Bethany Stinson | The Breeder/Owner Handler

Interview with the Breeder/Owner Handler Bethany Stinson

I live with my husband, Matt, and three Vizslas in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Dog sports are a family affair and I am often joined by my daughter, Aislyn, and niece, Katie, who recently started competing in Junior Showmanship. Together, they enjoy competing in Dock Diving, Fast CAT, Lure Coursing, Hunt Tests, Rally, and the Canine Good Citizen program.

1. How were you first introduced to the sport of purebred dogs? To your breed?

Bethany Stinson: I’ve been around dogs my whole life, mostly rescues, with the exception of a Cocker Spaniel we had when I was a child. We were introduced to the Vizsla when my husband and I became close friends with a couple who had two Vizslas—Max and Victor. We fell in love with the breed, and once we bought our house and were ready for a dog, we knew it had to be a Vizsla! Unfortunately, their breeder had retired. Finding a good breeder was a lot more difficult than I expected, since there are an unfortunate number of puppy mills near us. Thankfully, we decided to visit a “Meet the Breeds” event put on by the Berks County Kennel Club and, although we did not meet any Vizslas that day, some helpful members put us in touch with several local breeders and educated us on what to look for. We chose a breeder who turned out to be only 15 minutes away from us! We had to wait over a year but decided it was worth it to have someone so close—and we loved her other dogs. After we brought home our first Vizsla, our breeder invited us to come see them at the National Dog Show and we were hooked! Since then, we’ve gotten involved in a lot of different dog sports that I did not even know existed; Dock Diving, Rally, and Lure Coursing, just to name a few!

2. How many years in dogs? How many as an Owner Handler? As a Breeder?

Bethany Stinson: We got our first purebred in 2017 and her breeder showed her for us. I brought home my heart dog, Mr. Tea, in 2018 and decided to try handling him myself. Our first show together was a Beginner Puppy Show at the Winter Blast Cluster. I went on to finish his championship and grand championship myself. There is nothing better than that feeling of accomplishment when you finish your first Champion! I bred my first litter just three years ago and the puppies have been exclusively breeder/owner-handled!

3. Do you attend show handling classes? Have you attended in-person handling seminars?

Bethany Stinson: I am very fortunate to have not one but two handling classes nearby! We have attended classes almost every week and those classes gave me the confidence to decide to give handling a try. I feel that having two different classes really helps the dogs learn to adapt to various situations. I was able to attend Greg Strong’s “Only 15 Points to Go” seminar last summer with a working spot and found it to be incredibly helpful. The hands-on experience provided a lot of valuable feedback that helped me improve as a handler.

4. Have you found virtual learning tools to be helpful? Videos? Websites? Social Media? AKC Canine College?

Bethany Stinson: The virtual tools became invaluable during the pandemic, when access to in-person resources was nearly impossible. I discovered Will Alexander’s “Dog Show Tips & Tricks” YouTube channel at that time; The No Fuss Stack was a game changer for me! I attended several virtual handling seminars at the time and enjoyed watching the AKCtv’s recording of George Alston’s handling seminar. I still find webinars and online classes to be a valuable resource in training for “all the things.” The Fenzi Dog Sports Academy covers such a wide variety of topics, including behavior and ring-readiness, that they are a regular resource for me.

5. Do you compete in the National Owner-Handled Series? Are rankings important to you?

Bethany Stinson: I have participated in NOHS since I started as an Owner Handler. At the beginning, I was too busy learning how to handle to worry about rankings. Now that my Bred-By dog, Jafar, has matured, he’s three-quarters of the way to his NOHS Bronze and I think we are ready to find our own place in those rankings! The most important thing to me is still having fun with my dog!

6. How important is the Bred-By Class to you? How important are Specialties?

Bethany Stinson: I love that the AKC is promoting breeders, and most judges have commented on the quality they see in the Bred-By ring. It was very important to me to finish my dog from the Bred-By Class and the medallion we earned for it has a special place in his championship shadow box. I also appreciate the AKC’s decision to split the class into Puppy and Adult. It is nice that exhibiters do not have to choose now between earning their Puppy of Achievement or the Bred-By Medallion.

I love Specialties and look forward to our club’s specialty every year! I believe it’s important for the breed, for preservation and diversity, since Specialties draw dogs that may not regularly compete in the same area. I think it’s about more than just winning, it’s about the future of the breed. It’s an opportunity to meet like-minded owners and breeders, a wonderful chance for puppies and veterans to get out there, and the opportunity to provide further education.

7. Is it a challenge to compete with your breed as a Breeder/Owner Handler? As a Breeder?

Bethany Stinson: There are a lot of talented professionals in our breed. Many of them also own and breed Vizslas themselves. While it can certainly be daunting to compete with someone who does this for a living, many of the Owner Handlers who are willing to put in the time and training and give it their best are very successful. I also appreciate the judges who take the time to provide tips and feedback to help Owner Handlers succeed.

8. Who have been your mentor(s) as an Owner Handler?

Bethany Stinson: My breeders, Susan and Berkeley Thompson, have been very supportive and are an integral part of my journey as a handler. I knew nothing about showing dogs before meeting them, so Susan had to walk me through all the fine points of entering, ring procedure, counting points, and choosing where and when to enter. They are the breeders of my first two Vizslas and they co-bred my litter. There was a lot of hand-holding and late-night texting through that litter, plus my bitch decided to whelp during a tropical storm! They have been an excellent example of how the right breeders will not just sell you a puppy but inspire new owners to get involved in the aspects of dog sports that appeal to them, whether it be Conformation, Companion, or Performance!

The teacher at All Good Dogs, Sue Bani, has also been a great mentor, providing training and advice (not just at class) and cheering us on. I’ll never forget the biggest hug she gave me when I came out of the ring after finishing my first champion!

9. How important is the Breeder/Owner Handler to the future of the sport? To your breed?

Bethany Stinson: The Breeder/Owner Handlers are integral to the sport. They are the most passionate about the preservation and advancement of the breed! We make an effort to get educated about our breed and we know our own dogs’ strengths and weaknesses best. We know what we want to improve and it’s personal for us, not just about the rankings and the wins! I believe that we’re also more likely to prove our dogs all-around, not just in the show ring. My dogs and I have earned multiple titles in Companion and Performance sports, including those outside of AKC like Dock Diving and Barn Hunt. It’s also a wonderful way to grow as a team!

10. What advice would you give to Owner Handlers who are thinking of breeding their dog(s)?

Bethany Stinson: Research! Research! Research! Breeding is not for the faint of heart nor is it for everyone. It was at least two years of learning and planning before we took the plunge. Your breeder is the best source of information and mentorship. If that is not an option, reach out to respected and experienced breeders in your area, or preferably through your breed club. I also joined several Facebook groups dedicated to breeding as part of the research process and read books on puppy rearing. Although it was a lot of long hours and hard work, it has been one of the most rewarding things I have done.

11. What are your goals as a Breeder/Owner Handler? Is there a victory that has eluded you?

Bethany Stinson: We are currently working on Jafar’s Bronze both for GCH and NOHS. We’re also working on adding that Best in Specialty Show to his resume! We have not earned a regular Group placement yet, but we hope to remedy that soon!

12. Is there a funny story that you can share about your experiences as a Breeder/Owner Handler?

Bethany Stinson: I’ve had the usual wardrobe mishaps, of course—running out of my shoe, hair clip coming undone halfway around the ring, dog snagging my hose right before I enter the ring, etc. Showing can be very humbling, for sure! I was showing my Special while also finishing my young dog, so my daughter often came along with me to assist and take Winners back in for Breed if needed. The very first time she took him back in, she was super-nervous because it was her first time ever showing. She proceeded to show him to his very first Best of Breed from the classes! She has never let me forget that she got Best of Breed her first time in the ring! My Special was awarded Owner-Handled BOB, so I had the unique experience of showing one dog in the regular Group and the other one in the Owner-Handled Group.