What is a "Lady Handler"?

[TuMicks]

The pro I work with is a woman. In fact, almost our entire training group is made up of women. There are 3 guys that come out and train with us from time to time.

[Labradorks]

Am I missing something? It's a handling seminar for women given by women.

Right, I get that, too. But what is handling, exactly? Training your dog? Handling your trained dog? Big difference. If you read the original post, I know it is by women for women (pretty obvious), but I'm at a loss as to what it entails. I assumed this was a typical seminar for those in the field training world, but it looks like I assumed incorrectly.

I think most everyone else's comments are just having fun with the somewhat awkward seminar title. Which, I can't blame them for.

[TuMicks]

Autumn Retrievers


Katie Quarles is doing a seminar in Suisun City (for both... or all...sexes) and I am signed up to go. I'm bringing Ram Jet Rocket Dog with me. Autumn Retrievers is near Spokane. I've met Katie at hunt tests and know her from just being the marshal when she was running. (She wouldn't know me from the man in the moon, I'm sure.) She sure seems like a nice lady and I admire her finished products. Very good sportsmanship when things don't go the way she'd have wanted.

I heard a story about her. She was in a holding blind when some out of control male lab came over and began attacking her dog. Apparently she had no qualms about pounding the attacking dog. So you have to be prepared to be "unlady-like" when the times call for it.

[TuMicks]

Silver State Kennel


Carolyn is probably the most pivotal person for Hunt Test everything in Nevada. Hey, she managed to get Ram Jet Rocket Dog to wait until told to launch. We train about 5 days a week whenever possible.

[IRISHWISTLER]

I might clarify my comment about "missing something" as a reference to the exclusion of male participants from a seminar on handling skills. It seems to me that in this era of PC that exclusion based on gender might well be frowned upon if a seminar of such design was limited specifically to male particpants. As I earlier stated, good handling skills are simply that and are not gender specific in any way that is obvious to me. I often think the whole PC mindset is carried beyond reasonability so I could really care less about this on that level. I just think it is a twist in marketing the seminar more than it is about instruction.

Irishwhistler

[TuMicks]

Agreed.



The girls have been mixing it up with the guys in the retriever world for a long time. I think the mixed-gender seminar I'm going to go to would be sort of dull if there weren't any guys around. And not that I'm looking to pick any up, mind you. It's just funner to have a diverse (starting to hate that word) crowd.

And no. That is not a picture of me and Rocket Dog

[Anna Scott]

I had a friend from Florida that used to say "We are all ladies until we step to the line"
A handling seminar should focus not only on the dog but actually on what the handler is doing as well. It is amazing what bad habits we develop as handlers and it often takes someone else to point them out. A good exercise is to video tape what you are doing on line. I tend to move around too much and too handle too fast. Another crazy habit I have is to lean in the direction the dog should be running in.

[TuMicks]

I had a friend from Florida that used to say "We are all ladies until we step to the line"
A handling seminar should focus not only on the dog but actually on what the handler is doing as well. It is amazing what bad habits we develop as handlers and it often takes someone else to point them out. A good exercise is to video tape what you are doing on line. I tend to move around too much and too handle too fast. Another crazy habit I have is to lean in the direction the dog should be running in.

Do you mean as she leaves the line... like you're trying will her to go in the right direction? If her back is to you and she's going away, you're probably not messing up the dog... only amusing the people in the gallery. Oh.... I... know... (breathe)... what... you... mean... (count to 5)... about... handlingtoofastOMGnotthatwayTWEET!

[JenC]

No, I don't think good handling skills are exclusive to either sex, but around here, the sport is male dominated. And we are somewhat redneck/cowboy, and honestly, if I were going to a seminar on how to better handle my dog during hunt tests/field trials, I might prefer it to be done by a woman.

And as far as handling goes, I would imagine in the hunting scheme of things, it's about how to bring the dog to the line, how to train it better to not break, best ways to send the dog, etiquette while you are waiting in the blind. I would imagine that folks that haven't participated in hunting events (even if they are real hunters) might need to know a bit about how to properly handle one's dog at an event. I learned by working events and being a hunt test secretary. I assume others have no idea.

[TuMicks]

Working an event is a great way to learn the ropes. Training a working retriever is always better in a group but it's hard to become better than the best handler in your circle. I am fortunate to train with one of the best. Nevertheless, it's good to get a variety of perspectives and critiques.