You guys are nice for not saying, "YES, you are petty!" LOL Believe me when I tell you, we did not even spend a fraction of what Chanel's owners did on handling fees...We spent less than $1500 in total, which is a pretty good deal, considering she got both majors. A dog needs 15 points total to get their championship, and in those 15 points, there must be two wins of 3, 4, or 5 points, called majors; the points are calculated according to how many dogs they defeat. The more does they beat, the larger the win. It won't be a big deal for her to gather up these last 3 singles; she can do it in a weekend. I just really resented the way she was handled. I'm going to put it behind me now, and just look forward to the puppies and to getting her finished afterwards.
Marilyn, I've been in the ring a few times, and for me, it is NOT fun. It's an experiment in anxiety, during which time I worry about several things, such as falling over on the dog, landing with my skirt over my head, having a panic attack in the middle of the ring and having to leave, doing something ridiculously wrong, making the dog look bad, etc. It's just easier on everyone to get a handler and let them do it. Now in UKC, The United Kennel Club, no professional handlers are allowed, but the atmosphere is TOTALLY different. Not even close to as cut-throat and competitive as AKC. Much more fun and people are generally so much friendlier. So I do plan to try my skills in UKC shows with both Willow and Cooper. We'll see how that works out.
Thank you so much for letting me rant. It's nice to know there are other people who've wished not-so-nice things on people they've had bad experiences with!! LOL
Hugs to all,
Karen