Meet the Junior Handler – Kalyn Erickson

Meet the Junior Handler – Kalyn Erickson

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

Kalyn Erickson: I live in Humboldt, Iowa, and I go to Humboldt Middle School.

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

Kalyn Erickson: I love to do Dock Diving and Fast CAT; it is so much fun with my dog. I also really like softball.

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

Kalyn Erickson: Yes, I have always had a dog at my side; I even had one in my crib. My best friend growing up was an American Pit Bull Terrier called Cy. My grandma has Ellusion’s Sealyham Terriers, so I started with them. Then my mom found me a Smooth Fox Terrier, Ben, when I was old enough to start Junior Showmanship. For the last almost three years I have been showing Athena, my American Staffordshire Terrier. Once in a while, I also show Thor, my new Smooth Fox Terrier, and I have been playing with a Golden Retriever named Binx!

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

Kalyn Erickson: I tagged along with grandma and mom to the dog shows and they often let me go into the Best of Breed ring with one of the Sealys, and I would help anyone else who would let me take a dog in the ring. I was seven when I started showing in Conformation.

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

Kalyn Erickson: I don’t remember much because it seems like I have always been showing. I do remember it was with a Sealyham Terrier that my grandma and mom owned.

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

Kalyn Erickson: I like to play around and maybe do some tricks to warm up. I have a favorite dress, and like it when mom puts my hair in braids. I feel most ready when all this happens.

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

Kalyn Erickson: When I feel pressure, I play and talk to Athena so that we both can chill a little.

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

Kalyn Erickson: I have so many! My mom helped me at first, then some of the handlers started helping me, like Rosario Betancourt has given me grooming pointers on Smooth Fox Terriers. Over the years, Tabatha Bettis would tell me how to do something better, to become more professional. Celso Schneider will ask me to help show when he needs an extra hand. These are just a few of the many people I have helped in the past couple of years. I am always willing to help, even if it’s just running dogs to the setup or going back in the ring.

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

Kalyn Erickson: My Reserve Best Junior win in Orlando, Florida; that was so cool. Chicago’s win this past year as Reserve Best Junior was very cool, too. My most horrible loss was in Orlando when Athena pooped on the down and back in Juniors. I was so nervous, and we were on AKC.tv—I so cried.

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

Kalyn Erickson: I accentuate my dog’s breed type by showing her to the Breed Standard, and free-stacking her. I talk to her, so she stays happy and upbeat. I try to always be happy, so she is happy.

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

Kalyn Erickson: I think so, because Athena is so smart and fun, and you can teach her to do anything. She loves to learn.

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

Kalyn Erickson: I would really like to show a Pointer. They look like they would be fun.

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

Kalyn Erickson: To encourage more young people, introduce them and bring them to a dog show. Help them find the right dog; help teach them how to show and what to wear, and other things.

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

Kalyn Erickson: My first litter was just born on April 30, 2025, and I have been helping with the Sealys for a long time now; helping with play, teaching them to lead, and taking them out and about so that they get used to everything. Grandma put my name on her and mom’s Sealys, so now I can show in Bred-By.

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

Kalyn Erickson: I would like to breed, but I think maybe something more than just Sealys. I think making a breed better is when you know you have done something right.

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

Kalyn Erickson: I would love to win AKC National Championship Best Junior Handler, and be able to go show at Crufts in Juniors. I see myself in dogs for the rest of my life. When I age-out, I would like to be a Professional Handler.

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

Kalyn Erickson: I have a loving and playful bond with Athena; she understands me, and she is always willing to do what I ask of her. We make a great team; she is an awesome partner.

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

Kalyn Erickson: When I look back, some of the bad things that happened are now funny. Like when I dropped the lead in the Junior ring; at the time my heart skipped a beat and I was embarrassed. Now it seems funny. In Orlando, when Athena pooped in the ring and I wanted to cry, I even think I did. I was in Orlando and we were being televised. Who wouldn’t have wanted to cry? But looking back, it is a funny story for us both. (I think she was embarrassed too.) The bad things that happen to us become a funny story later. Things happen, but it will be okay; you will laugh at it later.