Of the 30-or-so books I receive from various publishers for review each month, few actually are worth the time to mention in print, much less recommend to readers. In the field of dog-related works, this is a good month.
...I welcome, with joy, "Best Junior Handler, A guide to showing successfully in Junior Showmanship," by Anne Olejniczak and Denise Olejniczak, ($16.95 plus $3.25 S&H, Doral Publishing, 8560 SW Salish La., Suite 300, Wilsonville, OR 97070-9612 1-800-633-5385).
...This text deals with every possible thing a kid needs to succeed in this "game"--provided, of course...the child has the guts, perseverance and "winning is everything" determination that characterizes much U.S. canine competition these days. Anne herself points out that winning should not become an obsession with juniors and that the fun and rewards of training and training one's dog and performing efficiently in the ring should be enough satisfaction.
It must be noted...that many of her instructions (and they are, in virtually all cases, unquestionably the proper thing to do) deal with strategies: how to maneuver in the ring in order to win, ways of looking at the judge, how to deal with competitors (there's an excellent chapter on good sportsmanship), where and how to pose the dog and things of that order.
...In my opinion, virtually all adult owner/handlers also would benefit from reading this text. It is crammed with specific details of how to be a competent handler and present the dog to its advantage. Would that this volume had existed during my first few years in dogs when I was messing up the showing of basset hounds.
...Here's one author who states in the preface what she intends to do, and does it. "My goal was to write a text book on Junior Showmanship that contained the basics for getting started in juniors plus enough advanced work so that any junior, regardless of his level of experience, could learn to show more effectively."
I believe that reading it will be an eye-opener for any judge of junior showmanship who had not, herself, been, at some time in her career, a gifted professional handler or one of the owner/handlers who are as skillful as professionals...
Anne states that "this book differs from many of the others on junior showmanship in that it has been solely devoted to the subject--junior showmanship. I did not include chapters on kennel management, health care (other than would be routinely needed at shows) nor careers in dogs." She is kind enough not to mention that dog book publishers who include all the kennel and health management stuff often use boiler-plate that applies to no specific breed or subject. Thus, the omission of these topics in Best Junior Handler is doubly welcome.
...The work contains a helpful index, bibliography, glossary and fine chapter [sic] by Anne's mother, Denise, titled "A Guide for Junior Showmanship Parents." Denise is very diplomatic about it--perhaps a bit TOO kind to the beasts on the sidelines who embarrass their offspring and give father-and motherhood a bad name.
There are excellent well-reproduced black-and-white photos throughout...
The young author, Doral and all who participated in this book's preparation deserve high praise for a useful text that could be read with profit by all junior handlers, parents of same, conformation judges and owner/handlers. I've seen a few people who call themselves "professionals" and take money for handling who should study it--for about ten years.
--"The Latest from Lawson," Dog News, January, 1998.
Order 
