Meet the Junior Handler: Bromley Dils

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

Bromley Dils: I live in Zeeland, Michigan, and I am a sixth grader at Cityside Middle School.

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

Bromley Dils: Yes, I play volleyball. Currently I am in a spring league for volleyball, which next to dog showing is my favorite thing to do. I also enjoy swimming and hanging out with my friends.

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

Bromley Dils: Sort of, my grandmother raises Doberman Pinschers. My breeds are Beagles and Dobermans.

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

Bromley Dils: I was introduced through my grandmother. I started AKC Junior Showmanship at nine years old.

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

Bromley Dils: My very first time ever showing in AKC Juniors, I got a Reserve Best Junior in a very large entry with my Beagle, Baskins.

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

Bromley Dils: My dogs don’t live with me; they live 500 miles away with my grandmother. So, dog shows are where we get to practice together. My Beagle, Baskins, is my lucky charm. I feel really confident when we are in the ring together.

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

Bromley Dils: I do not feel a lot of pressure with Baskins. I feel more pressure with my Doberman, Salish. She is still very young, and we are still training and learning to be a team together.

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

Bromley Dils: I don’t have a mentor other than my grandmother. I haven’t assisted any professional handlers yet.

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

Bromley Dils: I put a major on my Doberman and her mother. I was Reserve Best Junior at the Doberman National in 2024, and Best Junior at the Beagle National in 2024. Then at the UKC National in Kalamazoo, Michigan, this past summer (June 2025), I was the UKC Top Overall Junior Winner. My Beagle and I also qualified for the NOHS Top 10 and showed together at Royal Canin in December of 2025.

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

Bromley Dils: With my Doberman, I like to stand behind her at the very end of her lead. With my Beagle, I stand in front at the end of the lead, and she nails her free-stack.

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

Bromley Dils: Yes, they both can be well-suited for Juniors. They are very flashy, but you have to put in a lot of work and training to show it off correctly.

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

Bromley Dils: Breeds I would like to show are the Golden Retriever, English Springer Spaniel, and English Setter.

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

Bromley Dils: A lot of people are not really aware that dog showing is a sport. I wish shows and Conformation classes were more available in my area.

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

Bromley Dils: I’ve been involved with breeding and whelping dogs for many years. This past summer was my first co-bred litter. I did every step with this one, from mating the dogs, whelping, and raising the litter. I even skipped summer camp so that I could get the full experience. I have learned it takes a lot of time and sacrifice. You have to give up sleeping, along with having to constantly monitor the puppies or watch them on the camera. So, you cannot really do many of the things you normally do; they are a full-time job.

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

Bromley Dils: Yes. Someday I will continue in my grandmother’s footsteps. I think it is extremely important that we do not lose what the dogs are designed to do.

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

Bromley Dils: I would like to go to college after graduation. I am not sure at this point exactly what I want to do when I grow up, but I do plan to still show my own dogs.

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

Bromley Dils: My two dogs mean so much to me. They are always there for me no matter what, win or lose. My girls are just happy that I am at the end of their lead.

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

Bromley Dils: When I was six years old, we went to a UKC dog show; it was one of my first times in the ring. As I came up to the judge, she put out her hand in a stopping motion, and I reached right up and confidently gave her a FIST BUMP! The entire crowd giggled.