Jody’s Thoughts on Juniors: All Flash and No Substance – Is What You’re Doing Showing or Just for Show?

I love baking. I also have an insatiable sweet tooth. A recipe calls for a cup of sugar; I “improve it” adding an extra quarter cup—and maybe a smidge more. The results can be delectable but can also be too much of a good thing if all you taste is sugar. I might say this is like the Junior Showmanship ring where that bit of extra spice in presentation is known as “flash”. It’s one of the most misunderstood concepts in the Juniors ring!

Good handlers know the strengths/weaknesses of every dog they show, and through skillful handling, emphasize assets while minimizing faults. Even great show dogs have both. My students are required to read/memorize their breed standard, evaluate their dog against that standard and identify their dog’s 3 best features/ 3 biggest faults. This knowledge informs the handling skills and techniques the Junior will utilize going forward with this dog.

The AKC Judge’s Rulebook for Junior Showmanship tells us: “The general rule in evaluating a handler’s capabilities is ECONOMY OF MOTION. Handlers who use exaggerated motions and gestures in any phase of their presentation of the dog should be faulted. In essence, the judge should hardly be aware of the capable handler’s presence while completing the dog’s examination… They present their dogs in a quiet, efficient manner. They are able to keep their dog’s attention without dramatic or unnatural movements.”

Ideally, a junior should do the least to get the most out of their dogs. Yet, sometimes getting more requires doing more.

Over the 63 years I’ve been active in dogs, I’ve seen many of the truly legendary dog/handler teams. I was at Westminster in 1987 when “Manhattan” and Jimmy Moses went BIS. When it was his turn to be judged, Manhattan hit a perfect freestack and Moses stood at the end of the lead while the judge examined the dog! Rewatching videos of that night, the arena was brightly lit, but as I see it in my memory, there was a single spotlight on Manhattan. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. It was electrifying!

Or Valerie Nunes-Atkinson with her renown German Shorthaired Pointer “CJ” in the BIS go-around at Westminster 2016. Valerie’s arm fully raised, CJ gaiting confidently at the end of the lead in front of her, the two floating around the ring in perfect unison, a lesson in extraordinary handling.

More recently, there was Andy Linton and the breathtaking Doberman, Penny, in the BIS ring at Palm Springs. Penny hit a freestack, Linton lowered the lead to the ground and she stood there, completely focused on her handler, flawlessly exhibiting every quality that makes a Doberman a Doberman.

To me, these represent the very definition of great handling.

Were these “flash moves”? Absolutely! Was “the judge aware of the handler’s presence”? Trust me, no one could take their eyes off the dogs in those unforgettable moments. Would these be appropriate in Juniors, absolutely not, especially dropping the lead. BUT….in my opinion these were examples of brilliant handling/ appropriate showmanship, not flash!

Until the ‘90s, freestacks were unusual for most breeds. You’d see them performed by Dobermans, Poodles and Boxers but rarely other breeds. They were considered “flashy”. Today, a solid freestack is expected in virtually every conformation ring and has become an “unofficial requirement” for teams at every level in Junior Showmanship

There are many ways to demonstrate a freestack. A junior can move in front of the dog, position at the side of the dog baiting forward or even stand completely behind the dog when breed appropriate. They can stop while moving and have the dog go past, then whip around to face them. These are all basic moves.

When then, might a judge consider this basic skill a “flash move”? What if the junior stands in front at the very end of a loose lead or stands in front with a raised left arm and a slightly taut lead? How about if the junior kneels in front, holding the collar or on a loose leash from a distance away? Some might say these are unnecessary and exaggerated motions, dramatic and unnatural movements.

I’d argue all of these could be considered appropriate, demonstrating a junior’s knowledge of their dog’s qualities. Each of the front positions, whether standing or kneeling, should display a dog’s strengths. Baiting too high though can cause a dog’s head to lift too high with necks disappearing into shoulders. A smart junior might kneel to better show the line of the head/neck/shoulder on a smaller dog. Or a taut lead presentation, especially on a high energy breed can allow the dog to be “on its toes”, showing personality. A freestack on a loose lead a distance from the dog, permits a judge to evaluate a dog’s structure without visual distractions.

What about “judge checks”, a junior glancing at a judge as they move their dog on a go-around or individual gaiting pattern. I’m talking about a brief one-second glance, not a staring contest! I’ve had juniors penalized by judges who called this “unnecessary”, penalizing the junior for simply peeking in their direction. Yet isn’t gaiting a dog in a straight line away from a judge essential to evaluating rear movement? A quick look mid-pattern guarantees when you turn to go back. you won’t discover you’re 10 feet to the right of straight.

Same with judge checks during the group and/or individual go-arounds. A junior is expected to have awareness of what is happening in the ring in terms of their dog, other competitors, the judge and even potential hazards in the ring itself.

The rulebook states, “During all phases of handling, the Junior’s concentration should be on the dog and not on the judge, but not to the extent that the Junior is unaware of what is taking place in the ring.” To me, a subtle glance keeps a junior alert to last-minute instructions from the judge. On a go-around, I suggest juniors do a judge check once a side. Is a judge check flashy?

Posture, focus, and polish are skills too frequently penalized as being “too flashy”. A junior standing confidently, using body language to focus a judge’s attention to their dog should be rewarded. Sadly, some judges punish self-assurance, believing it counter to the requisite quiet and efficient. I’d advance changing a Junior’s posture creates a more compelling picture without unnecessary exaggerations.

Try stacking your dog in front of a full-length mirror. When done, look in the mirror. What do you see? Do it again. Focus on your posture, erect and confident, shoulders down and relaxed. Extend your arms and let energy flow from your core to your fingertips. When you have soft-spaghetti, T-Rex arms, the connection between the handler and the dog is severed. Imagine energy—not nerves—shooting all the way out through your fingertips. Surprisingly, by doing this, you are directing the judge’s focus wholly to the dog.

I call this style of focused handling, a “Ta-Da moment”. Essential to the Ta-Da moment is timing. Coming from a family of professional comedians, I can tell you, “Timing is Everything”! Imagine your dog nails a freestack. Over the next 15-20 seconds you pause looking for the bait in your pocket, then double check the freestack, tentatively step back, stop, step back again, finally look up at the judge. Now picture your dog nailing it, you step back, bait. WHAM! the moment becomes dynamic. Is it flash or smart handling? IMHO, its effective handling drawing directing attention where it belongs—the dog.

Frequently categorized as flashy is highly breed specific handling. For instance, the judge instructs a class to individually go around, stop on the opposite side and “show me your dog”. In my experience, 85% of the class will go around, stop and freestack their dog in profile, regardless of the breed or even their dog’s best feature. Many of my junior students show “head breeds”. With the above instructions, they’re taught to turn their dogs head-first facing the judge. Why? It shows they know breed standard and the significance of the head/expression. Even this move has been called “too flashy” since it “wasn’t what everyone else in the class did”!

Do I believe then that there is such a thing as too flashy? Absolutely! Large, exaggerated movements when baiting, staring down the judge as they walk down the line, changing positions randomly without purpose, performing larger-than-life actions which make no impact on how your dog performs—all too flashy!

If I have one take-away for Juniors and judges on this topic, it would be to please consider everything a handler does in context of presentation. A big gesture may not be the wrong gesture if it gets the desired result. A distinctive move encouraging a better performance from the dog isn’t a bad thing. A unique way of demonstrating a skill can be appropriate if the result is an improved performance from the dog. Never confuse polished and poised for overdone and overwrought.