This interview article appeared in first issue of DogTalk magazine for
2003.
It offers tips on good handling; and how I train and condition my
whippets for the competitive whippet ring in Singapore.
A Special Interview
with
Singapore's Handler of the Year 2002,
Dr Arnold
Tan
By Ms N Nirmala
"Remember, a happy dog is a showy dog ..." Arnold Tan
Dr Arnold Tan is a very familiar face at the dog shows today. In recent years, he has been photographed many times standing with his beautiful whippet next to the Best in Show Trophy at our shows.
When Dr Arnold Tan also won the title of Singapore's Handler of the Year 2002, Dogtalk magazine sent an email with 20 interview questions to him. Read on if you want to know his candid, honest responses and also learn about the art of good handling!
1. How did you get started with showing dogs?
1977. My family gave me my first dog, a Smooth-Haired Standard Dachshund called Kelly Tan. He was a very special dog. Your first dog usually is. He was very much a part of the most impressionable years of my life.
2. How many Best In Shows have your dogs won so far?
Martina my whippet bitch has won 8 Best in Show and 2 Reserve Best in Show in Singapore. She also won 2 Best in Show awards in Australia. Cosmo my whippet dog has 1 Reserve Best in Show and was 1st Runner-Up in the Champion of Champions Contest. We won them under judges from Canada, UK, Singapore, Sweden, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia.
3. What about Adult Handling Competitions?
Many years ago, I won an
Adult Handling Competition with some of the best handlers in Singapore then.
Probably in the 1980s. And then it was not offered again until recently. Last
year, I won 1st at 3 different competitions under Mr Teoh Eng Hong (S'pore), Mr
Tony Valli (Aust) and Mr Izumi Awashima (Japan). I did not enter under Mrs
Stephanie Rickard (Aust) and Mr Fred Peddie (Canada) as whippets were going to
be judged after the Handling Competition. I try not to jeopardize my chances for
the whippet class in case I do win the Best Handler Award and the judge might
think I've had one too many wins for that day already! Haha! So, yes, showing
dogs is a little about having a good, sound dog, hard work, luck and also
strategy.
4. You have been described by many people, including quite a few visiting judges, as the best handler in our country. What constitutes good handling to you?
Thanks for your compliment about my handling. But I don't think I'm as good as people make me out to be. I am still learning. The day I stop learning is the day I become obsolete, both at work and in my hobby; and that is not what I want to be in life. Here's what I think a good handler should/should not do:
(1) Show the dog; not
himself/herself. The more "invisible" the handler, the better
he is. This
way, it makes the dog look like it is showing itself without much
help, even
though it may REALLY be you who is making the dog feel happy, hold its head up
nicely, energetic and moving out with you in rhythm. The whole idea is to make
the judge think the dog is doing it all on its own. In this sense, you have to
try to disappear into the background. Very, very hard for someone big and tall
like me! Haha!
(2) Never do things to upset
other dogs in the ring - running up close behind them,
irritating other dogs
with squeky toys, running with pounding footsteps, leaving bait on the ground to
make other dogs sniff the ground for them. I have met all these types in the
ring. I just avoid them. It's silly because a lot of judges are highly
intelligent people and when a handler resorts to doing all these things, he's
basically telling the judge his dog isn't as good as the others, that's why he
has to do these silly tricks.
(3)Wear an outfit of a colour that sets off the dog effectively but don't make it garish. Eg: some people think a black dog looks great against a red suit for effect. That is not a good idea -- as you immediately notice the suit wearer too! Remember that the best handlers are invisible? Better to offset the dog subtly. Black dog against a cream or beige suit. Martina is basically a bluish grey and white dog and I wear a black suit all the time - - the picture that the judge gets is a family of colours -- black background (me) offsetting a grey and white object (Martina). It's like creating a beautiful painting for the judge's eyes. Again, this is only my personal opinion.
(4) Never plead with your eyes and facial expression to the judge to give you the ribbon. Look at your dog as the judge looks at your dog too. And use your eye to lead the judge to the best features on your dog, without being "pushy" about it. Of course, before you can do that, you must know what the best features are on your dog and the areas your competitors' dogs are lacking in. That way, you will know exactly what to "highlight" - to get a competitive edge over the other dogs in the ring with you. For example, if your dog has a beautiful ear set or an excellent expression, keep your gaze fixed on its face. If your dog has a stunning topline, look at your dog's topline and say to yourself, "Isn't her topline the best out of all these dogs in the ring now?" quietly to yourself in your mind. Some how, judges can read your mind. Don't ask me how, but they either do or positive thinking works. Well, it has worked for me most of the time in the highly competitive whippet ring.
(5) Run/gait the dog at the speed which looks best for THAT PARTICULAR DOG. All my 3 whippets look best run at different speed. Every dog cannot be assembled by Mother Nature in the same way even though they may be the same breed. Shoulders, hind angulation and overall shape of the dog on the move will differ from dog to dog, so you have to "customize" your handling technique for THAT dog. And that comes with lots and lots of practice and having someone move the dog for you over and over until you see the perfect moving picture; or the perfect statue when the dog is stacked for the judge. In fact, each of my 3 whippets are moved at different speed for going away, across and back to the judge. For example, for the one same dog doing the triangle, you may need to go away from the judge very slowly, move across the ring faster, and come back to the judge at a moderate speed. You have to know why you're doing that - and it is always to highlight the best and play down the worst on each of your dogs. Where you hold your bait also "creates" a different arch of neck on the dog.
(6) Most important, LOOK and FEEL proud of your dog and with that, a confidence is exuded. And a nice natural smile on your face while you look at your dog (and not at the judge, remember) paints a beautiful happy picture - win or lose.
(7) And finally, don't ever walk into the ring, stack your dog, make eye contact with the judge and give him or her a big smile. A judge is not your friend or family member; he is there to be objective in his decision. This tactic will backfire as judges are aware that ringside spectators are watching what goes on in the ring between handler and judge.
5. Is Handling Competition the same as Conformation Ring Handling?
Now there's a little difference. A Handling Competition is about how well the handler is doing the job. So, you have to remember all that I've said in the previous question because it's still about how well you're handling the dog; but for this competition do let the judge "see" you just a bit. And I say again, "just a bit". I can't explain these sort of things, you think to yourself: OK, now I'm going into a Handling Competition, so the Judge wants to see what the Handler is doing. Obviously, you'll be better off if you did not attempt to be 100% invisible, like you were in the Breed Judging class before. All the basics must be right of course - no untidy leads hanging all over the place, never getting yourself between the judge and your dog, never talking to another person in the ring, never getting angry with your dog, never yanking the dog or treating your dog like it was a non-living thing. And one last thing, a majority of Judges can tell immediately if you genuinely love your dog or not, so no point showing dogs if you don't truly love animals; and just want to go in and win.
6. What are some of the common mistakes handlers in Singapore do in the ring?
I don't think it is what some handlers do in the ring but OUTSIDE the ring - for example, I don't understand why some people start to clip their dogs' nails at the show, the dogs put up a fight and are mentally anxious - you can't expect this same dog to walk into the ring and show his heart out for you when you've just upset him. You also can't just walk a big dog into the ring and start doing the triangle. I think you need to warm the dogs up first and this is even more important because our rings are not huge. Exercise, conditioning and training are things which take hours every day but seen in the ring for only 5 minutes by the judge. You can't ignore exercise. You can have the best coat, floor-sweeping and all, but a dog with some muscle tone moves and feels (to the judge) different to one which has been sleeping in its crate all day. For my breed, I have to be careful not to over-do this as whippets should not have big, bulging muscles; their muscles should be flat and long. Whippets are a graceful and athletic breed; not a heavy and robust one. One last thing, there is something called "over-show training" where the dog gets tired of you and the routine of stacking, standing still and running in circles and triangles. Make it fun for the dog when you train. Some dogs think "fun" is food as rewards, others think praises and body rubs are nice, and some love it when you let them off the lead (not for whippets, please) and run along and rough-play them after a good training session.
7. Which handler influenced you the most?
Too many. I watch videotapes
of the Westminster Dog Show from the USA over and over again; and pick out the
little things their top-notch handlers do which I feel are nice and appropriate
for me to adopt. I go to the Royals in Australia and watch the most talented and
famous people there. There are a few of such gifted people in every group there,
especially in the Gundog, Terrier and Hound Groups.
8. Who in the Singapore Ring are excellent
handlers?
Right now, I am very happy to see some young people with real natural talent in the ring. Shawn Yeo with the Siberian Husky, Carmen Lee with the Border Collie, and Louis Woo with the Jack Russell Terrier - I personally think these three young people have a gift for show handling, and I hope they will continue showing for a long time to come. The other excellent handlers I like watching and learning from are Mr Edwin Hu (Chihuahua), Ms Ameeta Williams (Shih Tzu), Ms Sharon Tan (Pekingese), Mr Rathakrishnan (Shetland Sheepdog), Mr Yap Seng Teck (German Shepherd), Mr Fred Wong (Afghan Hound), Mr Stanley Shen (Cavelier King Charles Spaniel), and Mr Nicon Chin (Japanese Chin). All show different breeds and all get so much out of their dogs all the time.
9. What goes on in your mind when you are in the ring for Best in Show?
200% concentration! To get the dog to look as beautiful and as close to the Written Standard as I can humanly do.
10. Your dogs are shown in tip-top hard condition at every
show. How do you prepare your dog before each show?
The dogs have no special routine before a show. We walk 4 km every morning and the dogs get their free run at least 5 times per week in the evening - either at the Bishan Dog Run or in an enclosed open field near my home. This is the routine whether there is a show or no show. It is good for physical health. But even better for their mental health, which I place a lot of emphasis on. Remember, a happy dog is a showy dog. I bathe the whippets the day before the show. But I never clip the nails the day before a show as you can clip too close and the dog will feel sore and not move out the way you want it to. Nails are clipped 3 days before the show.
11. Any special training, exercise, or special issues related
to this breed?
Have to be careful about
this breed jumping from grooming table; and sprains from free-running. If a
whippet needs to undergo surgery, the anaesthesia used needs careful
consideration because whippets have low body fat. The vet will be a better
person to explain these technicalities. I am not a vet. A lot of whippets are
fussy feeders and don't hold a good body weight. My whippets keep a good weight
and muscle tone throughout the year -- this may sound strange for a
smooth-coated breed but my whippets are kept in an air-conditioned environment
in the home except when I let them out into the yard and when we go for our
free-run and road work. I think the lower level of humidity in an
air-conditioned home also prevents my whippets from getting any form of fungal
infection, which can occur on smooth coated dogs in our tropical climate. I have
a backyard and they laze on their suspended bed there in the sun as and when
they like.
12. What diet are your dogs on?
A high quality dry food (I won't say which brand as I don't think I need to advertise for anyone in particular.) Plus raw eggs, raw beef and raw chicken. And a teaspoon of primrose oil every day. A biscuit for breakfast and another one for supper. Heartgard tablets once a month. The most important ingredient in their diet is LOVE. Whippets thrive on LOVE. They are an extremely sensitive breed. And a whippet owner needs to shower lots of love and not be high-handed with them to get the best out of this breed.
13. What is the best compliment you have received from this hobby?
One judge pointed to Martina for Best in Show and then said to me, "I wish I could take you home to handle my dogs for me!" Another judge said to a small group of us after the post-show dinner last year, "I've been judging all over the world since 1964 and you're one of the very few people I have met who has a real talent for this. You were born to show dogs, young man."
14. What is your profession &
qualifications?
Lecturer. I have a doctorate degree in Consumer Behaviour and a Masters degree in International Marketing. First degree was English Language.
15. Did you ever consider becoming a Professional Show Dog
Handler?
No. I've always wanted to be a vet though. It was my childhood dream. But I am not that brilliant, I have to admit.
16. Everyone knows you spend a lot of time with your dogs. Is
there anything else you do that we don't know about?
Actually, the dogs don't take up a lot of my time as I've never had more than 3 dogs at any one time, thanks to the AVA ruling. Haha! I also hate to come home to a house that smells. Whippets are odourless but I imagine there will be some smell with more than 2 to 3 whippets. I have only two whippets, Cosmo & Martina, in my home and two dogs don't take up a lot of my time. In my free time, I play the piano and electone organ - lots of sentimental pop pieces. No classical pieces; and nothing sophisticated or pretentious. I also enjoy gardening. And have recently learned to build my own website. So, apologies for self-promotion, but maybe you can get your DogTalk readers to visit my website? (Hahaha!)
17. If there was another breed you would go into, what would that be?
I have always loved to have a white Standard Poodle and a gold/black mask Afghan Hound. Until we have a show here every weekend (or at least every month), that will just have to remain a dream. They are a lot of work - both coat preparation and muscle conditioning - and it's a lot to do for 7 shows a year. Having said that, whippets are some of the best show dogs that are also perfect house pets. It will be a very long time before you see me without them at the shows. I have found my breed. They fit my personality as I do theirs.
18. There has been talk that if we should have another judge in Singapore in the future, it would be you. Do you see yourself becoming a Judge some day?
I have judged Junior Handling Competitions at Championship Shows on a few occasions, including one at the Asian Kennel Union Show in 1999. And yes, becoming a Conformation Judge has crossed my mind many times, but there were more important things in my life that I had to do first and achieve - basically my education and academic research work. I prioritize the things in my life in terms of importance: as a child and teenager, it was school work and getting the best grades and now my career - they always come before dogs, which I tell myself is but only a hobby. In this sense, I am totally Singaporean lah! Now that all that's done and especially after showing dogs for 26 years now, I feel the time has come for me to progress to another level of this sport - and that is to be a Judge. I finally applied to the SKC to be a Trainee Judge in January 2003; and was accepted in March 2003. I would like to judge whippets, and the breeds I love and used to show in the 1980s and 1990s - Shih Tzus, Miniature & Standard Poodles and Miniature Schnauzers - some day in the future.
19. What is the biggest lesson you have learnt from showing dogs?
That, contrary to what some people will have you believe, you CAN have real, genuine friends at a dog show. I have found my best friends in Sharon Tan, Ameeta Williams and Joseph Dorall; and all of us showed dogs.
20. What are your future personal goals for showing
dogs?
Funny that you should ask this question. There was a time when I wanted to win a Best in Show so badly, that was all I could think about all day!! That's because I was brought up to believe that I will get what I want as long as I work hard enough. So, I was wondering why Best in Show was still not happening to me after more than 20 years! Haha! Now that Martina has won so many Best in Shows for me - there is nothing that I need to prove to myself or anyone any more. I have mentally slowed down in my quest to win; though I still love being at dog shows. I have re-focused my life. I think there is balance in my life now.
On this note, I'd like to thank my family and friends for their love and support all these years. I would not have come this far without them.
And, of course, I want to
record my appreciation to you and the Singapore Kennel Club for doing this
interview with me. Thank you.
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