Not everyone enters the ring to win Best in Show. During my years as the Dog Show Mentor (DSM), I’ve learned that many owner handlers keep showing up for various reasons—reasons that matter just as much as any Best in Show.
Some are clearly there to win. Others show up for something different: connection, progress, community. Many owner handlers are somewhere in between. All reasons are valid and should be equally respected. No one should ever have to feel embarrassed, or feel like they need to apologize to anyone for whatever their objective is to show their dog.
In a private coaching session, a new breeder explained to me that her goals didn’t match up with what many others seem to aim for in the group. Competition is part of it for her, but much more critical is introducing others to her breed and sharing the sense of pride she finds when her dog moves and looks right in the ring. In addition, she has experienced a profound healing with these dogs that transforms one’s sense of self. She has wins, yes, but she also studies pedigrees, trying to improve bloodlines. The win is a signpost; the real goal is breeding something better.
What keeps owners showing isn’t always the big wins—it’s the tiny, incremental improvements that make people show up time and again. Inspired by James Clear’s idea of compounding gains, many focus on:
These are not flashy tasks, but they build competence, confidence, and reputation. Over time, small changes lead to consistent performance.
It isn’t just about dogs and form. The social side matters: people in grooming tents, shared motel rooms, laughter, and help when something goes wrong. Those moments make the hours worthwhile.
At the same time, owner handlers often feel they can’t compete with professionals. Not because they don’t try, but because they lack scale, support, or visibility. Still, they return because they believe consistency matters, that showing up under pressure makes them better, and that their dogs deserve their best effort even when everything isn’t perfect. Recently, an owner handler complained she couldn’t get past a certain other dog powered by a top professional handler. Her dog was barely in the top 40. Today he’s in the Top 20. Incremental change moves us forward when we keep at it.
For many, showing is not just about the present. It’s about legacy. Owner handlers believe in being good caretakers of the breed by:
Owner handlers also mentor others in the Breed Standard. Many share their experience and information about pedigrees, movement, and grooming. They hold themselves to standards that go beyond their own success.
Many owner handlers feel unsettled by the structure of NOHS (National Owner-Handled Series). Some of the common issues:
Still, rosettes in owner-handled rings have become more elaborate, more meaningful. Handlers collect them. Some enjoy the challenge. But for many who want to breed or raise better dogs, the joy of winning is secondary to the joy of progress.
Disappointments are frustrations as well. “I’m giving up” is something I hear, even from people who’ve been in the ring for years. Wins feel elusive sometimes, and competitors think it’s unfair. But showing up again—after defeat, after frustration—takes its own kind of strength. For many, that’s what defines them more than any ribbon.
More than one exhibitor has said to me, “I’m ready to quit showing dogs!” One in particular had been setting up majors in an area that was a long drive from her. When she showed up, no one else did. She felt swindled. Ready to give it all up, she called me and we talked it through. I told her, “You’re going to be famous some day in this sport.” In the end, only one year later, her bitch is consistently a regular Group winner, First through Fourth, and she is becoming somewhat of a cult leader in her area for owner handlers. It pays to hang in there.
Owner handlers show their dogs because progress matters more than perfect wins. There is value to learning a new set of skills and the challenging aspects of competition. While learning, relationships are formed and a new community gives support, perspective, and encouragement. This kind of community is hard to find elsewhere in our adult lives. Showing up, learning, and caring about dogs and other exhibitors is linked to being an owner handler. Legacy and breed health matter in the long term to breeder/owner handlers. As more knowledge is gained about our dogs and their breed-specific strengths and issues, it becomes increasingly crucial to research pedigrees and support health clearances.
If you intend to stay on this journey, you’ll need a clear sense of why you show. Ask yourself, “Am I in it to win it, do I want to breed the best dogs in the world, or is it the relationships I value most?” Sometimes I find that owner handlers who contact me want to overcome their ring nerves and gain confidence in the ring, which drives them forward.
You’ll want a supportive community of like-minded exhibitors who are positive and forward-thinking. These individuals help to motivate and validate our reasons for showing up.
For the long term, creating a telescopic view is essential for staying the course. Goal setting is one way to cultivate that vision. Developing discipline, coupled with patience, is vital for you and your dog. And, throwing it all up in the air is a valid approach if you want to do that too.
“Have fun with your dog and make sure your dog has fun with you!” A Dog Show Mentor-ism
