One of my original thoughts with creating this blog stems from my very first experience at an AKC dog show 16 years ago now....
As anyone who has been the "new kid" on the show scene can attest, it is extremely intimidating to approach a seasoned breeder or handler and ask for advice or direction. After all, these are the individuals we've watched and admired time and time again in the ring, we've seen them in advertisements, we've read about thier accomplishments and followed their successes. For someone aspiring to be involved with purebred dogs, these individuals are our equivilent of sports heros and superstars....individuals to be admired from afar.
And so it goes that I remember walking around shows and watching from a distance as individuals groomed their dogs, hoping to glean some insight into this mystical art. I remember as they packed chalked onto the dogs legs and then topped with hairspray which I assumed was to keep the product firmly in place. I suppose out of fear of being caught staring like some starstruck novice, I unfortunately must have quickly walked away before seeing the most important (and very critical) part of this grooming ritual...where the handler diligently brushed and blowed the chalk back out of the dogs legs so as to eliminate any trace!
And so the day came for my first official AKC dog show and with all the excitement, nervousness and uncertainty of a child on Christmas morning, I pulled into the show with my one little dog in my small SUV. I had no insight that day would bring a definining moment in my venture with purebred dogs.
As I set up my shiny new grooming table and unpacked all the supplies I had purchased over the previous weeks, I set about preparing for my big debut thinking that Best In Show was certainly within my grasp. As we entered the ring for the 6-9 month bitch class, my beloved little blue merle girl was proudly fluffed, puffed and came walking into the ring with huge plume of white powder following. I steadied my nerves as best I could and clumsily stacked my little girl for the examine. Imagine my shock when upon exam the judge pulled her hands away with disgust on her face and a layer of powder on her palms while remarking that she was excusing me from the ring!
I heartedly laugh about this story now and share it with others for a good laugh but it was after that day that I made the conscious decision that if I ever had the opportunity to share insight from my experiences or a helpful hint with someone else, I would never hesitate.
Over the years since, I have seen far too many times unfortunately when the dark side of ego and competition overshadows the humanity and comraderie of this beloved sport.
The reality is this....if someone beats me in the ring because of a grooming tip or bit of advice that I have shared with them, I may walk away without the points that day but I've hopefully gained something far more important....the knowledge that I helped someone else be successful. For me, that seems like the biggest win of all.
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