325 – Dog Judging, Rumors and Reality Checks
Dog Judging, Rumors and Reality Checks
AKC judge Lee Whittier, founder of Dog Show Mentor and a former AKC Field Rep, and host Laura Reeves talk turkey about judging, judges, the process and the results.
Some of the key take-aways from the conversation:
- Judges are not all created equal. Some ARE better than others.
- Judges WANT and TRY to do a good job.
- Judges spend a LOT of time, money and grief to earn the honor of presiding from the center of the ring. Check out the YouTube video of the PureDogTalk Friday Night Forum panel discussion. Current AKC Executive Field Representative Bryan Martin, and AKC judges Brian Meyer and Sylvie McGee share a TON of information about the process of becoming an AKC approved judge.
- What a judge sees in the center of the ring is often WAY different than what you see outside the ring. When you see a dog week in and week out, the accumulated knowledge may, in some cases, create a different picture than what the judge has during his/her 2 minutes in the ring.
- Judges are NOT hatched from an egg! I say this all the time at the panel discussions. I think exhibitors forget this part. All judges started at basically the same place you are today. They showed dogs, they bred dogs, they schlepped the gear and scooped the poop, they drove the miles and slept in the sketchy hotel rooms. Every single judge in the ring has been there, done that and most likely a whole lot more.
- Lee and I agree that we risk accusations of being a bit Pollyanna and acknowledge that bad apples exist, but that we, the exhibitors, should not allow them to spoil the whole basket.
- Exhibitors will get the most enjoyment from their dog show experiences if they choose a positive social group, do a little research about their judges and try not to get wrapped up in the rumor-mongering when it happens.
Make sure you download and listen to the episode for more “inside insights”
139 – Dog Show Mentor with Laura Reeves
Laura Reeves on Dog Show Mentor – Safe Travels
At Pure Dog Talk we are proud to support all of our friends providing educational resources to the purebred dog fancy. Lee Whittier, the Dog Show Mentor, recently invited Laura Reeves to talk with her members about travel and safety tips while attending dog events. Lee was gracious enough to return the favor and share the interview with our listeners!
Tips from Laura Reeves
Whether traveling by car, RV or airplane, long distance or short, we have tips and recommendations to help ease the trip.
- PICK UP after your dog!!
- DO NOT wash dogs in the hotel bath tub!!
- Carry a leash and a gallon of water for every dog in the vehicle.
- Pack for safe ingress/egress.
- Carry shade cloth in summer and chains in winter.
- Always be prepared.
- Install a temperature monitor.
- Nothing is more important than your animal’s safety and well-being.
- The best guarantee of your animal’s safety is direct supervision.
- RV maintenance — tires, generators, etc
- Electricity — know what it can and cannot do.
- Long-distance, cross country driving — get dogs out every 4 hours. Get food, fuel, potty dogs and people all in one stop. Plan ahead for shorter drives to accommodate this schedule.
- Keep a light weight pen on top of the stack to set up for young dogs to contain.
- Avoid feeding before driving to avoid car sickness
- Air travel — Not all airlines are created equal — Alaska is amazing.
- Know airline and their requirements.
- Be prepared to provide a bigger crate if needed.
- Fly your own wheels.
- Freeze water buckets to hang in crate.
- Put a small scissor or sharp object in an easily accessible pocket of checked baggage to cute zip ties on crates.
- Easier to travel with a friend.
Personal Safety
As a final topic, Laura offers the Dog Show Mentor some awareness topics for personal safety while on the road.
Input from retired Law Enforcement Officers
- Stay alert and aware.
- Pay attention to your surroundings.
- Body posture, head up, shoulders back.
- Stay in well-lighted areas.
- Situational awareness.
- Avoiding conflict is vastly better than fighting.
- Keep keys and cell phone with you.
- Bad guys don’t want to be the center of attention. Make a racket.
- If you have to fight, cheat. Your goal is to win, stay alive.
- Stay in touch with a friend or family member as regards expected travel.
- Make use of non-lethal deterrents… Pepper spray etc
- Dogs help deter, but don’t assume it will always work.
Allison Foley’s Tip of the Week: Dogs that Chew
Listen in to Allison’s best suggestion for dogs that chew their hair or beds… today on PureDogTalk.com