When Panagiota Rounis first took an interest in dog handling and showing three and a half years ago, her parents did not anticipate the heights she would achieve so quickly. Now 11, Panagiota recently returned from showing her Havanese, Effie, at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, where they won New Champion in Effie’s category.
“It’s a pretty huge accomplishment,” said Siona Rounis, Panagiota’s mother. “Lots of breeders, owners and handlers can go their whole lifetimes and never get there.”
Panagiota said the secret to successful dog handling is about spending time with and respecting the animals she is working with.
“It’s getting to know the dog,” said Panagiota. “If the dog is used to you and likes you, you will probably do better because the dog will enjoy it more.”
Siona also grew up handling and showing dogs and introduced her daughter to the sport. She and Panagiota’s father, Bill, began entering Effie in competitions when their daughter was seven.
“She started to really do well,” said Bill, who is principal of Brooks Secondary School. “When she earned enough points to qualify to go to Westminster we thought, ‘This is our one chance.’”
The family of four, plus Effie, travelled to New York together earlier this month. It was a first-time trip for all of them and involved some logistical juggling for Bill.
“I thought, ‘Oh gosh, how can I say no to that?’” he said. “As a dad and husband I said, ‘Okay, we’ll figure this out,’ and we did.”
Held in New York City annually since 1877, Westminster is considered the pinnacle in the sport. It is the second-longest continuously running sporting event in North America after the Kentucky Derby.
The opportunity to travel and attend the contest together as a young family was something none of them will forget, said Siona.
“It was amazing,” she added. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing to be able to go with the entire family.”
Both parents said they feel incredibly proud of their daughter’s achievements at such a young age.
“In the 20 years I was showing dogs and the 30-plus years my mom bred and showed dogs, neither of us ever made it this far,” said Siona.
Handling nerves when the pressure is on is something the dog handler and canine continue to work on, said Panagiota.
“When I’m nervous it goes right down the leash and Effie becomes nervous,” said Panagiota.
However, on the days of their events, Panagiota said she was feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement, which proved to be a winning combination.
“I remembered to breathe and smile and that made it easier and calmed me down a lot,” she said, “and it ended up calming down Effie a lot.”
