Insights from the Professional Handler, Adrian Ghione. Read about his opinions on various topics about dog handling in the modern show ring.
Adrian Ghione
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Adrian Ghione: I live in Oakdale, California, near beautiful Yosemite National Park. I’ve been involved with dogs for almost 30 years.
Adrian Ghione: I decided to become a Professional Handler around the time I was 18-19 years old, after some years in Obedience and Agility.
Adrian Ghione: When I first came to the US, I worked for Mark and Sally George for about five years.
Adrian Ghione: I attend about 45 weekends of shows every year.
Adrian Ghione: I generally show 12-15 dogs each weekend.
Adrian Ghione: I look at a lot of different variables to make a decision, but in the end, it’s which shows I think can give the best chance for a positive result to most of my clients.
Adrian Ghione: I have a kennel facility in Oakdale where Nicole and I live. It’s an indoor/outdoor set-up where the dogs have plenty of room to run. We also have a state-of-the-art grooming shop on site.
Adrian Ghione: All I can say is that “it’s a gypsy life.”
Adrian Ghione: We are hopeful that our Specials can win their Breed and shine in the Group.
Oh boy, if you really wanna laugh, I could tell you about that one time at the Kings County Kennel Club in Hanford, California, where, after a failed attempt to get up from a kneeling position in the Herding Group, my pants ripped to the point where my only choice was to step out of them and finish showing the Australian Cattle Dog wearing nothing more than my underwear. No, I did not win the Group…
Meet the Professional Handlers
Christopher Keith and Dylan Kipp-Keith discuss mentorship, breed preservation, dog conditioning, and the future of dog shows.
