Some Thoughts on Specialing
By Michele Wrath
H
aving that “special one” that can go beyond a champion- Be a humble winner and a gracious loser. Everyone has
ship is the dream of many a dog fancier. And for some, those days they’d like to forget, and most folks under-
the dream includes owner-handling the dog throughout its
stand a bad day. If a loss is particularly upsetting, the best
specials career. Sadly, there is nothing out there that pre-
thing to do is to quietly walk away from the ring and
pares the owner handler for what is about to happen next.
keep walking till you gain your composure. People aren’t
particularly interested in hearing how badly you were
Regardless of what anyone tells you, crossing the threshold
robbed, or how awful the dog that won really is. If any or
from showing in the classes to showing in Best of Breed is
all of this is true, people will be telling YOU and trust me,
like moving to another world. It doesn’t matter how long
it’s much better that way. Remember what I said earlier,
you’ve shown in the classes, how good a handler you are or
no one really cares about your dog – and certainly not to
how much success you’ve had, the specials ring is different.
the extent that you do. Your dog’s specials career will last
a year or 2. Your friends in dogs were with you before
To start out with, the competition is tougher. After all, the
the dog, and if you play your cards right, will be with you
dogs are all finished champions which should guarantee
long after the dog is retired and you’ve stopped talking
some degree of quality. The next indication that you are
about its wins.
in the big leagues is that you are now almost exclusively in
the ring with Professional Handlers. They have two distinct
Enjoy those times when it feels like nothing can go wrong
advantages over you. First, they are generally very good
and don’t give up when Murphy comes to visit. If you are
at showing dogs. If they weren’t, people would stop pay-
lucky you will have a run – it could be a long weekend
ing them for their services and they’d be out of business.
of shows – it could be a month of shows – where the
Second, it’s a job to them and not an emotional quest. They
planets align. You’ve got great judges in the breed and
have nerves of steel and remain calm through situations that
group, your dog is in great show condition and your per-
would find the owner handler in a tangled mess at the other
formance in the ring is near perfect. There is no greater
end of the lead.
feeling in the sport of dogs than to be at the top of your
game. And then something happens – the panels are not
I know, you are thinking, I know all this and I can’t wait to get
that great, hormones kick in and wreak havoc with your
out there. Good for you! Here are some things to remem-
animal’s weight and psyche, or someone else’s special
ber as you embark on your adventure.
invades what you consider to be “your territory” – which
A win today is just that. It is no predictor of what might
of course it’s not! And you start losing. Sometimes it
happen a week from now, a month from now or a year
can be just a bad day, or a bad weekend, or longer if you
from now. Some judges fall in love with a dog and are true
are really unfortunate. This is where being an owner-
to that animal for the duration of its specials career. Other
handler can be really tough. You have to be able to be
judges fall in love every weekend.
painfully honest with yourself. Take a good look at the
Set goals that are realistic and important to you. No one
dog and how the two of you have been working together.
else cares that your dog was #1 or #5 or #17, and if you
If you’ve been out a lot, the dog may be tired and need a
are like most owner handlers, no one else is paying for your
rest. YOU may be tired and need a rest. If it’s hormones,
entry fees, gas, or hotel bills. Go to the shows that you want
you may need to just wait it out. If it’s new competition,
to show at and stay home when you feel like it. With the in-
be honest with yourself. The other dog may just be a bet-
creasing number of multiple day clusters that spill over to the
ter dog, better presented or more pleasing to the judge.
work week, it makes it hard for owner handlers who work
Remember, you paid your money to get his/her opinion,
to get to as many shows as a professionally handled animal.
they didn’t seek you out. And hopefully the phase passes,
and you are back out having success again.
Remember, the professional handler is at every show be-
cause it’s their job to be there. It is possible to have very
And finally, enjoy the experience! After all, you are in the
good success doing it yourself, but be realistic. Getting into
ring with your dog, doing something you love. Otherwise
the top 5 in your breed with a very good animal is probably
you wouldn’t be out there in the first place!
achievable with some great timing and strategic wins. Get-
ting beyond that is almost impossible if you can’t dedicate
your time to a campaign.
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