Bill Ellis,  once a former junior showmanship competitor, is currently Communications Coordinator for the American Kennel Club.

Bill talks with Laura Reeves of fond memories and how what he learned through Junior Showmanship prepared him for life outside the ring.

Laura Reeves

I have always believed that Junior Showmanship and a childhood spent raised in and around the sport of purebred dogs is invaluable in many diverse ways.

After all, Mom enrolled me in dog care 4-H in fourth grade because I was “shy and retiring and lacked people skills”… Forty years later, who I am is due, in large part, to what I learned there and by continuing on into the sport of purebred dogs. Literally, my best friend in third grade was the school librarian. I was the only eight year old kid who knew the entire Dewey Decimal system by heart since I spent most every recess and lunchtime shelving books with Mrs. Young.

While I’m still the head bookworm at heart, I learned how to cope, how to get along, how to lead as well as follow, how to manage time, take responsibility, have a thick skin for criticism (a *definite* requirement in journalism and the dog show world), how to make friends, etc ad nauseam. I have an expensive college degree that broadened my exposure to the outside world, but I would never have survived it without the years spent with dogs learning how to be “human.”

Bill Ellis and other former Junior Handler's skills

When I interviewed Bill Ellis on this topic, it struck me that all of these “transportable skills” as the human resources people like to call them, are not unique to me. So I reached out to the fancy for their thoughts on the topic. Turns out, as usual, I didn’t even know the half of it!

From special education teachers to emergency managers, from researchers to factory workers, from lawyers to stay at home moms, the uniting theme is the work ethic, compassion, confidence, grace under pressure, skillful multitasking and so much more that young people acquire in this sport.

Thanks to former juniors and assistants

Tremendous thanks to the dozens of former juniors and assistants who responded to my inquiry. I’m including a great many of their stories, comments and observations here. Mostly because so many of them were so intense, specific and concrete.

Meanwhile, for all of you out there who think Junior Showmanship is nothing more than a training ground for future professional handlers, think again. This part of the dog fancy is busy training up an entire miniature work force of individuals with determination, punctuality and perseverance that are sadly lacking in too many youngsters outside our world.

 

Former Junior Handlers and/or Assistants: Where Are They Now?

Heather Hale:

My introduction to the sport came via none other than Cie Harris and her giant Irish Wolfhounds in the mid 90's. I wish I could say what drew me into the sport beyond being a preteen girl who didn't have the first clue as to how to dress to impress boys and virtually no real social life, so naturally going to dog shows and engrossing myself could do nothing to further ruin my already stellar reputation right?

Somewhere along the way, I convinced my parents to let me tag along and "help" Cie at a dog show. From the first instant I was hooked. I loved this exciting and crazy world, the smell, the odd way people dressed and ran, but most of all I loved the dogs. I loved the sizes and shapes and their natural ability to love and want to please their masters. I didn't  have the first clue that I would be entering what has become a mild obsession for me my entire life.

Then I met you, Laura Reeves, a professional handler and quite possibly the scariest and nicest woman I had ever...