The Responsibility of the Experienced

T HE R ESPONSIBILITY E XPERIENCEDof the

Many of the most successful breeders started out with a dog that was mainly bought as a pet. For a variety of reasons, they dipped a toe in the water at dog shows. Their experiences during those early days were crucial and persuaded them that this is a hobby they could get involved with and enjoy— or decide it’s not for them.

A key element to your decision making are the people you meet in your first training classes, or exhibitions, but the most experienced exhibitors rarely realize how they can influence others.

Newcomers, who are potential exhibitors and breeders of the future, should be welcomed with open arms and encouraged, and the basic principles of exhibition and evaluation should be explained in a simple way.

Your first dog may be of indifferent quality, but sometimes it can be a "diamond in the rough" that just needs skillful handling and presentation to earn something.

Breeders of the newcomer’s own breed have a responsibility to explain, tactfully and carefully, their dog’s virtues – and they all have some virtues – in the context of the Breed Standard while diplomatically explaining their de patience. It's important that newcomers don't see their "geese as swans", but they shouldn't be given false hope either.

Enthusiastic and intelligent newcomers will listen to the most experienced and decide how they want to progress. They can choose to struggle with their original companion and try to get better through parenting (if they’ve been lucky enough to find a worthy mentor) or decide it’s best to retire that dog into the home and seek a more realistic base with potential.

It’s essential that your first encounter with “canine people” doesn’t leave you with the impression of an elitist antisocial group of people who have no time for rookies. They need to feel welcome and encouraged.

We were all rookies at some point, but some seem to forget it and, due to lack of consideration, their good behavior may be fundamental to losing to the sporting breeders of the future that we so need.

Many of the most successful breeders began with a dog that was bought primarily as a pet. For a variety of reasons they dipped a toe into the water of dog showing. Their experiences during those early days were crucial and either persuaded them that this is a hobby with which they could become involved and enjoy, or they decide it’s not for them.

Pivotal to their decision are the people they encounter at their first training classes, dog matches or shows but seldom do the more experienced exhibitors realize how they can influence others.

Newcomers - who are potentially exhibitors and breeders of the future - should be welcomed with open arms and encouraged, having the basic principles of showing and judging explained to them simply.

Their first dog may be of indifferent quality but sometimes can be a “diamond in the rough” that just needs skilful handling and presentation to do some useful winning.

Breeders of the newcomer’s own breed have a responsibility to explain, with tact and care, their dog’s virtues (and they all have some virtues) in the context of the Breed Standard whilst diplomatically explaining its shortcomings. It is important that newcomers do not see their geese as swans but similarly they should not be given false hope.

Newcomers who are enthusiastic and intelligent will listen to the more experienced and decide how they wish to progress. They may choose to struggle with their original companion and try to upgrade through breeding (if they have been lucky enough to find a worthy mentor) or decide it’s best to retire that dog to the fireside and look for a more realistic foundation with potential.

It is essential that their first meeting with “dog people” does not leave them with the impression of an elitist antisocial group of people who have no time for novices. They need to feel welcome and encouraged.

We were all novices once, but some seem to forget that and, through a lack of consideration, their behavior may well be instrumental in losing to the sport breeders of the future that we so desperately need.

Thank you Andrew Brace