I am just perplexed. Please someone tell me how you do this or am I missing something?

I sent my boy out quite a few months ago with a well known handler that has done a really great job showing him. He has gotten points steadily but it has been several months and my handlers bill (with the entries, gas, hotel, handling and so on) is usually around $1260 a month.

I saved up for months to send him out and have spent close to $8000 now and my savings is gone yet they are saying that this is typical. Of course they want every month paid in full or they are going to charge me a large percentage. Goodness sake!

What in the world is going on?? Is this normal? This is my first show dog and I was expecting to spend maybe $5000 at the very most. How much does this usually cost???

He only needs two points by the way to finish but man my husband is about to kill me even though he is very understanding.

Ask for a breakdown by show and by week. Then review each individual line on the invoice.

Then ask directly - was my shown by you, Mr. Big Name Handler, or did one of your assistants step in to lend a hand?

If you suspect this might have happened, it is probably within your rights to ask for a reduced rate.

IF , a big IF , your dog has his majors, there is no reason at all to not do the last two points yourself. Take a class , enter some smaller shows locally and have fun finishing your dog. Has your breeder seen this dog? He/She would be your best resource as to what exactly your dog is needing or lacking to get the job done. As a rule, if a dog is NOT finishing after that much money,and being professionally handled, perhaps the dog is at fault, something structural, incorrect coat , etc. Is easy to point the finger at the handler, but you must look at the dog.

If a handler is hauling around several dogs then wouldn't the hotel bill, gas etc be split between the clients?
I would not expect one client to foot the bill just because you are willing to pay monthly.

One thing to remember is the handler works for you, you have every right to ask for details and every right to find a new handler.

My question would be WHY ! Is he great enough to be a used stud ? Does it make you feel really good to have a CH. in front of his name ? I love my dogs and show my dogs but that kind of money would be way to much unless I saw recouping part of it. Just the title does not impress me. Love titles, but do think the sport, is to play part of the game yourself.

I did review the bill as you stated and it notes when he was passed off and it was a couple of times but very few times did it happen. Not sure if I can ask for a reduced rate though? Is this common. This is a big handler and I think that they are going to tell me to go fly a kite.

The dog is very nice. He has as specialty class win and has had a couple BOB's over specials. He is a nice sound super moving dog for sure.

I know. I asked myself that also but that is the problem. If this is how much it costs to finish a nice dog then OUCH! He does have a specialty class win, supported entry placement and a sweeps class placement and he is a very well put together boy. If I take that outlook at not finish any of my dogs then I will get a bad reputation as not being a show breeder or supporting the sport. I don't want that to happen but again, how do people do this? It is so expensive yet I see kennels with many many many Champions.

Hate to tell you, but one specialty class win and one sweeps placement does not a fabulous dog make. I think you might be developing kennel-blindness early on. That's not to say your boy isn't nice, but it shouldn't take months to get 2 last singles on your boy. Something else is going on here.

Well I would go fly my kite and show him yourself. Like the one poster said, enter him in some smaller shows. See where the big handler is going and you go the other way. Good Luck.

I would take the dog to a couple of small 1 point shows to finish him and stop shelling out the cash. Handlers want to make their money and they will keep a dog out as long as you keep paying the bill. If the handler I use does not win after so many shows with my dog, I start to look at what needs to be changed. For example, the handler, the area where the dog is being shown, the condition the dog is in and the competition. The handler is not looking out for the interest of your dog only when they have several other dogs and if they have a specials they will go to the shows where the judges are that will be of the benefit to get the wins on the special's.

I know of someone who had many handlers on their dog who needed majors at that time. The dog never won a major with the handlers. Then the owner took the dog in the ring and handled it themself and they won the major with their dog. It can be done! I hope you finish you dog soon.

It isn't just me that says he is a really nice dog. I know for sure it isn't kennel blindness. He is of very good quality. I have judges critiques that say he is not average in quality and so that isn't the issue at all.

He has been out for 8 months and has gained points steadily getting his 2nd major about a month ago. That is all he is entered in are major shows though most of the time as that is where they go.

OK so lets say you have a solid Champion quality dog. How much is a normal amount if I am getting ripped here? I am going to ask them what is going on for sure but I am unable to get him out myself.

Beware, there's just as much stigma on Breeders who shell out cash to finish a dog.

I look much higher on a dog who was owner handled and finished after a brief showing than a dog was out for months on end at every show with a big name handler, and finally finishing.

(Of course I look at the whole dog, and put my hands on him too, but those things as above are very much true.)

I have a girl here I purchased, she has 9 points, both majors, and I've shown her myself, thats something I feel good about, and her breeder even better!

QUOTE: "I am just perplexed. Please someone tell me how you do this or am I missing something?"

I don't use handlers and don't spend nearly the amount of money you are talking about.

Of course I can't show every weekend and can't travel or follow judges around the country much. I usually am lucky to make it to 10 or 12 shows a year at the very most, so it takes me longer to finish my dogs.

Eight months is not a very long time commitment to finish a dog. I don't understand why you upset. Most of my dogs took two or three years of sporadic showing to finish.

It's a trade off. Your dog has less chance of suffering a career ending injury by finishing fast. You are paying for fast results and it seems that you are getting them.

Personally, I choose to keep my dogs at home with me and show them myself. Because of that I had a dog with 10 pts and both majors suffer a major injury and he may never be able to enter the ring again. If he were out with a handler a year ago I'm sure he would have finished in a matter of months. There's the trade off.

Why are you showing? Are you hoping to start your own kennel and line? Are you just wanting one CH show dog as a pet? What are your goals?

No one can tell you what is right for you. Is $8000 too much to finish a dog? Depends.

If I were you I would thank God I had an understanding husband and let your handler finish your boy. Then you can decide if you want another dog later or if you will use a handler.

Handlers would take the fun out of showing for me. A big part of my joy is travelling, winning, or losing with my boy or girl; and talking ringside with friends, breeders and handlers.

The problem is, if you're not present at the shows, you have NO IDEA what goes on. You are paying Handler X to show your dog, but she might be on another dog because she overloaded her truck and has dogs in many classes. You might actually be paying her rates for her ASSISTANT(S) to show your dog! Perhaps that's why he isn't winning. Someone mentioned something about getting a reduced rate when that occurs. Wish I'd had that luxury, as it happened with my dog more times than I'd have liked.

IMO, 8 months is waaaay too long to have a dog on a truck with a handler and not have finished yet.

I have a dollar amount ($5000 to the handler, not including entries) and a time limit (3 months) when I send a dog out.
If they exceed either, the dog comes homes and we
re-evaluate a lot of things.
In some cases, if the dog is out and not winning for a month, I would also have to re-think what it is I'm doing.

It is not unusual to pay $2000 per month to a handler. You pay the same regardless of whether the big name takes the dog in the ring or not. Don't even think about asking for a discount.

You are lucky to have 13 points in 8 months.

A big name handler estimated about $10,000 to finish a nice Lab these days. Most dogs don't finish even if they are nice. A tiny percentage of dogs shown actually finishes a championship--about 200 Labs per year.

Handlers rates are fairly straight forward and usually posted ( with a retainer).
I am not sure if you perhaps thought he would finish sooner than now or whether you or the handlers are picking his judges/shows. I would imagine you did your math upfront.

Bottom line- It's your money to do with as you please. If $$$ is now your rate limiting factor, be honest with yourself about continuing forward (2 points could take some time depending on where you live or where they go). Pick your shows and your judges or do it yourself. Specialty class placements mean nothing in the all breed ring.

Good Luck.

I am sure it is a great feeling to finish a dog yourself but for me I have to work a full time job M-Sat some times. I can't take off Friday - Sunday or Monday every weekend to do that or even more than two weekends a month. It isn't possible. I have to rely on a handler sadly. I am sure at some point I will be able to do it myself as I am a pretty good handler in my own right and love to do it. I just can't get away every weekend right now.

Now I am really confused. First you say that you don't spend nearly the money I do and then you say that 8 months isn't a long time. That is the problem. Does it take that long? If it does the handler bill is $1200 or more a month and that ads up to a very large bill and so there is nothing I can do about it as I can't show myself. I would be very lucky to be able to get out one weekend a month if that due to my work schedule.

My goal is to start my own breeding program. I love this dogs personallity and gentle nature. He is the sweetest most easy going soul and I do wish he was here with me but also I can not condition him like he needs to be to be competative. All the way around I really do have to use a handler.

How do people show dogs that plan on having any litters of puppies? You can't leave the pups alone for a weekend to go. It seems like you either have to choose to have a breeding program to make money to show or to show and spend all the money you made? I guess I am still not getting it. I am sure it will come though.

Does that $5000 include entries also? My total doesn't even include entries. I went back to total up my entrys and I have also spent about $2040 on show entries so my bill is up to past $10000!

That is just unbelievable! Well what happens to the people htat stop showing and do not compete any more for Ch's? Do they get a bad reputation? If it costs this much to get a Ch on each of my dogs I can't do it and I don't know who could. I have a good paying job and live under my means and it has still been a struggle for me.

Does AKC have any plans to help us out to finish dogs more easily?? Can't they do something? Why can my friend take her Cattle Dog in the ring and finish him in 12 shows and spend not even a fraction of what I am. It just doesn't seem fair to me that AKC would allow it to become this difficult. It seems like they would make more money if they would make it easier to finish a Lab as more people would enter.

Perhaps the problem is not with your dog, but your handler.
You say you have a big name but is this big name REALLY reputable? Are they stringing you along to take your money? Telling you your dog is the the "best" they've seen and getting you all excited then dumping him in the ring so they can continue to rack in the bucks by dragging him all over Gods country!??
I would pull the dog.
That handler has had ENOUGH time to do their job!
Find another honest handler and if your dog really is nice, he will finish in no time!

Get a local handler in your area and show the dog at a few one point shows. Stop wasting your money on all the big shows when the dog just needs 2 points to finish. I have a champion and it took him 5 months to finish he was shown at local shows by a local handler and he went out on one 3 week show circuit with his handler. If your dog is as nice as you say he should already be finished.

Believe me, I don't make enough money by selling puppies to pay for going to shows, and I sometimes don't even make enough to pay the expenses involved in having the litter. I don't go to shows while I have a litter on the ground for fear of bringing something home that will make the puppies ill. I have been doing my own handling for over a decade, and have finished two champions, but am having trouble even getting minor points on a girl I think is better than her mother, who finished quite easily. She has three points so far, going WB at a specialty. 10 reserves. I think there are two factors at work. First, at least where I live, the competition is much stiffer, and not just because of professional handlers. Lots of people show their own dogs and win with them. They are good handlers, and most of the dogs you see in the ring are competitive. The point schedule is much higher than it was when I started 20 years ago. And secondly, judging has deteriorated. There are so many new judges and they don't know the breed. And I have never shown under most of them and don't know which are good. We seldom see breeder judges, and when we do, they usually pull a big entry, so even if you do well, you are unlikely to get the points.
Another factor is that I work with different bloodlines than the ones that are most popular where I live. If you look different from all the rest, even if you fit the standard, its harder to win. Is your boy similar to the other dogs in your area. If not, maybe he would be better in another area of the country. As an owner-handler, I don't spend as much on showing as you do. I never stay overnight; even if there are two shows on the weekend I travel back and forth because of the dogs I didn't take with me. My serious money goes into field training- $600/month plus birds, entry and handling fees. A MH title is worth $10,000- easy! But I have more fun at the hunt tests than I do at shows.

Before infodog introduced their premium service, "My Infodog" anyone could lookup any dog's MB-F show record. I remember looking up one bitch that belonged to a breeder who had many champions over a period of many years. She even had a Potomac BOB winner. She never used a handler and showed the dogs herself. Remember, there were Rau and Bob Peters shows that did not appear on the show record. I was surprised to see that bitch had been shown over 40 times and had still not finished. The bitch did ultimately get her CH. That taught me what it takes to finish a dog.