On July 11th Rainbow Ag and Exclusive pet Nutrition sponsored a fun and interactive Dog Showmanship clinic at Todd Grove park in Ukiah. The event was well attended by young 4-H members and their families. Local professional dog handler Kimberly Mitchell was the official presenter for the event. Kim has raised, trained, and rescued dogs for five decades. She is a founding member of the Harrier Club of America, a preservation breeder, and owner- handler of show dogs, many of which she has taken to championship levels. Striving to stay abreast of the latest in K9 science, she has attended multiple AKC Health Conferences, Clicker Expos, behavior seminars. She currently leads the Ukiah Shamrock Dog Project.
After watching small animal round robin at the local fairs, Kim noticed many exhibitors could benefit from proper dog handling tips for the competition. “After all, dogs are not livestock and should not be treated as such.”
Through this clinic she hoped to provide small animal exhibitors with a better understanding of a dog’s nature and its needs when showing. The intention was to help both dogs and young handlers be safe and successful in and out of the show ring.
To accomplish this she enlisted the help of Nancy Hendricks and her retired Malinois show dog Brodi who was quite a star in his own right, and Kim’s own Toy Terrier, Parker.
Together this team was successful in providing the audience with a comprehensive mini course in handling and showing. . They covered the major dog groups, working, herding, hound, sporting, non sporting, terrier and toy. They discussed how different breeds are groomed and exhibited. Participants then had the opportunity to handle both large and small dogs to gain a better understanding of techniques in the show ring. They worked on patterns and stacking and how to relax. Everyone in attendance received a free swag bag along with raffle prizes sponsored by Rainbow & Exclusive Pet Nutrition.We were not sure who had more fun, the kids or the dogs.
This was so successful, look for another event coming your way soon. For more information contact Lory McAsey at the Ukiah Rainbow store – 707 462 2404 or lmcasey@rainbowag.com.