A Junior’s Journal Savannah Martin

Interview with Savannah Martin

1. Where do you live? Where do you go to school?

I am Savannah Martin. I live in Evans, Colorado. This coming year I will be a freshman at Valley High School.

2. Do you have any hobbies or interests apart from purebred dogs? Do you have a job?

Some other hobbies I am interested in are baking and decorating cakes. A couple times a week I go and help with chores at a Malamute kennel.

3. Have you grown up in a doggy family? What is your breed?

I have grown up in the dog sport world since I was six years old. I started with my Grandparents as soon as I could walk and probably attended Weight Pull events before then. My current breeds are Samoyeds, which is my main breed, then I also have Norwegian Elkhounds, an Irish Wolfhound, and my Parents have Australian Shepherds.

4. How were you introduced to Junior showmanship? When did you start competing?

When my Grandma started showing, she put me in the Pee Wee Class at the age of eight and it was love from the first time I stepped into the ring, and then I started with my very first mentor, Renee Jerrett, in a little Conformation Handling Level One class.

5. What do you remember about the first time you showed as a Junior?

The first time I showed as a Junior was not easy. I was very nervous and cried before I went in the ring because it was a lot different than the regular Breed rings that I started showing in. I remember being the only one coming out without a placement and I cried. I didn’t understand then that this was rude and I didn’t fully understand what had just happened.

6. How do you prepare your dog and yourself for the ring? Any rituals? Any good luck charms?

Getting my dog ready for the ring always starts with my dog having zoomies and getting excited when she sees that I pulled out her show collar and leash. Then I put it on, and take her to groom her. I always make the show ring a game because Charity and I need to treat it like a game for it to be fun. The next thing after I grab my number and make sure I have everything is, if I have time, I jog her back and forth to warm her up. Finally, I stop and stretch her out and then I jog her a couple more times. The only good luck charms that I have are making sure that Charity and I have fun every time we get in the ring.

7. What’s it like in the ring when the pressure is on? Do you have a secret for handling the nerves?

When the pressure is on, I have to make sure I take very slow, deep breaths while making sure I stay happy for my dog. One time, I did get nervous and so did my dog. The best thing for nerves before the ring are mints! They work, I promise.

8. Do you have a mentor in the sport? Have you assisted any Professional Handlers?

I have many mentors in this sport. We can start with my first mentor, Renee Jarrett. She helped me through getting started and getting me into the Conformation world. I started with my Norwegian Elkhound mentors who are my Grandparents, Cheryl and Rodney Martin. My Grandma’s first show dog was my first Junior’s dog, Tek. No matter how difficult it was, I had to learn to power through! My next mentor got me into Samoyeds. I started meeting her at class. Her name is JoDee Putnins. She helped me start my current breed roughly three years ago. Currently, I have not helped any Professional Handlers.

9. Are there any wins for which you are particularly proud? Any memorable losses?

My most proud win that I have ever had happened at the Flatirons Show in 2024. I took my first-ever Best Junior at an all-breed kennel club. I don’t remember any big losses because we focus on having fun in the ring.

10. How do you accentuate your dog’s breed type in the ring? How do you try to stand out?

Accentuating my dog’s breed in the ring can be done by showing expression, which the Samoyeds are known for smiling and having their ears and tail up which can help so much with their expression. I have stood out by teaching my dog to stay and stepping back to present my dog to the judge. I have also been taught to keep the dog between me and the judge.

11. Is your breed generally well-suited for a Junior Showmanship career?

I find my breed is well-suited for Junior Showmanship. I have many friends who show Samoyeds.

12. Are there any breeds that you would love to show but haven’t shown yet?

I have a goal of showing every breed in AKC before I turn 18 and age-out of Juniors.

13. What can be done to encourage more young people to participate in Junior Showmanship?

I feel like the one thing that could be done to encourage more young Juniors could be that no matter what we tell them, how good of a job they are doing while also giving them pointers, you have to tell them something good first.

14. Have you bred or co-bred a litter? If so, can you share what you’ve learned from the experience?

I have co-bred two litters, both Samoyeds. I co-bred my two litters with JoDee Putnins and Amanda VerBruggen. I have learned lots, mostly on picking the right stud to try and help fix the females’ flaws, like if they are too big you can pick a smaller male and make sure that we are not inbreeding and that we are linebreeding responsibly while also trying to get the dog to match the Breed Standard as much as possible.

15. Is breeding something that you’d like to pursue? Is breed preservation important to you?

Breeding is something I would love to pursue on my own eventually. Breed preservation is something that is very important to me. I want to make sure that we do not breed things that weren’t meant to be in certain breeds. It could be merle or other traits that should not be in a given breed, and it’s making sure that the breed can still do the job that they were bred for.

16. What are your goals for the future? Do you see yourself continuing in the sport once you’ve aged-out?

My goals for the future are making it to Florida and also to Westminster at least once before I age-out of Juniors. Also, another big goal I have set for myself is I want to show one of every breed recognized by AKC. I already have 30 breeds checked off my very long list. I very much do see my future-self showing after I age-out. I want to be able to do what I have always been told: “See one, do one, teach one,” which I have heard from my Samoyed mentor JoDee Putnins.

17. Can you share a word or two about your relationship with your current dog? What does s/he mean to you?

My current relationship with my dog, I feel, is awesome. I have owned her since before she was born. She has been everything I could have ever dreamed of starting with. I am very excited for what the future brings for Charity and I. She is a one-in-a-million dog and she means a lot to me.

18. Is there a funny story that you can share about your experiences as a Junior Handler?

It was more embarrassing than funny. It was not the Juniors ring, though it was in our Breed ring. The judge had done the exam. I was very happy that Charity stood still and didn’t wiggle. Then he said, “Down and back, please.” I did a down and back—and Charity pooped! He asked me to do the down and back one more time, and then she peed! It was sooo not funny at the time, but it made me realize that it was my fault that I didn’t walk her long enough before our ring time and that, no matter what, my dog comes first.