Diary of a Professional Handler

Ever wonder what it's like to be a professional handler?

Today's Breeder recently spent a month following Clint Livingston, a professional dog show handler, and Mike Wallace, a professional trainer-handler of field-trial English Springer Spaniels, to get a glimpse of what's involved in campaigning top dogs on a highly competitive circuit. Here are their stories, but first, here is how they became pros.

Clint is probably best known to dog-show enthusiasts as the handler who won back-to-back groups at Westminster in 2003. A Brittany named "Jester" (CH Magic Sir-ly You Jest, JH) became a two-time Westminster Sporting Group winner that year, returning to the ring after a year off. A rare breed, an Ibizan Hound known as "Bunny" (CH Luxor's Playmate of the Year), took the Hound Group, while a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen (PBGV)named "Charmaine" (CH Pepperhill Dehra Charmaine) got a Hound Group Two handled by Clint's assistant Janice Hayes.

"It was a feeling I'll never forget," Clint says.

Today, Clint is married to his partner, the former Karen Beardslee, who like him started showing dogs as a junior handler. Clint was the No. 1 junior handler in the country in 1987, which qualified him to represent the United States at Crufts in the International Junior Handler of the Year competition. He was the first American to win the competition. In 1992 Clint received the Tourna­ment of Champions Award for the Best New Handler from Kennel Review.

Professional English Springer Spaniel trainer and handler Mike Wallace developed a passion for the breed as an 8-year-old charmed by a springer named "Taffy" whom his father, Harold, had bought for pheasant hunting. Mike's natural talent as a trainer began to shine through in the late 1980s, when he handled FC/CFC Salmy Zorro to more than 10 field trial wins, garnering over 200 points. Just last February, "Zorro" was inducted into the Field Trial Hall of Fame in Grand Junction, Tenn.

In 1991, Mike became a professional handler. In 1994 and 1995, he received the Martin J. Hogan Memorial Award given to the professional handler whose individual dogs have won the most points in field trials for the year. Both years Zorro was the Open High Point dog. Mike earned the Hogan Award once again in 2008.

During the past 40 years, Mike has bred and/or trained more than 30 Field Champions. Recent standouts are FC Sunrise First Freedom, the 2008 Open High Point Champion, and NAFC Pheasant Feathers Black Powder ("Drake"), the 2008 National Amateur Champion. At his Salmy Acres Kennel, Mike and his wife, Julieann, work together in breeding and training.

August 19: Bound for the Heart of America Cluster The all-day drive across Kansas from their home in Brighton, Colo., en route to the Heart of America Cluster in Kansas City, Mo., marks the 11th consecutive day that Clint and his team have been on the road.

Snoozing in the crate behind the driver's seat is the No. 4-ranked show dog in the country, a glossy Golden Retriever bitch named "Treasure." Her ranking prompts the team to split up at times as Clint pursues the best shows for Multi-BIS/Multi-BISS CH Toasty's Treasure Island. To hold the No. 4 slot, you've got to win about 90 percent of the time, Clint explains. The top-winning Golden bitch in history, Treasure claimed that lofty designation last July when she won her 23rd Best in Show.

In between shows, dogs are conditioned daily. On the road, Karen rides a bicycle or runs while dogs run beside her. At home, some dogs run on a canine jogger, plus their 5-foot-by-35-foot outdoor kennel runs have ample space for exercise. The 12 to 15 full-time dogs are bathed and groomed weekly.

As Clint slowly maneuvers the truck into the parking lot at the American Royal Complex, dogs start waking up, ready to stretch their legs. The lineup includes the No. 2-ranked Hound, PBGV CH Afterglow Ebeneezer; the No.2 Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, CH Orchard Hill Shirmont Backtalk; a promising Miniature Long­haired Dachshund, CH Kaycees Galewinns All Revved Up, MLD; and the No. 3 Akita, CH Sherob Stardust Georgia On My Mind. Others in the group are a Chinese Shar-Pei in a race for No. 1, CH Guthrie's How Sweet It Is, and a Top 10-ranked Australian Shepherd, CH Veritas Truth B Told.

The team is prepared for stiff competition — the No. 2-ranked dog, a Doberman Pinscher, and No. 3-ranked dog, a Puli, are here. Karen backs up Clint in the ring and handles her own client dogs, which include "Revvie," the Longhaired Dachshund, and "Spalding," a Portuguese Water Dog. Assistant Kassy Mysliwiec completes the team. Altogether 20 dogs are being shown, counting nine "ringside dogs" brought by owners.

Day one and day two of the cluster are Leavenworth (Kan.) Kennel Club shows. Clint handles Treasure to a Sporting Group win on Friday, but the Doberman takes Best in Show both days. On Saturday, at the Heart of America Kennel Club show, the Puli wins Best in Show. Treasure takes Group Two.

Clint takes action. Having pre-entered Treasure in both the Heart of America Cluster and the Saint Croix Valley Kennel Club show in Lake Elmo, Minn., he calls travel agent Kyle Robinson, a retired professional handler, to book a flight to Minnesota for him and Treasure. Karen and Kassy will stay in Kansas City to finish the Sunday Heart of America show.

Meanwhile, the last-minute $300 airline ticket was a good rate. Robinson cleared Treasure for the flight and made sure not too many dogs were booked. The fast change paid off: Treasure won Best in Show, collecting more than 1,770 points. Sending a text message to clients on his iPhone, Clint wrote, "Treasure took BIS today."

Back in Kansas City, Karen took a Hound Group Two with "Ebeneezer." August 19: Serious Field Training at Home Fall field-trial season is near. Mike is training 25 English Springer Spaniels from dawn to dusk on his 130-acre leased farm in Baker, W.Va., a few hours west of Washington.

Repetitive drills are key for instilling winning ways. The fall season looks promising with strong performances shaping up from "Freedom" (FC Sunrise First Freedom), last year's Open High Point Champion, and two 2-year-olds, "Kelli" (Salmy's Shamrock Mist) and "Cliff" (CAN FC Salmy's Master Piece).

Bird training drills entail running dogs individually in native, warm-season grasses that are knee to waist high. Sessions are from 15 to 20 minutes per dog, comparable to a field trial. The oppressive, summer's end 90-degree heat, made worse by 80 percent humidity, doesn't allow for longer sessions.

Birds are released in the field, and the springers begin practicing quartering, working in a windshield-wiper pattern in front of Mike as they use their senses to look for birds. Pairing dogs up, Mike also trains them to sit and honor another dog's retrieve.

Water drills consist of running dogs in doubles. Mike positions a pair on the bank of a pond. As he throws a dummy into the water, the springers alternate between retrieving a thrown dummy and waiting and watching.

Conditioning includes running, but today the heavy, wet West Virginia heat is intense enough. Training is rotated day to day between water and field sessions, even the time of day is rotated between morning and afternoon. Preparing dogs for conditions they are likely to encounter at field trials is the goal.

August 26: Team Livingston Splits to Cover Shows in Louisiana & Wyoming Clint and Treasure are soloing in Monroe, La., at the Bayou Kennel Club and Vicksburg Kennel Club of Mississippi dog shows, while Karen and Kassy drive to the Cheyenne (Wyo.) Kennel Club show.

They didn't totally solo. After a two-hour flight from Denver to Dallas, Clint and Treasure meet up with Clint's brother, Brian, to take "Georgia," the No. 3 Akita, to the shows. Two dogs were brought by their owners for Clint to handle as well.

It's been a busy week, with calls back and forth to United Specialties in Omaha, the company that is custom-making a 44-foot motor home for Team Livingston. The new truck will have a 13-foot dog area and living quarters with a kitchen, bath, master bedroom suite, bunk bed and pull-out couch. The truck should be ready in November.

At the Bayou Kennel Club shows, Treasure took two Sporting Group Threes. She took a Group Two and then won Group One at the Vicksburg Kennel Club shows. Georgia won the breed all four days and took a Group Four one day.

These shows proved to have very competitive Sporting Groups, Clint reflects. As smaller shows dot the country this weekend, Clint opted for the four-day shows in Louisiana over the two-day Wyoming shows. Meanwhile, Karen won the Hound Group with Ebeneezer at the Cheyenne show. August 26: Preparing for the AKC Water Test A vital part of finishing a Field Champion is proving the dog's ability to retrieve in water. Though most of Mike's springers qualified during the English Springer Spaniel National Stakes, six are being readied for an AKC licensed water test this weekend in DeGraff, Ohio.

The dogs are being trained to make two retrieves about 40 yards each. Mike creates potential distractions to simulate the test. Julieann wearing a blaze orange vest similar to what the gallery will wear is positioned on the opposite side of the pond. Mike fires a shotgun to emulate a hunting environment.

Positive training is the crux of Mike's method. Dogs learn best by succeeding, he says, rather than setting them up for failure just to correct them.

Besides bird training and water work, all springers receive obedience training. Mike drills them on commands such as sit, down, stay and come, and they practice "baseball diamond" retrieves. Dummies are tossed, marking bases, and dogs are taught to follow the handler's direction rather than instinctively retrieve the last dummy thrown.

Training ends with an inspection to be sure dogs are free of burrs, thorns and ticks. Ears, paw pads and the spaces between toes receive extra attention.

Freedom continues to train exceptionally well, going beyond where he left off as last year's High Point Champion. Kelli, the 2-year-old, is starting to come into her own and continues to show promise.

As the week ends, all six springers pass the licensed water test, and one becomes a Field Champion.

September 2: Labor Day Cluster Even though the Metro Mile Hi Kennel Club and Evergreen Colorado Kennel Club shows are only one hour from home for Clint and Karen doesn't mean they will sleep in their own bed. They opt to pack the truck and stay in Greeley so the dogs will be ready early for the large shows with nearly 2,000 dogs.

The proximity to Denver draws 11 owners who bring their dogs to be shown ringside. Assistants Alyssa Grossnickle and Jessica Ord, who are now back in school, are able to join them as well. Alyssa, a high school senior, has been the top Golden Retriever junior handler in the country for the past three years. Jessica, a college student, has worked with Clint for six summers. A new junior handler, Ty Bokelman, comes to help, too.

Friday's Mile Hi show includes several specialties. Team Livingston wins Best of Breed at the Great Pyrenees Specialty with "Pride" and an Award of Merit at the Bernese Mountain Dog Specialty with "Stokes," two local ringside dogs. "Macho," the Cavalier, wins the breed and takes Toy Group Four at the Toy show.

The Saturday Evergreen Kennel Club show provides an opportunity to show "Maybelline," a Brittany owned by Karen and Clint who lives with Fred and Susan Beardslee, Karen's parents. With Karen handling, Maybelline finishes.

Clint and Karen finish another Brittany, Trio's Mr. Roctober ("Holliday"), from the Bred-By-Exhibitor Class. The young male won the breed, outperforming a Best in Show Special, and then took Sporting Group Four.

Other wins and placements on Saturday include: Treasure wins the Sporting Group; Macho, the Cavalier, takes a Toy Group Two; "Honey," the Chinese Shar-Pei takes a Non-Sporting Group 2; "Roper," a ringside Rott­weiler, takes a Working Group Two; and Ebeneezer takes a Hound Group Three.

On Sunday, Ebeneezer wins Best in Show; Treasure takes a Sporting Group Three; Honey and Macho both take Group Twos in the Non-Sporting and Toy Group, respectively; and Georgia takes a Working Group Four.

Other highlights include Karen finishing a ringside Great Dane bitch and winning the breed with Revvie, the Miniature Longhaired Dachshund. Clint finishes English Cocker Spaniel "Harley," going Best of Breed from the classes over two Specials. Holliday, the Brittany male, wins the breed again.

Afterward, Clint says things are going well even though it's a tight race with Treasure. Ebeneezer had a great Best in Show, and Macho has settled into the spot of No. 2 Cavalier in all systems for 2009. Honey is now closing the gap for No. 1 Shar-Pei. September 2: Field Trials Begin Fall field-trial season is officially under way, and the miles tally up quickly. One day of rest after the water test in Ohio, and it's off to Maine, a 12-hour drive, for the Maine Spaniel Club and Central Maine Spaniel Club trials. Mike has been going to the trials for the past 20 years.

Six hours into the trip, Mike and Julieann stop in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Seventeen springers are along: 11 are entered in Open All-Age Stakes, one dog will compete in Puppy Stakes, and five are along to be worked.

On Friday, the Wallaces head up the road to Scarborough, Maine, where the trials will be held. Mike won the Maine Spaniel Club last year with Freedom.

The day starts early Saturday, letting the dogs out to air. Mike has known the brace running order for about 10 days. Fifty-two dogs are entered in the Open All-Age Stakes, making for a large, competitive trial. In the final series, 10 to 15 springers will be called back to run individually.

Julieann shags for Mike, running dogs back and forth. All the field work is done on foot, no horses. The gallery of 20 to 30 spectators walks behind the dogs and handlers. Several miles are covered during the trial.

By day's end, none of Mike's dogs place, let alone win. Though everyone's dogs struggled, it doesn't make it easier.

Monday brings an opportunity to redeem Saturday's performance, but it's another long, hot, winless day. Mike is disappointed, but not discouraged. It's tough to not place at all, he says, calling it a train wreck.

September 9: Remembering 'Jester' Driving across Wyoming to the Bonneville Basin Kennel Association shows in Farmington, Utah, outside Salt Lake City, Clint fights tears as he faces the loss of a good friend. He has just learned jolting news: Jester, the Brittany he handled to Sporting Group wins at Westminster in 2002 and 2003, has died. Though it was time — the 14-year-old was put to sleep due to heart and kidney failure — it is still difficult.

Jester was one of the greatest dogs I have ever shown, Clint says. I wanted to see him one last time and tell him good-bye. We spent three years together, and he was just an incredible dog.

Karen and Clint bred the Jester litter that produced Holliday, the Brittany who finished at the Evergreen Kennel Club Show. Every time I see Holliday playing in the house or handle him in the ring, I can see Jester, Clint says, especially in the eyes and face.

At both days of the Bonneville Basin shows, Treasure takes Group Ones. Other wins at the Saturday show include: Ebeneezer takes a Hound Group Two; Honey takes a Non-Sport­ing Group Three; and Macho takes a Toy Group Four. At the Sunday show, Ebeneezer takes another Hound Group Two; Macho takes a Toy Group Two; and Honey takes a Non-Sporting Group Three.

September 9: Back in the Saddle With the Patriot Sporting Spaniel Club trial this weekend at Shoreham, Vt., Mike and Julieann stay in Maine to work dogs. After a rest day on Tuesday, Mike begins routine drills and obedience training without birds. He also allows time for unstructured fun.

On Friday, they make the five-hour drive to Vermont. The change of scenery brings heavy grass cover and temperatures in the mid-70s, tough running conditions.

Three dogs make the final series on Saturday. Mike waits an hour after the last series to hear Cliff's (FC/CFC Salmy's Master Piece) name announced as the winner. The win, which finishes the 2-year-old's American Field Champion title, helps to soothe last weekend's loss though it does not fully wash away the frustration.

Sunday is a long drive home; they have tacked 2,000 miles on their truck and dog trailer since leaving for Maine. Monday brings a day of rest, and then it's preparation to leave for a seven-hour drive to western New York for trials.

Catching Up Since September Team Livingston has been constantly on the go. During October and the beginning of November, they traveled to 22 shows in 24 days, hitting 10 states while trying to get in several National Specialties for clients during the week and all-breed shows on weekends. Things are falling into place. Treasure has a solid lead as the No. 1 Sporting dog and is holding her own as the No. 4 show dog in the country.

With more shows to go before the year is over, Clint is looking forward to breaking in the new 44-foot motor home, which is ready to be picked up in Nebraska.

As the field-trial season settles in, Mike begins to see the results he's accustomed to. At the English Springer Spaniel Club of Western New York trial, Gaspermountain Home Run, a 5-year-old, won the trial and finished his Field Champion title. Cliff placed second, then went on to win trials the following two weekends. Freedom won the Great Lakes English Springer Spaniel Club trial.

Meanwhile, the Wallaces recently expanded their program by moving to a 600-acre training facility in Kearneysville, W.Va., about one hour from their former location. A 50-run kennel will allow Mike to accept more dogs into his training program.

Mike is as passionate today about English Springer Spaniels as he was as a boy. "I love the breed," he says. "They're my buddies. We're all in the pack, and I'm the leader."