.com Forum · Alpha Dog Forum

Hi people

3 handler specialties. In all 3 a dog entered without a handler has beaten a dog entered with a handler (judges are handler judges). Look for Best Opposite or BISS.

Comments? I'm confused.

www.showdog.com/shows/breed_results.aspx?show=Gymea%2017&breed=Sealyham%20Terrier

www.showdog.com/shows/breed_results.aspx?show=Gymea%2018&breed=Sealyham%20Terrier

www.showdog.com/shows/breed_results.aspx?show=Gymea%2019&breed=Sealyham%20Terrier

Linda is "not very political"

Amanda "Has a tendency to use dogs handled by certain handlers but isn't overt in it."

Jolene "Has a tendency to use dogs handled by certain handlers but isn't overt in it. Low level of breed bias."

Whether they are handled by a handler or not isnt always a deciding factor. My take on it is if there are comparable dogs and they like to see handlers then they may be more likley to choose the one handled rather than the owner. All a game of chance as is any dog show here or irl

So if we did this at the daily shows, we might win without handlers?

This is silly.

People enter shows very early to get the best handlers. There is a lot of discussion about which handlers are best for which judges. Noone suggest no handlers (except for handler free judges).

If I look at shows for today, in Group placings the highest an owner handled dog has come in group is 10th. Generally in the last few of each group.

I thought I understood handlers - pick the judge's highest ranked (lowest numbered) available handler. Placings are normally given to dogs with good handlers.

In this case the handler-system appears to have failed. If noone has any better ideas I'll just write it off to the random factor (as I've sighed and done before) ... just hoped someone could tell me what I was doing wrong.

I would say that it's partially random, but also the dogs that did win were better SOP-wise. When you're looking at judges that are "handler" judges, it doesn't always mean that a handler can win with any dog.

With some judges, they will choose a handler over a non-handler only if all other is equal; others will choose only a most-preferred handler over a slightly weaker dog; others will require a great disparity to choose the non-handler dog.

Just interested - as in those listed trials under 3 different handler judges there was no great disparity between dogs.

Yes, and as an example, I've had a 98.30 GSD take WB over a 98.70 and a 98.80 because I got the judge's favorite handler. It is partially random though.