My family started showing dogs when I was about four years old. My mom got our first Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Swissy) from a breeder in the area, never planning on showing her, and we just thought we had a great family pet.
This particular Swissy's name was Lola, and she quickly became as big of a part of the family as any of us. We trained her to do fun tricks, took her to puppy preschool at Petsmart, and loved on her 24/7.
One day the breeder called my mom and asked if she would enter Lola in a nearby show. Long story short, my mom and Lola won, and the rest is history.
Being only four years old, I wanted to participate in this new-found family sport, but couldn't quite keep up with a dog two times my size. I quickly homed in on a smaller breed who's big butterfly ears almost identically resembled my trademark pigtails: the Papillon.
A friend of ours in the Swissy world also handled a few Papillons, so one day she told my mom to bring me to the show in a dress and handed me a Papillon named Katie to show for the day. I ended up winning with her despite me barely being tall enough to see over the table I had to show her on. The picture above is me immediately after we won.
Shortly after that first time in the ring, my family was busy loading up the car to go home after a long weekend. Our friend who also had a few Paps pulled up next to our car. She got out and handed me a kennel saying something along the lines of "Ohhhhh your mom is going to be SO mad at me, Miss Summer!"
As quick as she had hopped out, she was back in the car driving away and I was holding my first Papillon in my hands.
When I started junior showmanship at the age of nine years old, I raised a Papillon from a puppy for the first time so I could train him exactly the way I wanted. Jazz was my first juniors dog and helping him learn everything from how to walk on a leash to how to stand still for more than three seconds was an absolute pleasure.
Over my nine years in junior showmanship, I had three Paps, Jazz, Justin, and Player. These three dogs each brought something completely unique to the table in the show ring and in life as a companion. All three were truly their own characters and wanted nothing but to please me and have a good time.
These three were the best pals I could've asked for growing up and have left giant paw prints on my heart forever as well as connected me to Marcy, their breeder and a forever friend of mine.
My family has accomplished so much in the past 15 years with our dogs. My mother has bred some of the top Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs in the country, and my sister and I have been able to have great success with them in the show ring.
More than that, though, this has given our family so many added members. I have too many "Dog Show Mamas" to count, all amazing women who I know are always in my corner, and so many lifelong friends across the country.
It's also given me dogs who I could count on to be there for me in tough times, celebrate with me when I was truly elated, and be my teammates to share some amazing journeys across the United States with.
I may not always be actively showing dogs, but growing up with all the experiences that came along with it has taught me so many valuable lessons such as how to be a good loser and a humble winner, how to find ways to get through to an animal and truly connect, and immense amounts of patience and resilience.
So, next time your child asks, "Can we get a dog?" maybe don't be so quick to say no. It could have an impact that will last a lifetime.
