Interview With Breeder/Owner Handler John Brusk

Interview With Breeder/Owner Handler John Brusk

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

John Brusk: My first dog that I purchased was a purebred Irish Setter. He was my pet. I didn’t participate in showing until we got our first Spinone Italiano. We saw our first Spinone 17 years ago. We were required first to interview existing owners and visit their homes with their dogs. Then we attended a Spinone National before we got our puppy. We waited one and a half years to get a puppy.

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

John Brusk: We have owned Spinoni for 15 years and have been in Gordon Setters for 12 years. We have been breeders for nine years. We have always handled our own dogs. We have been in the NOHS competition since it began. For 13 years we have been invited to the Finals in Orlando, often with both Spinoni and Gordons invited. Thorny, our first Spinone, was ranked No. 1 for the first two years.

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

John Brusk: Yes, I attend show handling classes and have attended seminars.

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

John Brusk: Yes, I have found the video training for Rally very helpful. The Fetch training helped me to understand what was expected and how to train.

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

John Brusk: Yes, we compete in NOHS; every year since it started. Yes, rankings are important. All six of the dogs we have owned have been in the Top 10 multiple times. The three Spinoni have each been ranked No. 1 Spinone for several years.

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

John Brusk: We have participated in Bred-By and have attended numerous Specialties.

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

John Brusk: Absolutely!

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

John Brusk: Joyce Standish and Monica Lamontage have been mentors.

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

John Brusk: The Breeder/Owner Handler is extremely important, and NOHS encourages individuals who are new to the sport to compete, gain handling skills and confidence, and earn wins and the feeling of accomplishment. We are a small group but very competitive.

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

John Brusk: Study your pedigrees and Breed Standards. There are many online pedigree programs that help calculate linebreeding ratios. Discuss plans with your mentors and be ready for everything and anything. The highs are extremely rewarding and the lows are heartbreaking. It’s not an easy step to take. Have a support team of knowledgeable people and be connected to an online 24/7 whelping/repro site so that you can ask for advice.

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

John Brusk: We are currently headed to Westminster as I write. This is our second time. Thorny is ranked No. 6 NOHS Spinone Lifetime. Rosey, his daughter, is ranked No. 3 Lifetime. Royal is Rosey’s son and he is ranked No. 2 Lifetime at three and a half, and growing. Royal has been ranked NOHS No. 1 for the past two years and won the Breed last year at the NOHS Finals in Orlando.

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

John Brusk: We have made a lot of friends in the NOHS competition. We compete like crazy and tease one another—and celebrate each other’s victories. One friend won a chair for winning NOHS Best in Show, and she knows I covet her chair. It’s a goal for me to win one. At almost every show where we are together she will say, “Say, John, have you ever seen the chair I won?” I have won multiple NOHS BIS with both Rosey and Royal, but never at a show that had a chair as a prize.