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Lee Whittier explores the value of building a strong team, showing how trusted support and honest feedback contribute to success in the ring.
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Most owner handlers have a team, whether they think of it that way or not.
They have people who help them decide which shows to enter, assist at ringside, manage logistics, or offer input on grooming and presentation. The structure may change from show to show, but the purpose remains the safme: to support the exhibitor in presenting their dog at the highest level possible.
At its best, a team helps you see clearly—both your dog and yourself.
Football offers a particularly useful comparison.
A successful football team is not simply a collection of talented players. It is a system built on defined roles and leadership. The coach establishes strategy and preparation. Once the play begins, the quarterback executes, reads the field, and adjusts in real time. Both roles are essential, and they are aligned.
Every player understands their assignment and executes accordingly.
In the owner handler world, that level of structure is often missing. Feedback can come from multiple directions: breeders, friends, handling classes, or professional mentors. While all these perspectives may have value, they are not equal in weight or purpose.
A strong team is not built on volume of opinion. It is built on trusted, aligned input.
One of the most important roles within any team is honest evaluation.
You need someone who can assess your dog’s virtues and faults with clarity and within the context of the Breed Standard. Not harshly, and not carelessly, but accurately. Progress depends on it.
Reassurance has its place, but it does not drive improvement. When you hear, “you did great,” it is worth asking what that actually means.
The most effective teams are those willing to evaluate both the dog and the exhibitor with honesty. This directly reflects the principle explored in my SHOWSIGHT article, “Why Did You Win? Moving Beyond the Brag.” Understanding success requires an accurate assessment of merit, not a softened version of it.
When feedback is delivered thoughtfully and received openly, it becomes one of the most valuable tools you have.
An effective owner handler team typically includes:
Honest evaluation of your dog from a trusted, knowledgeable source;
Assistance with logistics and timing at shows;
Support in developing grooming and presentation skills;
Individuals who are aligned with your goals and have your best interests at heart.
Every other exhibitor in the ring is your competition. That reality makes it essential to have someone you trust who can help you improve, not simply reassure you.
Additionally, questions arise about what you will do in an emergency situation when you’re driving to or at a dog show. What will you do if you break your leg and you’re there alone? There are many emergency situations imaginable, but the essential question is to figure out that one person on your team who knows exactly how to help you get out of the situation you’re in and take care of your dogs.
Team structure is not always visible, but its impact is unmistakable.
One of the defining characteristics of a strong team is clarity.
Each person serves a purpose. This does not require titles or hierarchy, but it does require understanding. Who do you rely on for breed-specific insight? Who gives you honest feedback on your presentation? Who can step in when timing or logistics become difficult?
Without clarity, even well-intentioned support becomes inconsistent. With it, each role strengthens the whole.
A strong team is not defined by how many people are involved but by the reliability of those relationships.
It is easy to seek input from whomever is nearby. It is much harder, and far more valuable, to build consistent, trusted sources of feedback over time. Strong teams are grounded in shared goals and dependable communication.
Consistency builds confidence. Confidence supports performance.
A team’s influence extends well beyond the ring itself.
Preparation begins long before you step onto the mat. Ask yourself, “who is helping me set realistic goals and helping me stretch myself to reach even bigger ones?” A strong team contributes to conditioning, presentation, planning entries, managing timing, and maintaining focus.
When these elements are addressed early, the exhibitor is free to concentrate on execution. In a sport where detail matters, divided attention is costly.
A team requires leadership. It cannot operate effectively as a committee.
Collaboration has value, but decision-making must be clear and directed. When too many voices compete for influence, hesitation and inconsistency follow.
In the owner handler world, the exhibitor is the leader. You are responsible for setting direction, making decisions, and determining whose input carries weight. A strong team functions well because each member understands their role within that structure.
This principle applies directly to the exhibitor.
You are both coach and quarterback.
As the coach, you are responsible for preparation, seeking knowledge, building relationships, and developing a plan. As the quarterback, you execute in the ring, make real-time decisions, and adapt to the judge and the competition.
Your team supports both roles. It does not replace them.
When leadership is unclear, teams default to consensus.
Advice is gathered from multiple sources. Direction shifts from show to show. Decisions become diluted rather than deliberate.
This is the equivalent of a football team in which every player calls a different play. It does not create strength. It creates confusion.
A strong team requires alignment, clear roles, and a defined leader.
No team operates in a static environment.
Your dog develops. Your circumstances change. Your competition evolves.
A strong team adjusts accordingly. This may involve refining strategy, seeking additional input, or redefining roles as needed. Adaptability is not a sign of instability, it is a sign of awareness.
There is a balance that must be maintained within any team.
Support is essential, but dependency limits growth. A strong team provides guidance and reinforcement, while the exhibitor remains responsible for decisions and outcomes.
The purpose of the team is not to remove pressure. It is to help you manage it effectively.
Understanding what a strong team looks like is only the first step.
The next is building one.
For many exhibitors, this does not require starting from scratch. It requires refining existing relationships, clarifying roles, and becoming more intentional about where you seek guidance.
These are not dramatic changes, but they are meaningful ones.
A strong team is not defined by how it looks from the outside. It is defined by how it functions.
It creates clarity. It establishes leadership. It supports preparation. It allows the exhibitor to present their dog with confidence and purpose.
While it may not be visible from ringside, its influence is unmistakable.
When the team’s structure is sound, success follows.
Meet the Owner Handlers
Meet Owner Handler Adrianna Melody Vozza and discover her journey with Cirnechi, from her first show dog to competing in the NOHS.
