Spire Toy Dog Society

YKC Handling

I was very much looking forward to judging the Handling classes and you did not disappoint! Well done to all of you.

6-11 years

1 Arlo Barbi, handling a Griffon Bruxellois. A confident young handler, smartly dressed and looked quite the picture with his dog. Showed the bite of the dog correctly. Sympathetic handling of the dog on the table. Noticed that I had moved one of the dog’s legs and corrected it. Completed the pattern accurately with neat turns and straight lines. Set an appropriate pace for the dog. Paid attention to the position of the judge and shadowed accordingly. Showed terrific sportsmanship.

2 Grace Codling, handling a Russian Toy. A very smart young lady who demonstrated a good relationship with her dog. Handled the dog confidently on the table and showed the bite. Completed the pattern with accuracy and neat turns at a good pace. For the future, try to practise shadowing the judge so that the ‘golden rule’ is maintained.

12-17 years

1 Matilda Memmott-Richardson, handling an English Toy Terrier. Really impressed with this young handler. She and the dog presented a very smart picture. She noticed that I had moved one of the dog’s legs on the table and swiftly corrected it. Showed the bite ably and was sympathetic to the dog. Very accurate on the L pattern with sharp turns and subtle changes of side – she made it look much easier than it was. Set a pace that was right for the dog. Correct shadowing with nice finish into a free stand. A very confident and well-practised handler. So pleased to see afterwards that this qualified her for Crufts 2027.

2 Rhiarna Rodgers, handling a Pomeranian. Both dog and handler well presented. Handled the dog with confidence, stacked the dog well on the table and showed the bite effectively. Completed a neat L pattern with accurate hand changes. For the future, keep an eye out for the placement of the dog’s feet on the table.

3 Ruby Rodgers, handling a Pomeranian. This was this young lady’s first attempt at Junior Handling, and for a first attempt she did very well. Was able to complete a triangle and up and down with competence, just needs to learn the other patterns and how to shadow. Sympathetic to the dog and demonstrated a sound relationship.

18-24 years

1 Amber Simms, handling a Chinese Crested. Excellent handling from a handler and dog pair that looked like a fine-tuned machine. Very aware of the judge and as a result demonstrated subtle shadowing that meant that the ‘golden rule’ was never broken. Confident handling on the table, noticed that I had moved a leg and quickly corrected it. Set a pace that allowed the dog to show his gait at its best. Pattern work was neat and accurate with hand changes done quickly and precisely, culminating in a neat finish in to a free stand. A general point to really advance this handler further is to aim to be as unobtrusive as possible, allowing the dog’s individual qualities and presentation to take centre stage. It is very much a fine-tuning point rather than a criticism, but this is an exceptional handler who should be striving for the very top.

Rachel Berrington (Pappersley)