“Continue to learn! I HAVE ALWAYS SAID MY GOAL IN LIFE IS TO BE A PROFESSIONAL STUDENT, AND DOG SHOW JUDGING IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR CONTINUOUS LEARNING.”
time with me every day that I am at home. • Play with dogs. Cuddle with dogs. Have a relationship with each dog based on his/her own individual personality. • Be obsessive about keeping up with each dog’s grooming needs—especially nail trimming. • Pay close attention to weight and nutrition. • Enjoy living with dogs! Raise good pure-bred, purpose-bred canine citizens. There are many more issues I would love to be able to address, but one thing I do know is that my time is limited. “If there were world enough, and time” I would love to be able to be involved in some performance sports, as well as helping to work with leg- islators who are being persuaded by the animal rights fanatics, be more involved with good and true animal charities, do more work for the clubs of which I am a member, and partici- pate in more educational activities. Maybe another year will see a change of focus. Wishing everyone who is still reading a very Happy New Year and much success with your doggy activities and your own New Year’s resolutions! Hope to see you soon at a dog show!
• Work on having a better re- sponse when someone verbally attacks me in the ring. A shocked stare is probably not quite what I want, but I do not want to jump to a bench show committee un- less it is clearly indicated. I trea- sure feedback, but really prefer a quiet, non-confrontational con- versation after I have completed judging for the day. • Continue to learn! I have always said my goal in life is to be a pro- fessional student, and dog show judging is a perfect opportunity for continuous learning. EXHIBITING: • Train as often as possible! Both my skills (I amnot a handler) and the dogs’ skills need constant practice. And make it fun for all of us! • ALWAYS congratulate win- ners in the ring with me. Be a good sport. • ALWAYS make only positive comments about the competi- tion, especially while ringside. • Keep working on learning to groom an Irish Terrier correctly. • Partner with any handler work- ing with my dogs to ensure they get what they need to do right
by the dog and manage the dog’s career appropriately. Enjoy the relationships. • Sort out who may be a potential special. Get the Italian Grey- hounds ready for the National in September. WORKING WITH BREEDERS: • Keep my Irish Terrier girls in the best of health and never miss when they come in season. • Keep my Italian Greyhound boys in the best of health and available if called upon by my breeder-partner. • Treasure the relationships with breeders who are willing to work with me and who have similar vi- sion for the future of the breed(s). I am not in the position to whelp and rear puppies any longer be- cause of my travel schedule and good partners are like solid gold to me. • Treasure every puppy produced and evaluate them realistically. • Be careful to not get overloaded with dogs (again). CARING FOR DOGS: • Never put off routine veterinary care. • Ensure every dog gets individual
42 • T op N otch T oys , F ebruary 2020
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