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Should You Hire a Professional Handler?
from: The Complete DogProfessional handlers have a knack for winning many dog shows. Why? Well, if you consider that they're professionals who work at their jobs all day, every day and not just at weekend shows, it's not surprising. Most people don't have that luxuty and complain about professionals winning so many shows. Many professional handlers go from early-morning breakfast until nine or ten at night without any food because they're too busy to stop for food.
They certainly do work at their jobs, so it's easy to predict that given an equally good dog on which you're able to spend as much time as professionals, and when you learn how to show a dog as well as they do, you'll start to see as many wins. Quite often you'll see the top professional handlers placed last in a good class, with an amateur in first place. Therefore, don't complain when professionals beat you, just watch them, learn their secrets, become equal to their knowledge and ability, and you'll start to see the same results.
Along with saving money, you'll probably have much more fun if you show your own dog yourself and you'll learn about dogs much faster. Hiring a good professional handler, one licensed by the American Kennel Club and a member of the Professional Handlers Association, usually charges $20 to $30 to show your dog at a show. This doesn't include the entry fee -- but it could include the trimming charge, or the transportation charge, but it might not!
If your dog wins a Group, there's an additional charge, but this is usually agreed upon in advance. The owner gets the trophies, but it's customary for the handler to recieve the prize money won by the dog, wich explains why professional handlers always do their best to take only good dogs into the ring, one's who are really ready for competition. Of course, handlers want prize money. The amount of prize money a dog wins is determined by the show-giving club, which usually varies according to the number of dogs entered a given class.
It's unfortunate that so many owners are too anxious to show their dog and can't wait until it's mature or in the proper coat or weight before they start to show. A professional is in a much better position because he can wait until a dog is ready to be shown his services are likely much in demand. He may even have a waiting list so he can choose from many dogs only the ones he thinks are really ready to go and have the best chance of winning.
If you hire a professional handler to show your dog, he's inclined to come to the show only if it's convenient, because he knows the dog will be properly cared for and handled. If he's going to handle his dog himself, he is required to be present at the appointed hour and must stay until the dogs are released. However, it's during this time that you'll learn the most about dogs and about shows. During this time you'll meet other interested people, have time to see other dogs in your breed, and be able to evaluate the areas in which your dog is better and areas he may need to improve compared to your competition.
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