It's all part of the strategy of the game, right? It's like a lightbulb that comes on for some, and for others, never. Aha! This is a very good dog. I am not going to show it myself because I am a very bad handler (I AM!), and yes I will save money in the short haul, but lose more in the long run. I will get frustrated and keep beating my head stubbornly against that brick wall - continue to lose and make my dog look bad. OR I will learn from my experiences. I will use what I've learned to my benefit. -You note a bias, you use it to your advantage or you take your dog elsewhere. -You observe a judge does not prefer a sable dog, you don't show a sable dog to that judge. -You learn what handler's style fits best with your dog's style, and which do not. Do well known handlers get a look because they are great at what they do? Certainly! You learn what works and what doesn't, and invest your time, effort and money in what works. That's the formula for success! As much as I would like it to be so, the dog show game is not just about THE DOG. Those who learn the strategy and the rules of the game are those that win, right? And those that don't ever learn the game get burned out and move onto another breed, another hobby...and the pattern continues... Cyndy Davis www.texasdogs.com ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2004. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://www.showgsd.org ============================================================================