In one of the other posts, I was reading about different handlers getting the dogs to show better for them.  What do you think makes a good handler?   Both myself and my husband show my bitch and for some reason she seems to show better for me.  I'm not, for one minute, saying I'm a good handler, but I'm just wondering what the difference may be between us, and am intersested to know what makes a good handler?

my Oh shows the girls better than me he seems to get them handled much better , they tend to run rings round me when showing , he seems to have a really good thing with my eldest dog who adores everything he does ....

My girls only show for my husband.  My eldest one especially is totally devoted.  The difference between us handling is she will stand like a statue for him and behaves with me she drags me round the ring and totally humiliates me.   Mind you in saying that my daughter actually won the YKC stakes and she behaved impecably.  My boy will handle for anyone whoever they are as long as they have treats in their hand. 

Empathy/rapport with the dogs, an eye for a dog so they can see the good points and faults, play up the first and minimise the second!  And just a natural 'something' that dogs respond to.  It is the same with horses, some people are naturaly gifted riders, with good hands, seats etc, and some go through the motions but never get the same 'tune' out of the animmal.
bye
Gwen

We used to have a bitch who adored my dad so much he couldn't handle her, this was because she would look at him all the time while moving, if i took her she would show nicely!  A good handler is someone who can regorgnise a dogs faults and disguise them!  For example a dogg thats cow hocked can be stood so the hocks are correct, but they need to be placed by the handler!  the same can go for lose elbows!!!!

Now i don't like to brag, and under no cercamstances am I one of the best handlers, but I have been told many times that when I handle dogs for friends I can make them look like a different dog!  Last year I was handling a Finish Spitz Puppy who the owners where in-experianced in showing, they took it to one show and didn't do a good dog any favours and didn't get anywhere, I took her in and won many BPIB at champ shows and it was commented that I made the dog look a different dog!!!

Thats just one example, but happends offen...as gwen said in the last post...Mike makes her dogs look totally different because he is an excellent handler which is showen when he shows!