INTERVIEW WITH JUNIOR HANDLER

form, and function? Secondly, I feel like dog shows help educate the public who may not be familiar with purebred dogs. Preserving purebred dogs is an important part of history and I hope dog shows help educate people on their importance as family members and how they can influence our lives. They will also see that showing dogs is a great family sport!

Do you find it difficult to balance personal, school, and dog show life? How do you are available to fit everything in?

Do you currently breed and is this something you see yourself doing in the future?

Yes, I have bred one of my Miniature Pinschers. Unfortunately, it was not successful, and I learned to appreciate the effort that goes into breeding dogs. I am planning a breeding this spring and hope it will result in my first bred by prospect. I am super excited to see what I will get! Lian, Patty Bartley Shonts, and my mom co-breed Black Russian Terriers and Russian Toys under the kennel name Naissur. I know breeding is not for the faint of heart, but nothing could be more rewarding than seeing the dogs I bred successful in the ring.

What in your words is the purpose of dog shows?

There are two purposes of dog shows. One, is to allow breeders to highlight what they have bred to see how well their dogs follow the breed standards. Does the dog that the judge is selecting represent breed type,

Yes, it is challenging at times to balance everything. l work hard to try to get ahead of my school assignments, that way I do not have to stress about it whenever I am at a show. I am incredibly lucky to attend a four day a week school and my school supports extracurricular activities. My teachers are incredibly supportive, and I repay that by staying ahead on my assignments. I have had to miss school activities, but that is okay. I would rather be showing dogs. Since my mom, Lian, and I travel a lot, my dad stays home and takes care of the remaining dogs. We could not do it without him.

What profession would you like to have as an adult?

I still must figure out what I would like to do as a career. I will attend college in the fall and hope to figure it out along the way. I know dogs will be an important part of my life, regardless of my career path.

Do you prefer handling table dogs or larger dogs?

My breed is Miniature Pinschers, so I enjoy showing table breeds. However, I like to handle both table dogs and large dogs. My family breeds Black Russians, so I learned while showing large dogs. It has helped me be a better handler by expanding my handling skills with different breeds of all sizes.

Interview With Junior Handler

Is there a certain coat you prefer to prepare for the ring?

Certain coats I prefer to prepare for the show ring would be setters and spaniels just because I find it calming and therapeutic when hot drying their coats. I also enjoy getting wavy/curly coated breeds ready, too. I like the challenge of sculpting them to enhance their qualities.

What professional handlers or owner handlers inspire you?

Clint and Karen Livingston and Kimberly Pastella Calvacca inspire me because they are all great people to spendtimewithandtalkto.Theyareallsoknowledgeable when it comes to dogs, and they are very willing to help me when I need advice and have encouraged me through the difficulties of showing dogs.

If you could be an assistant for any handler both past or present, who would it be and what would you hope you could learn from them?

I am glad this question was asked because I have already worked for my dream handlers: the Livingstons and Kim Calvacca. I am blessed to be associated with these people because I feel truly valued when I assist them. I feel included and part of a team when I work for these handlers. When assisting Clint, Karen, and Kim, I have learnedhowtobeateamplayer,theimportanceofhaving a work ethic, that you can always improve your handling skills, and how to be professional around people.

What dog from any point in time do you wish you could handle and why?

I think it would have been an honor to handle Matisse, the top winningest Portuguese Water Dog in history. Whenever that dog stepped into a ring, he had so much presence and was such a performer. Michael Scott had that dog in excellent condition, and I loved watching them every time they showed together. I would like to show Matisse because he was such an influential sire to the breed.

Do you show your own dogs in breed competition? If so, what breeds?

I do show my own dogs in the breed ring. The two main breeds I show are Miniature Pinschers and Black Russian Terriers.