OWNER HANDLERS by Kathy Ambler
I t’s all Politics. That is what we hear every single weekend. Owner/Han- dlers just don’t have a chance when there are pro handlers in the ring. The judges always look at the wrong end of the lead. We pay the judges for an evaluation of our dog and we ex- pect the judging to be based on the dog’s merits, but it just never is, it is all politics. My name is Kathy Ambler and I am an Owner/Breeder/Handler. I am a successful one too, at least I think so! My kennel name is Ambler Ha- vanese. So what separates me from others? Why do other Owner/Han- dlers give up and quit completely, or hire a pro handler to show their dogs? Why do I feel I am a successful Owner/Handler? I started out wanting to showdogs as a child. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the luxury of growing up in a dog showing family. We always had purebred dogs; a Poodle, Pointer, Mini Schnauzer, American Eskimo and we had sev- eral Mutts too. But we didn’t show the purebred dogs and didn’t breed them either. I graduated from high school and married and had a family. I would slip away every year to go to the dog show in London, Ontario and would stand
do learn by watching and watch I did. Every breed. I talked to everyone who would talk to me. I quickly learned that to get breeders to trust you, you had to listen to them, take their advice and then show them you understood and could do this and were serious about it. I went to every show I could, driving long distances and making mini–vacations out of it with my hus- band. Soon people were beginning to recognize me and let me help them show their dogs too. I think that really boosted my confidence when other breeders let me take their dogs in the ring, even if they were the “fillers”. I had a bit of success with Yorkies but then discovered the Havanese. After finishing my bred by Yorkie boy “Jes- se” (Am/Can CH Amblers American Outlaw) under Richard Beauchamp at the Mt Rainier Yorkie Specialty show and being awarded Best Bred By in Show, I decided he would bemy last bred by Yorkie and I would concen- trate on the Havanese. I absolutely love the Havanese breed and really feel it was the best move I ever made. Presently, I amspecialing Silver GCH CH Windfall’s Dude With Attitude, “Opie”. Opie is the #1 Havanese in the AKC Owner/Handler series and has also been a top ten Havanese in breed
in awe of all the beautiful dogs in the rings and be jealous that I could not be out there doing the same thing as an Owner/Handler. Of course, I would watch the Westminster Dog Show on TV each year too. It was my dream to one day have a top five dog and be in- vited to compete there. My first mar- riage ended in divorce. When I met Richard, my husband now, I think one of the first things I told him was “I want to breed and show Yorkies.” Together Richard and I went on the hunt for someone who would sell me a show potential puppy. It was very dif- ficult. It seems that show breeders are very leery of people who come to dog shows saying they want to do this too. But finally, I did find a Yorkie breeder who was willing to give me a chance. When I look back at my start in the show ring, I have to laugh at how far I have come in such a short period of time. Of course, I was a bit younger then, skinnier too, but “skorts” and tee shirts with sandals, are not re- ally proper professional attire for the show ring. The first thing I noticed was that professional at- tire consisted of nice dresses or suits and good leather shoes! So, I went shopping. I can’t really say I had a mentor, but I
52 • T op N otch T oys , N ovember 2018
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