Pet
Travel
A Day
In the Life of a Show Dog Handler
by Dawne Deeley
Most people with more than a passing interest in dogs will admit to
watching the occasional dog show. It might be repeat television
coverage of New York’s great Westminster Kennel Club affair, or
maybe the enormous Eukanuba National Championships. A few lucky
individuals may have accidentally channel-surfed into a Crufts
broadcast, and I swear *everyone* who knows of my doggy
involvement has told me what they think of the mockumentary “Best In
Show”. And there is one common observation thread: the dogs are
impeccably groomed and presented, the handlers cool and collected,
and it all looks very tidy and…well…just a bit surreal.
My non-doggy friends think this is a fairy-tale life, and as one who
spends more days on the road than off, I usually have to agree. As a
breeder/owner-handler of Carelian Bear Dogs and Norwegian Buhunds, I
have the reality of knowing any successes are likely going to happen
in direct proportion to the work I put in – but that’s just the tip
of the iceberg. To be sure, it’s a great luxury driving through
neighbouring provinces, getting to intimately know those little
way-stations that don’t appear on regular maps, and just spending
time with the charges in my care, but there’s a lot more to it than
just throwing on a leash, collar and number and praying the judge
will point in my direction. Here’s how this dog handler takes to the
streets, and lives to tell about it….
THE DAY BEFORE: It’s time to pack up the dogs and head out for
another weekend in my R.V. ‘home away from home.’ This is where I
spend most of my days during the summer, and a goodly number in the
fall and spring. Sure, it’s set up like a giant kennel, but after
all, it *IS* about the dogs and their comfort level. A great
show dog is an athlete who must give an ‘up’ performance on demand,
day in and month out. The best ones can be compared to human
entertainers. They love their job and they know they’re good at it,
but it’s still a physical grind, and a tough one at that.
With that in mind, I prepare and go over the checklist of essentials
for the dogs; bags of their regular kibble and single-serving
freezer packs of meat and vegetables. In case of ‘iffy’ stomachs
caused by too much show ‘bait’ or general excitement, a few cans of
medical ‘gastro’ diet, one or two of plain unsalted chicken broth, a
bag of white rice (bland and easy on the tummy) and some PeptoBismol
tablets *and* liquid. A good general topical antibiotic for
scratches and nicks, plus some bandages, peroxide, an oral
antihistamine, and if your vet approves, an oral antibiotic as well.
After all, you never intend to find trouble, but often as not it *will*
find you. A case or two of bottled water, as well two or three
10-gallon portable jugs. A few frozen bones and bags of freeze-dried
tripe for treats. The metal buckets which travel in their crates are
filled with water and put in the freezer; this will not only help
keep the crates cool, but won’t slosh as the vehicle moves. Don’t
forget the beef heart and liver, which has been cooked and frozen
for in-the-ring enticement, and the chamois-like ‘chill’ blankets in
case the mercury rises. Stacks of clean towels, crate pads and toys,
plus spare leashes and collars in the event one snaps or is
misplaced. Oh, and ‘poop’ bags – recycled from grocery detail and
re-used for picking up Nature’s little indiscretions!
Forget anything? Of course! Combs and brushes, grooming scissors and
nail trimmers and blow dryers…and while I’m at it, check and re-fill
the spray bottles that contain plain water (for misting warm dogs),
the ‘dry’ shampoo needed for rings-side touch-ups, and the bug
repellent we may or may not need if we run into wasps and hornets.
Ditto on the dryer sheets we keep for the same purpose; in a pinch,
they can be poked over a comb and run through a dog’s coat to keep
flying pests at bay. The biggest things are last – the fans (both
detachable crate varieties and a large free-standing one), sun
screens, exercise pens and plastic ‘grass’ mats are checked for
batteries that work and clips that hold. The human check list? Heck,
isn’t that why they invented grocery stores and credit cards?!
Hours later, I arrive at an out-of-town show venue, and am directed
to my pre-arranged slice of turf by a patient and polite parking
attendant. Now it’s a controlled rush to get the awnings down, the
exercise pens set up with screens in place and covers tied on, the
water buckets filled, and dogs out for a walk to both stretch
cramped legs and ‘scrub off ‘ a little of the cabin fever that comes
from crate travelling. Relaxed and refreshed, the dogs go into their
respective personal outside pens and wait for Mom to cook dinner.
This is the calm before the storm. I then have a few hours to put my
own feet up, take everyone out again, tuck them all in and set the
alarm; tomorrow is an early day.
6:00 AM – If the alarm doesn’t wake you up, the
roaring generator in next door’s R.V. will. After years of
repetition, the roll-out-of-bed-and-flick-on-the-coffee-machine is
pretty much an instinctive response. Before I so much as brush my
own teeth, I start with the dogs. Quiet ones go outside in their
pens, and the first one put away for the night is the first one out
for a walk. Each dog gets his or her twenty minutes, a handful of
cookies, a bucket of water.
7:30 AM – The show secretary’s desk is open, so I go
to collect armband numbers and the catalogue which will indicate
where I am to go, and at what time. I have dogs indicated at 9:30,
so time to clean and spruce up…the dogs first, of course! What I
will wear is dictated by weather, and, to a certain degree, by the
dog. Bright patterns or loose clothing is a no-no; it’s distracting.
On the other hand, dark colours against a black or dark brown dog
will make the animal ‘disappear’ – and that’s not good either. You
learn quickly that the tight skirt which looked so slimming in the
store will hobble you the minute you take a running step, and if
it’s too short, the minute you bend over ringside ‘railbirds’ will
let you know. And pockets – heaven forbid you wear anything without
pockets! Where else are you going to stuff the smoked liver, the
baked beef heart, and the squeaky mouse made of rabbit fur?
8:00 AM – Up on the grooming table goes the first; a
quick spritz with water to ‘fluff’ the coat, and a check of their
white feet to make sure they are properly trimmed and there is no
grass staining. Many of the breeds you will see have had their
‘basic’ prepping done at home, but varieties - such as Poodles,
Maltese, Lhasa Apsos and Shih Tzu, to name a few - will still need
hours of work. And boy, do they love the primping and combing –
think of it as a sort of day spa! Many of the ring veterans will
actually fall asleep on their grooming tables, so relaxed are they
to the attention. For me with the Nordic dogs, it’s the more
matter-of-fact and ‘natural’ the better, but much like brushing and
tidying my own hair, there are still good ways and bad ways to do
it.
8:50 AM – Grab a lead, slip the paper number under the
elastic on my left arm, a water bottle under my right, stuff some
baked liver slices and a comb in my pocket, and oh yes, don’t forget
the dog! Off to ringside, where my judge is fifteen minutes behind
and I have other dogs waiting for their turn elsewhere. Run back to
the R.V. – the dog thinks it’s a game, I nearly have a heart attack
– yell at my assistant to start on Dogs #2 and #3, sprint back to
the ring, and make it just in time to go in. Now the game is less of
trying to win (I'm the only entry) than it is of looking composed
and relaxed. I get a smile from the judge, a good showing from the
dog, and a Best of Breed ribbon that serves to put me into Best In
Group competition later on in the afternoon.
10:30 AM – Coffee pot back on (breakfast? What
breakfast?) all dogs finished their breed judging for the day, and
some will go on to Group level later in the afternoon. This means I
can strip off the suit, get back into my old ‘dud’ clothes for the
moment, and start the walking process all over again. Thank goodness
for assistants, otherwise I’d be wearing out a pair of running shoes
every weekend. It’s getting warm; ice cubes go in the water buckets,
the fans get hauled out and turned on, and sun screens and shades
are re-adjusted and moved to take advantage of whatever angle the
shade is coming from. Two dogs go back in the motorhome to enjoy
airconditioning and a nap, while the others are more intrigued with
watching the world go by in front of their ‘house’.
12 NOON – Time to change into the suit again, and
check the Group judging times for the dogs who are eligible. Grab a
sandwich or hot dog and gulp it down while getting the first dog
ready. This time a full wet-down is necessary to get out the
fairground dust, and it takes me the better part of half an hour to
blow all that water out of the coat and re-comb it. My dog *knows*
what’s in store, and wiggles in anticipation of ‘play time’ with
Mom, and all the treats and goodies that go along. Judging starts
again at 1:30, so best be ready and waiting – and we are!
1:45 PM - Group judging is announced, giving me
roughly five to ten minutes to get to ringside. Oops, don’t’ forget
to grab the ‘chill blanket’ out of the fridge! This is a thick,
chamois-type towel that can be soaked down and left in the fridge;
placed over a dog’s back, wrapped around their belly or placed under
their feet, it’s a great way to keep them cool without subjecting
them to temperature extremes. Many handlers have custom-made designs
that fit their dogs to a “T”. Spray bottle to keep it wetted down,
as well as to moisten the dog’s mouth. Most long-time show dogs have
been trained to accept water sprayed into their mouths, and many
make it a game. Too much water ingested too fast, or too cold, could
cause vomiting or colicky stomachs – this amount is just right.
2:00 PM – Off into the Group ring, after a quick look
to see if my assistant is standing near enough that I can access
that water bottle or towel, should my dog get too warm. Sometimes
it’s more a reassurance for *me* than a necessity for the
dog, but if you don’t’ have it you can’t use it.
Now I find I need more bait, and again my assistant comes through.
This level of judging can take anywhere from ten to twenty minutes,
only two or so of which actually involve me. This day I’m lucky
enough to win a placement, but because I didn’t come first, I don’t
advance to Best In Show. That’s ok though – I can change (again),
walk dogs (again) and do a bit of grooming for the picture I want
taken later with my Group judge.
3:00 PM – Dogs go into the R.V. for some ‘down time’.
They follow pretty much the same routine at home, and know this is
rest time. A bone, a drink, maybe a nap – they need this to recharge
their batteries, and besides, when evening comes and the weather
cools a bit, they’ll be out for a long romp.
5:00 PM – Dogs back out again, but now it’s dinner
time and everyone is impatient and hungry…well, except for the one I
showed this morning who did so well. A bit too much in the way of
rich show ring treats means an upset tummy and bit of diarrhea, but
as she’s otherwise bright and chipper I won’t worry yet. A bit of
boiled rice, a few spoonfuls of a special gastrointestinal canned
food, and we’ll see if she improves. Anything out of the ordinary or
more serious, we pack up and go home. The rest have their own
recipes that I pack with me, and that’s pretty par for the course.
Some are picky eaters, some are gluttons, and some just eat enough
to keep themselves in good condition, but I’m lucky my dogs are
‘easy keepers’ for the most part, and don’t require a lot of
tweaking.
6:00 PM – Human Dinner Time!
7:30 PM – Now that the dogs have settled, and their
dinners have had a chance to digest, we begin to rotate them for
walks; if there’s enough room, a chance to play ball or chase a
thrown stick. The show circuit ‘regulars’ have their friends, both
human and canine, and it’s great fun to see them re-united. Not
every exhibitor will be at the same shows, as many dog clubs offer
alternative venues and competitions, so in that regard it’s a new
game every weekend. My assistant and I take turns walking dogs,
doing dishes, rinsing out towels and chill blankets, replenishing
water buckets, and filling up the levels on all the sundry and
necessary items (like the coffeepot!) that we will need tomorrow.
Maybe too, a chance to check out ringside vendors that are still
open, so we can buy things we don’t really need, but absolutely
can’t live without. The smudge candles are lit, the battery lamps
turned on, and there’s a relative time of peace and quiet before
that last late-night “pee-break”.
10:30 PM - Dogs are settled in bed, with their
personal stuffed toys and new chew bones. They’re tired, and will
fall asleep quickly. I still have to make phone calls, check
tomorrow’s judging schedule. Oh drat, here comes a real rain storm,
wind and all…all around me I hear the slamming of R.V. doors as
people race outside to undo screens and awnings that have been tied
down, and make sure they’re up and out of harm’s way. That takes
another half an hour, during which we’re completely soaked. So are
all the bits and pieces – the deck chairs, the dog toys, the
nearly-dry towels. Sometime after midnight I hear the storm abate,
and in my half-sleep I reach over and re-set the alarm half an hour
earlier so it can all be put back up again. After all, tomorrow is
another day!!!
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Dawne Deeley has written numerous articles and regular columns
for a variety of dog publications including Dogs In Canada, and
is an owner, breeder and handler of World, International and Canadian
Champion Carelian Bear Dogs. |
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