The Pro Shop: The Place for Pro Handlers – Samantha Niemeck

Interview with Samantha Niemeck

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Where do you live? How long have you been a Professional Handler? How did you get your start? Who are/were your mentors and with whom did you apprentice?

I’m Samantha Niemeck of Star Bayou Belgians and I am located in South Louisiana. I have been in Belgians since the age of seven and began professionally handling by the time I was 20 years old. Eight years later, I have now shown a multitude of breeds to very momentous wins. As a kid, I was in love with the idea of Junior Handling and got my first Belgian Sheepdog who undeniably became the love of my life thanks to Laura Patton of Lara Lee’s Belgians. GCH Laralee’s Xmas Nights Comet CGC, lovingly known as “Comet,” became my first Juniors dog and Breed dog. He became the reason I fell in love with the breed as well as the sport of dog showing. Shortly after, I owned and bred Belgian Tervuren and Australian Shepherds, and co-bred/owned Collies. Luckily, I had an abundance of breed mentors and Pro Handlers whom I had the honor to assist, which aided in my success as a breeder and young Professional Handler. Without the amazing members of the dog community I could not have become the person I am proud to be today.

2. As a Professional Handler, can you share your thoughts on the sport today? Has judging changed since you first began showing dogs professionally? What do you think about the number of shows today? Is social media good for the sport? Is it harmful?

The sport has become less popular over the years. Clubs are having trouble keeping their members and venues. Entries have plummeted in several breeds. My local shows are gaining very little attention from the public. As handlers, it’s our duty to start offering our expertise and guidance to them. In my experience, today’s judging has changed tremendously in the aspect that judges are placing dogs solely based on their showmanship or popularity and not on their correct structure and movement. Speaking about Belgians, silhouette with correct form and function is very important within the breed. Lately, I have noticed judges placing dogs with noticeable faults that can hinder that dog’s ability to properly work. I am not saying that every dog in the Conformation world is going out and performing their expected jobs after a day’s worth of showing, but it is time to realize and question what is believed to be the better dog by looking at the dogs as a whole. Push the Conformation world aside for a split second and imagine which dog you believe can work effortlessly for that specific duty. Which of those dogs do you know can go back out and do it all over again in the same day? These are questions I ask myself as a breeder and a handler. Sure, we want an eye-catching and beautiful dog that can move and show all day long, but in my opinion, we need to be more vigilant at eradicating those flaws and keeping all of those best qualities that we love about this breed.

Social media has revolutionized the industry both for the good and bad. On the positive, it is an excellent tool for networking and for the dog community to connect outside of their region. This includes finding breeders, stud dogs, potential puppy buyers, or overall, advertising your dog and their wins from the previous show weekend. It also serves as a great resource for Juniors. As far as the bad, it’s been shown on more than one occasion that this community can abuse social media by bullying, airing out personal and professional grievances, discrediting dogs, handlers, and unfortunately, Juniors. It shows a lack of integrity and sportsmanship and only proves why we should not be setting the perfect example in dog shows.

3. Have the changes made to the Rules Applying to Dog Showsbeen good for the sport of dogs? Any thoughts on Reserve Best in Show? What about earning points through a Group win or placement? What about Reserve Winners at a Specialty earning championship points?

As a handler, Reserve Best in Show is completely appropriate as it gives another Professional or Breeder/Owner Handler an opportunity at such an exceptional win. The drawback is there are no points earned for Reserve Best, but I feel there should be. As far as earning points for Group wins or placements, I believe it’s very difficult to build points/majors in some breeds with very low entries. A lot of folks have trouble taking time off and traveling several hours or even days to build a major, so with this new rule I think it is acceptable, so long as the class dog or bitch is of nice quality. I have been to many National Specialties where I witnessed the Reserve Winners being just as deserving as the Winners. Yes, Reserve Winners should earn points if at a highly regarded show such as a National.

4. In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges facing the dog show community as a whole today and how can these be addressed? What are some of the positive changes you’ve seen in your profession and in the dog show community over the past decade?

One major challenge I notice frequently is how often Owner-Handlers are surpassed in the ring due to their lack of experience or popularity in their breed, especially if the owner has a highly competitive dog. I would expect judges to give Owner-Handlers the same opportunity and attention as Professionals and have the courage to award their dogs if they are more fitting to their Breed Standard. I would address this matter with a potential solution that includes having educational opportunities ranging from more handling clinics and meet and greets/Q&A given by licensed Judges and Professional Handlers at larger clusters. Owners Handlers have proven to become major contributors to keeping this sport viable.

One positive change I admire is that AKC has enforced Safe Sport as protection to help ensure the safety of all competitors. With this, the community is better aware and can keep a watchful eye out for our upcoming generation.

5. And finally, do you want to tell us anything else about yourself, your hobbies and interests outside of dogs, or do you have any messages for the rest of the fancy?

Outside of dog showing, I thoroughly enjoy working out at my local gym. As a former collegiate athlete, I always keep myself actively busy when I am not traveling for shows. My boyfriend and I also love to go kayaking during the cooler and more tolerable months in Louisiana.

Finally, I am excited to announce that I will be the Sweepstakes Judge for the 2025 American Belgian Tervuren National Specialty in Red Lodge, Montana, and the 2026 Belgian Sheepdog Club of America in Wilmington, Ohio.

A message to the fancy is to always stand up for what you believe in. If I believe I can make a difference in my breeds and my breeding program by voicing my opinions and sharing my knowledge with anyone who wants to listen and learn from my experiences, then that is what I will do. Remember to humble yourself and always leave room for improvement. Talk to your mentors and ask questions if you are looking for answers. At the end of the day, we are all doing this for the same reason, which is to keep the sport alive and to preserve our favorite breeds.