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It's not for the money, not just for the show
Animal handlers invest time, attention
Friday, Sept. 3, 2010
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by REID SILVERMAN
Lisa Miller, a professional dog handler and American foxhound breeder, demonstrates how she would impress the judges by "stacking" Steven, a 4-year-old and three-time best-in-show winner, outside her Mechanicsville home.
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Showing animals takes a lot of work in a lot of different ways. Whether preparing for dog shows, county fairs or equestrian competitions, each has its own unique challenges and rewards.
‘Clean hair grows, dirty hair goes'
At 7 years old, Lisa Miller took her family dog, a German shepherd, to obedience school. "He was a little out of control," she said.
However, their days in obedience class were short-lived.
She overheard the neighboring class — a conformation class — having a little too much fun and couldn't resist taking a little peek. "That's when I walked in and saw the dogs," Miller said. "I thought it was really cool. It was amazing what they were doing. [It was] more than just your average basic obedience."
One look was all it took.
"We had to get a better dog, though," Miller laughed.
Six months later, the family picked up a Great Dane and Miller started showing him. "I thought he was very elegant — a big, strong, powerful-looking dog."
Now 52, Miller and her husband own and operate Kiarry Kennels in Mechanicsville and breed American foxhounds.
Breeding dogs is no easy task. Every morning after the dogs are let out at 6 a.m., the bedding is washed and beds are scrubbed down.
"Everything ties into everything," Miller said, which is why she is constantly cleaning. "We want them to have clean bedding. It's very important. … Clean hair grows, dirty hair goes. It's our motto. The dogs are cleaned every other day, that way we know if there are any problems. We like to keep their coats in good condition."
Each dog is fed differently; some may receive a high-calorie meal, high-protein meal or even a senior meal, and all dogs are given a vitamin. "Food affects the coats and the muscles," Miller said. "These dogs are high-energy dogs and they need high-protein dog food." Some even get physical training. "Ones that we are heavily campaigning and are over 2 years old, we put them on a treadmill for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at night."
Miller, an all-breed professional handler registered with the American Kennel Club, travels to numerous shows a year. "We go every weekend," she said.
When she's not showing her own dogs, she's being paid to show clients' dogs. "I can take them from a little ragamuffin and make them into a beautiful star," she said.
"When the judges point to you, that's very rewarding because you know your dog has met everything that judge is looking for in that dog and that breed," she said. "It's the gratification [of], ‘Look, I did that,' or ‘We did that.'"
In December, she went to the Eukanuba dog show in Long Beach, Calif., her first American Foxhound Club National Specialty. And, in August, Miller placed first in the Eukanuba Breeder's Cup in Canfield, Ohio, in the foxhound category. "I was bawling my eyes out," she said. "I was crying so hard, I couldn't even look up. It was very emotional because I look down the line and I'm like, ‘Oh, my God, this is awesome.'"
Rider and horse think and move as one
Kelly Quesinberry, 18, of Huntingtown knows what it's like to feel accomplished — especially because her horse, Cherokee, was untrained when she got him from the University of Maryland feeding program, she said.
Quesinberry found out about the horse, a 14-year-old Arabian thoroughbred cross, from her mother's cousin, who teaches animal science at the university. At the time she was studying the effects of different nutrition plans on neglected and underweight horses. Cherokee was one of them, Quesinberry said.
"Once Cherokee was at a more stable weight, they wanted to sell him and she told my parents about him," she said. "The one catch with Cherokee was having to train him, but I was willing to do so … I was extremely excited and it was pretty cool because I had only seen a picture of him but was able to pick [him] out of the herd on the Eastern Shore farm."
It was tough in the beginning, but in the five years since she got him, he has calmed down a lot, Quesinberry said. "At first when I was riding him, I'd have to do a lesson on a lunge line. He had a lot of behavior issues that we had to really work through. [For example,] once off the lunge line, he would run where he wanted to go without listening to me. We had to establish that the rider is the one he's supposed to listen to."
The bay-colored horse has personality, too, Quesinberry said, adding that he's quite curious, friendly and intelligent when he wants to be.
"One time, that was quite funny but not so funny, someone feeding him left the pin out of the stall; he was able to push the door open enough to get out of the stall and walk around the barn," she said. "He tore tissues up, played with brushes and ate half a bag of treats. When the barn owner came in, she saw him and said he looked like a kid on Christmas Day."
Four years ago, Quesinberry started riding Cherokee in dressage shows.
"There's definitely a lot of riding preparation," she said. About a week or two before, she normally starts practicing the different tests, such as "entering upon centerline, halting, saluting, then moving forward and turning either left or right." Some also have half-circles, serpentines and trot or canter courses.
"I try to ride tests so that Cherokee balances and each movement is a steady flow of energy — created by push and propelling motion from his hindquarters, in a perfect world — and balance, she said." Every test gets more complex and requires more balance from the horse.
Quesinberry uses the reins, her legs and posture to communicate with Cherokee. "As far as verbal communication, it should be nonexistent," she said. "They actually penalize you for making clicking noises or saying words, as dressage is all about subtle body language and rein, leg and posture."
On the farm, ‘try not to get too attached'
As the county fair season draws near, it stirs memories of carnival games and rides, lots of sugary sweets — and livestock shows.
The fair scene is familiar for Bel Alton resident Emily Dingus, 19. She takes her animals to the Prince George's County Fair and the Maryland State Fair in Timonium each year, among other shows, before ultimately selling her market animals at the Charles County Fair.
Dingus started to show animals through 4-H when she was 8 years old. "I heard about it from one of my dad's old Navy friends," she said.
In the 11 years since she started, she has gone from having one black rabbit named Buttons to two goats to now 16 animals — three market lambs, three market goats, two breeding buck goats, six female breeder goats and two market steers.
Although her initial plan was to stick with rabbits, all of her friends had bigger livestock animals, and she said that made her want some, too.
It was a considerable transition for the Dingus family.
"We had to ask a lot of questions," she said. "You have to work with goats a lot more to get them show-ready so they will walk and stuff. "You don't really have to show rabbits," Dingus added. "You just put them in a cage and a judge comes around. It's not as involved or as intense."
Goats are also more personable than rabbits, she said.
"For example, Lily [a breeding Boer goat] only likes my dad and bites me and my mom. She's kind of a brat. Lulu [also a breeding Boer goat] is really sweet. She's a bottle baby and she likes to be out with you.
"Bottle-feeding is pretty neat," Dingus said. "It makes the animal friendlier than if they just feed on the mom and it makes them more spoiled."
As for those she brings to market, "I'm trying to produce the best product I can for the consumer," she said. "It's a lot of responsibility and time."
She admitted that after raising the animals since birth and even bottle-feeding some, it's hard to sell them. But "I try not to get too attached because ultimately that's their purpose," she said.
In the future, Dingus sees herself breeding club goats to sell to kids in 4-H. Watching others do well with her animals is what gives her the most joy, she said.
"It's like I'm giving them a chance to show and actually win," she added.
