Meet the Junior Handler: Zayla Zaner

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

Zayla Zaner: I live in Marianna, Florida. I go to school everywhere. I am homeschooled.

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

Zayla Zaner: My other hobbies are riding horses, music, theater, and traveling. I’m not old enough to have a job. I do help with training.

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

Zayla Zaner: Yes. Pomeranian is our main breed, but we also show a Bulldog and a Great Dane. I have helped show over 68 different breeds.

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

Zayla Zaner: My Mom saw my natural talent when I wanted to play show dog when I was six years old. We got my first show Pomeranian when I was seven years old and showed in the Breed ring. I started Juniors at exactly nine years old.

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

Zayla Zaner: I got Reserve Best Junior my second time in the Junior ring as a Novice Junior.

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

Zayla Zaner: No rituals or good luck charms. I play with my dog to get her excited before we go in the ring. I try to keep it fun for her.

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

Zayla Zaner: I don’t get nervous. It’s for fun. Win or lose, I always learn something.

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

Zayla Zaner: Yes, I do have mentors: my Mom, mainly, and the breeders of my first show dog, Cathy and Mark Driggers. I ask Judges what I can do to improve and I also watch handlers for some pointers. I have helped both Professional and Owner Handlers alike.

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

Zayla Zaner: Best in Show Owner-Handled, Regular Toy Group 1, many Best Junior in Clusters and a Best Junior at the Kentuckiana Cluster with over 100 Juniors! Those were some memorable wins!

I like to look at each loss to see what I could’ve done differently and try to improve.

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

Zayla Zaner: I keep the dog fluffed and groomed beautifully, and make sure I stack her near the edge of the mat. Since she’s small, I don’t want her to get lost with the big dogs.

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

Zayla Zaner: Yes, Pomeranians are small and easier to control.

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

Zayla Zaner: No, I have had many opportunities to help show many different breeds.

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

Zayla Zaner: Having prizes they can win could encourage more participation.

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

Zayla Zaner: Yes, I have been a co-breeder. I’ve learned life is fragile. It takes a lot of work to take care of the Mom and babies.

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

Zayla Zaner: Yes. I feel it is very important to preserve breeds. All have a job, whether hunting, herding, assisting people, or a loving lap companion. It’s important that their structure and health is preserved for these “jobs.”

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

Zayla Zaner: My goals are to get a secondary education and become a Professional Handler once I’ve aged-out.

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

Zayla Zaner: She means the world to me. She’s always happy and willing to do whatever I ask of her. She gives me her best every time we step in the ring.

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

Zayla Zaner: I can’t think of anything funny that has happened, yet. I have eight more years as a Junior, so I am sure I will experience something funny before I age-out. A black and white drawing of a snake.