Quote:
Originally Posted by spellweaver
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.