My name is Shahntae Martinez. I am 18 years old and have been involved with AKC Dog Shows for about 5 years.
I started in my local 4-H Dog Program, which I have taken part of for 12 years now. My very first 4-H leader had gotten my sister involved in dog shows and I happened to just follow in her footsteps years later. The first breed of dog I have ever owned or showed, is an Australian Terrier. I have had 3 so far in life, and currently still have one to this day, named Scooby. I got him 5 years ago as a junior’s dog, but had soon realized that I would need a bigger breed of dog and a flashier breed of dog for juniors. So instead of being my full-time junior’s dog, Scooby would come out for Terrier specialties and otherwise he has been my performance dog, with 7 titles to his name.
When I had realized I would need a flashier dog for juniors, I started talking to an alumni 4-H member and AKC Junior handler. I had mentioned about my hunt for a new dog to show and she right away offered me the opportunity to use her Field Spaniel, Hudson. The both of us became quite the team and were consistently in the winning, even after some speed bumps we had hit. Hudson and I have qualified for Westminster, Royal Canin National Championship, and Owner Handler at Royal Canin.
Through these past couple of years with Hudson, I have grown to enjoy and love this breed of dog. They are compassionate, caring, devoted to their owner, and such a joy to have, in which has made me realize how much I want to own one for myself. And that is exactly what I did. I recently aged out of juniors and added a Field Spaniel to the family to hopefully have a successful show career in the future. But not only do I want to special a dog, I hope to become a breeder of Field Spaniels, and an AKC judge for juniors. There always needs to be more junior judges who have recently been a junior.
I currently am still in college at my local community college, I have a plan of getting an AA in early childhood education, and furthering a career in childhood care. Dog shows have shaped me into the person I am today, meaning the strong, independent person I am. I have evolved as a junior handler into a full-time assistant, and I hope to keep reaching further and further.