The Flatcoated Retriever Club of Scotland

Calling all Junior Handlers

For many years the Junior Handling classes at the Club Shows were very well supported and competitive however recent shows have seen a steady decline in entries to the extent that we now have only 1 or 2 children in each class. It has been suggested that a short explanation of what is involved in taking part in this activity may be useful if you are thinking of having a go but are a bit unsure of what is expected.

The classes are judged on the handler’s abilities not the quality of the dog. It is not the case that the best-behaved dog will always win but rather the handler who is able to make the best of the dog’s virtues through their presentation and rapport with the animal. The format is basically the same as breed classes. Each handler will be asked to present their dog for the judge to examine and then asked to move them to the judge’s instructions. It is important to pay attention to what is being asked. It is also important to remember that the judge will want to see the dog presented at its best which means they want to look at the dog and not the handler. A good handler should be aware of this and not be intrusive or overhandle the dog. The judge may also ask the handler some questions about their dog, (e.g. its age). Having gone over each dog in turn the judge will then place them in order based on how well they feel each handler has done.

At the Club Shows no one goes away empty handed and all competitors receive a rosette and prize for taking part.

There must be a lot of untapped handling ability among the younger members of the Club, who could enjoy showing dogs and compete in breed classes as well as junior handling. The Club Show is a good start and as everyone is handling Flatcoats there is not the variation in handling techniques seen in other breed classes.

A good introduction to handling show dogs is the local ringcraft classes where you can practice and learn how to show a dog. Also watching more experienced exhibitors can help.

So come on why not try your hand at the next Flatcoat show!