropped off at the start of the show season and then picked up at the end of the season. It is a different way of life over there and the shows are very very different from the shows in the UK I had the pleasure of handling many breeds whilst there and the professional handlers also 'borrow' handlers off one another (hope that makes sense). The dogs are bathed and blow dried everyday before going in the ring and the morning starts at about 5.30 am with the exercising and feeding of the dogs and ends at about 10 at night after all the dogs have been exercised again before going back on the truck for the night.


----------



## Guest

tashi said:


> You have got that more or less right - in the States it is a great acheivement to show and win as an owner/breeder, one of the dogs that was with us is now 4 and has only ever spent a week of his life with his owner!! But most of the dogs that we had on the truck were dropped off at the start of the show season and then picked up at the end of the season. It is a different way of life over there and the shows are very very different from the shows in the UK I had the pleasure of handling many breeds whilst there and the professional handlers also 'borrow' handlers off one another (hope that makes sense). The dogs are bathed and blow dried everyday before going in the ring and the morning starts at about 5.30 am with the exercising and feeding of the dogs and ends at about 10 at night after all the dogs have been exercised again before going back on the truck for the night.


Wait until my niece sees this post - this sounds like her dream! How long were you handling in the states, Tashi? Did you enjoy it?


----------



## tashi

spellweaver said:


> Wait until my niece sees this post - this sounds like her dream! How long were you handling in the states, Tashi? Did you enjoy it?


The two girls and I were over there for 5 weeks last summer, the year before babytashi went for 2 months we have an open door over there now and can go to handle for at least 3 different professional handlers if we wanted to, we were actually asked if we would like to emigrate and take over the business . It was a wonderful experience but very tiring their show circuit is very different to ours as you can have 4 different shows take place in the one showground in 3 days!! But we did the Ontario Golden Triangle of shows which was 12 shows in 11 days in 3 different areas and we also did the Saratoga fairground shows which was 4 shows in 4 days I could have gone over to Westminster to handle if I could have afforded it.









This is what we travelled in the truck housed up to 50 dogs and was air conditioned and the trailer slept 10.

Thats an articulated lorry parked behind it


----------



## minnie

tashi said:


> The two girls and I were over there for 5 weeks last summer, the year before babytashi went for 2 months we have an open door over there now and can go to handle for at least 3 different professional handlers if we wanted to, we were actually asked if we would like to emigrate and take over the business . It was a wonderful experience but very tiring their show circuit is very different to ours as you can have 4 different shows take place in the one showground in 3 days!! But we did the Ontario Golden Triangle of shows which was 12 shows in 11 days in 3 different areas and we also did the Saratoga fairground shows which was 4 shows in 4 days I could have gone over to Westminster to handle if I could have afforded it.
> 
> View attachment 5888
> 
> 
> This is what we travelled in the truck housed up to 50 dogs and was air conditioned and the trailer slept 10.
> 
> Thats an articulated lorry parked behind it


50 dogs! blooming heck! how many did you take?


----------



## Guest

Crikey - it _is_ a totally different world! What an experience - I am _so _envious!


----------



## leoti

I show two other dogs other than my collie , i show a newfie and a cavalier


----------



## tashi

minnie said:


> 50 dogs! blooming heck! how many did you take?


Most we took was 24 (I think) and then we showed more when we were there between us we handled

labs, clumber spaniel, vizlas, bedlington terriers, scottish terriers, norwich terriers, tibetan terriers, rottweilers, corgis, golden retrievers, havanese, tibetan spaniels, cant think of anything else.

But there they work out the time they will be in the ring almost to the minute and you know that you have to be at say ring 3 with the clumber at 11.05 and then at ring 6 with the lab at 11.45 etc etc. Some dogs were bathed upto 3 times a day  and the gsd's are blasted with a water soaker type thing and then dried right outside the ring.

Didnt take any of our own over there though cos of the air journey didnt fancy taking them


----------



## minnie

tashi said:


> Most we took was 24 (I think) and then we showed more when we were there between us we handled
> 
> labs, clumber spaniel, vizlas, bedlington terriers, scottish terriers, norwich terriers, tibetan terriers, rottweilers, corgis, golden retrievers, havanese, tibetan spaniels, cant think of anything else.
> 
> But there they work out the time they will be in the ring almost to the minute and you know that you have to be at say ring 3 with the clumber at 11.05 and then at ring 6 with the lab at 11.45 etc etc. Some dogs were bathed upto 3 times a day  and the gsd's are blasted with a water soaker type thing and then dried right outside the ring


eep you were buisy then!


----------



## tashi

minnie said:


> eep you were buisy then!


yep we certainly were great fun though we all used to have outdoor showers LOL strip down to a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and then bathed under a cold hose!!!


----------



## Guest

tashi said:


> But there they work out the time they will be in the ring almost to the minute and you know that you have to be at say ring 3 with the clumber at 11.05 and then at ring 6 with the lab at 11.45 etc etc.


Bet that takes some organising - on the part of the show committee/society as well as the handlers themselves!


----------



## tashi

spellweaver said:


> Bet that takes some organising - on the part of the show committee/society as well as the handlers themselves!


these were some of the dogs we handled


----------



## clueless

spellweaver said:


> From what I understand of the show scene in America (and bear in mind it's only what I've been told; I've never been!) showing there is vastly different from here. Just about everyone uses professional handlers - it's a big business over there; handlers are the "stars" and they have their own assistants! Owners send their dogs to the handlers for training, and in most cases the dogs actually live with the handlers (and not their owners) for the show season. Sometimes the handlers won't even let the owners attend shows because it upsets the dogs.


Yey Thats what I mean so really these show people are just Show Breeders


----------



## clueless

Debbie said:


> I dont use a handler on my dogs but I have handled for other people and so has hubby - neither of us have ever done it for money - just favours - sometimes a friend who has 2 breeds and the classes clash - so she needs someone to handle one of them. I dont have a problem with handlers - but in America it seems most dogs have handlers - it kinda takes the fun outta it for me but if I had both my girls entered and both ended up against each other and hubby wasnt there then I would have a friend handle 1 of them for me. I do know a couple of handlers in the UK but cannot see me ever using them


Yes I have friends who step in, but it was just why the need for the Professional handlers constantly with some people


----------



## Debbie

Its all about the winning - the face of the handler sometimes is all thats needed - sometimes maybe the prof handler is highly respected in dogs and the person feels honoured that a prof handler wants to handle their dog. How about a prof handler has a new breed or a breed that needs an extra boost so to speak and the prof handler will get that breed noticed for them.
There are so many ways to look at this - I have nothing against people using them but for me it takes out the fun element - we all love to win - anyone who says any different is fibbing


----------



## clueless

Debbie said:


> Its all about the winning - the face of the handler sometimes is all thats needed - sometimes maybe the prof handler is highly respected in dogs and the person feels honoured that a prof handler wants to handle their dog. How about a prof handler has a new breed or a breed that needs an extra boost so to speak and the prof handler will get that breed noticed for them.
> There are so many ways to look at this - I have nothing against people using them but for me it takes out the fun element - we all love to win - anyone who says any different is fibbing


I am fibbing  I was even told last year at an Open show to smile  Pup won 5 rossettes that day and Best Puppy in Show. I do not take showing seriously, its a hobby to me and my dogs are pets first and foremost. Thats why I am iffy re people who do not see there show dogs all year, suppose then it could be classed as a business really


----------



## tashi

clueless said:


> Yey Thats what I mean so really these show people are just Show Breeders


A lot of the people in the States that employ pro handlers are just 'pet' people who want the prestige from having a 'show' dog without the 'hassle' of the show scene, they are wealthy people who can then 'brag' about the winning of the dog without the constant bathing and grooming that goes on in America over there they even take hairspray in the ring with them!!!

The top winning poodle over there had 1 pro handler and 2 groomers working on him constantly he was brought down to the ring looking wonderful they would then work on him again outside the ring and in between the judging of the class - I would hate to think how many cans of hairspray they would have gone through but there was never a hair out of place. Saying that I dont think the judge could have ever got their hands into the coat either  the everyday show scene over there is a real eye opener.


----------



## clueless

tashi said:


> A lot of the people in the States that employ pro handlers are just 'pet' people who want the prestige from having a 'show' dog without the 'hassle' of the show scene, they are wealthy people who can then 'brag' about the winning of the dog without the constant bathing and grooming that goes on in America over there they even take hairspray in the ring with them!!!
> 
> The top winning poodle over there had 1 pro handler and 2 groomers working on him constantly he was brought down to the ring looking wonderful they would then work on him again outside the ring and in between the judging of the class - I would hate to think how many cans of hairspray they would have gone through but there was never a hair out of place. Saying that I dont think the judge could have ever got their hands into the coat either  the everyday show scene over there is a real eye opener.


Wow Tashi I did not know it was as severe as that over there.


----------



## tashi

clueless said:


> Wow Tashi I did not know it was as severe as that over there.


Let us say it is 'extremely' competitive but then it is their livelyhoods they not only get paid to handle the dog but if they win they get paid more!!!


----------



## clueless

tashi said:


> Let us say it is 'extremely' competitive but then it is their livelyhoods they not only get paid to handle the dog but if they win they get paid more!!!


True, but I still do not see what if any enjoyment the Breeder gets from not working/ training and grooming their own dogs. Its like Big Kennels here, IMO they do not spend any time with their dogs, just put a lead on 5mins before entering a ring. Most people think they are good etc to their dogs but how can they be really


----------



## Guest

clueless said:


> True, but I still do not see what if any enjoyment the Breeder gets from not working/ training and grooming their own dogs. Its like Big Kennels here, IMO they do not spend any time with their dogs, just put a lead on 5mins before entering a ring. Most people think they are good etc to their dogs but how can they be really


Agreed.

Wats the point in owning a beautifull show dog if u cant enjoy them????

i know if i was into showing i would want ta enjoy my dogs..the winning the lot


----------



## TinyTashi

tashi said:


> these were some of the dogs we handled
> 
> View attachment 5889
> 
> 
> View attachment 5890
> 
> 
> View attachment 5892


Mum i see you didnt put the pic of you up on here
why not??


----------



## richardjevelsonss

So previous month I was thinking about starting my affiliate marketing business and to purchase any affiliate websites I need some opinion if it is best option to build one myself or get any already ready made affiliate websites. I just visited site 
website affiliate and there was two reviews about these websites but I yet haven't decided what to do. Are there some customers who can give some thoughts for sites reviewed at that site?
- Here is most profitable turnkey affiliate websites for sale


----------



## findley

How nice to go around all the shows, just showing dogs. What I would give for a job like this. I love showing my dogs.


----------

