Handling Policy
Contact: Alan Gunther 760-731-2888 or 760-586-1117
Email: shadalane@aol.com
Thank you for your interest in utilizing my service as a handler in an AKC conformation ring. I hope that my experience, knowledge, dedication, and passion will serve its purpose for you and your dog. I welcome criticism, suggestions, and open communication that is meaningful and maturing. I hope be able to work together in attaining the best presentation for your dog. Your feedback and candid objectives will only make us a stronger team.
Handling
(all breed shows) - $ 65.00 boarding clients
Handling (specialty shows) - $ 75.00 boarding clients
Handling (regional shows) - $100.00 boarding clients
Handling (national shows) - $175.00 boarding clients
(Breakdown of grooming if not boarded)
Trim (haircut only)
$ 15.00
Bathing & blow dry (hot oil treatment)
$ 25.00
Nails & ears
(cut nails and clean ears) $ 10.00
Grooming
(bathe, trim, no handling involved) $ 50.00
A one-time grooming charge
before any weekend show will be applied for my time, effort, and expense.
Blow drying requires at least two hours of drying and blowing the roots of the
hair dry and straight. Dogs that have not been worked on before will
require several more wash and blow dries to train the coat to lay a certain way.
The expense in utilizing my blow dryers and electricity will take its toll.
After bathing (with certain shampoos and conditioners or hot oil treatment), I
must clean ears, strip neck & ears, trim feet, ears, whiskers, and grind or clip
toe nails. This one-time charge includes bathing and blow-drying throughout the
week to train and stimulate the coat. It also includes washing and rinsing
after trips to the lagoon and field. Remember, the grooming charge is half the
price of grooming a dog not being shown or boarded with me. This grooming
charge must be imposed to make my time worthwhile.
Boarding
is of the ultimate importance in attaining the objective in presenting your dog
to its full potential. Training, bonding, and exercise have a tremendous
effect. If your dog or puppy is new to the show ring, it may be best to
board with me a couple days or a week prior to the day of the show. If
your dog is overweight or is not in good condition, it may help to utilize my
service. Biking and swimming your dog may help to get that
competitive edge in the ring. If your dog is already in good working
condition, and is well trained in the ring, then boarding would not be
necessary, unless you will not be traveling to the shows. Boarding
is a good way to bond with your dog and enables a better experience in the ring
for your dog. It also allows for more free time to groom and sculpt your
dog to perfection!
Boarding
(biking. swimming, fun, & conditioning) - $12.00/day
Conformation Classes (classes in
Show
training
(one hour
show/obedience training) -
$30.00/hour
Ringside
handling
is defined as handling a dog which has already been groomed and is not boarded
with the handler. If the dog is not groomed, it is expected that the dog is to
be with me at least two hours before show time. Expenses will not be imposed,
but a grooming charge will apply to your bill once I bathe or trim your dog.
Rates for ringside handling will be higher than boarding/carrying rates.
Ringside
handling
(all
breed)
$ 85.00 no expenses/grooming
Ringside
handling (specialty) $ 95.00 no grooming/expenses
Ringside handling (regional)
$130.00 no expenses/grooming
Ringside
handling (national) $250.00 no expenses/grooming
Transportation
or pick-up of your dog from your home or airport is available but will be
charged $50.00. This includes gas, wear and tear (mileage) on my vehicle,
and driving time spent through traffic and distance. If I must drive more
than 250 miles, the rate will be 20 cents/mile.
Deposits
are not required, but are happily welcome. There will be a five percent (5%)
credit to the account of each deposit made a full month before service. If it
says on your bill that you have a credit a full month before the following month
of service, you will receive a five percent (5%) credit of that amount.
Billing statements
will be sent out after the end of each month. However, if service is not
scheduled, you will receive a bill immediately after service is completed. It
is anticipated that payment will be made upon receipt of your bill. Otherwise,
it must be made within the following month of service. If payment is not made
within that month, there will be a penalty charge of one per cent (1%) of your
total bill owed. All credits and debits will be itemized on your bill for each
day your dog is shown. This is to keep a fair and accurate account of each
charge.
Scheduling & Entries
When a dog is scheduled for any particular show, it is expected that I will be
handling your dog once the closing entry for that show has passed. Unless the
dog is lame, ill, or in poor condition, my handling charge will be imposed,
regardless. A request to use my service secures my promise to prepare and show
your dog in a particular class, turning away any other potential bookings for
this class. If you schedule a show in a location in which expenses may
contribute to the decision in attending this show, expenses may be incurred as
well. Once the closing date has passed, all scheduling is permanent.
Conflicts
may occur when I must show another dog at the same time that your
dog is in the ring. In the event that this may happen, I will choose the
most qualified handler to take my place. The Best of Breed special will
always take top priority. Next in line will be the open dog or bitch, then
American Bred, 12-18 month, 9-12 month, and then 6-9 month. However, I
reserve the right to show whomever I want at any particular time. This
decision will be based on maturity, trainability, and grooming. (A dedicated
client can also be a major influence in my decisions.)
Expenses
will include gas, hotel, meals, parking, and miscellaneous expenses. I will do
the best I can to keep expenses down to a minimum. If I can drive back and
forth to my home, I will charge 20 cents/mile for wear and tear on my vehicle,
plus the cost of gas. Miscellaneous expenses will include products needed for
your bitch or dog, or anything needed to reach the full potential in presenting
your dog or bitch. This may include the hiring of an assistant. Miscellaneous
items may also include fresh drinking water or ice, bait, catalog, vitamins,
bodifiers, self-rinse products, and a variety of other items for the dogs.
The total
expenses will be split between all the boarding and carrying clients
shown for that particular show. Again, I will try to keep expenses down for
everybody and will even pay part of total expenses if I feel that the total
expenses are too high. Ringside clients will also contribute to keep expenses
down, but will not be configured as a boarding client. Gas expense will be
tabulated at 20 cents per mile, which will include gas, wear and tear on my
vehicle, insurance costs, and vehicle depreciation on mileage. Normally, 20
cents per mile equates to how much I spend on gas alone. I must reiterate that
if I drive back and forth to my home, to abstain from acquiring a hotel expense,
the expense will include the cost of gas in addition to the 20 cents per mile.
For trips that will have a hotel expense, I will charge 20 cents per mile only.
The gas expense will be included in this rate.
Gratuity dinner is paying
for a dinner to those who have graciously allowed the dogs, an assistant, and me
the use of their home for an entire weekend. This beats paying for a hotel room
elsewhere. It will be $20.00 for the entire weekend.
If there are any questions
about any expense, I will always be open to discuss every item on your bill. I
will have receipts available for all items. Please never hesitate to ask if you
have any concerns.
Payments are due following the month of service. Payments must be made upon receipt of the billing statement. Clients are given one month grace period to avoid penalty late fees; therefore, payments must be made within the following month of service. For example, if your dog was shown in February, you will receive a bill the beginning days of March and will be expected to remit payment as soon as possible, but must pay by the end of March. There will be a one percent penalty charge of the unpaid balance for each month it is not paid, for up to six months.