Professional Show dog Handlers: can their presence influence show judges?

Whats your opinion on Professional Show dog Handlers, I personally feel they can make a big difference to the face of many breeds, as if they are well known handlers, they may be handling a nice but mediocre dog, and be very successful, (I think many judges presume these handlers would not handle a bad dog)? consequentially those dogs are in the spotlight and are presumed by the uneducated masses as being the correct standard of a breed.

Mo

My BIL has a schnauzer they only time the used a professional handler they did much better. So I think you might be right.

I agree with you mo, i think it does make a difference

I said yes, definatly makes a difference.

I agree, i think they do get a dog a second look.However they do also get the best out of a dog, and can hide a fault.

Id say definately- although there are still judges who will still place the *dog* and not the face

i suppose with dogs some breeds are more prone too face judgin than others but like lel says there are some who judge the dog not the face ,but then there are some who couldnt care less about the dogs a give there mates a rossette. i suppose the longer yer into showin there more you suss who to put your dog under who you dont.its just hard for new people who dont know ,but yer gotta start somewere.

Exactly Pete

I think the thing you need to appreciate is that a bad handler can make a good dog look c**p and a good handler can make a mediocre dog look special.Its not down to 'face judging' although it does happen its down to knowing how to show a dog to its best advantage.These people know how to hide a flaw and exaggerate a good point.
This is a completely different debate to 'face judging'.Face judging happens in all breeds to some point and has nothing to do with proffessional handlers...its about being a 'seen face' or a judge and returnig a 'favour' .A proffessional handler wins because they make the dog LOOK BETTER....
I am at the point where I am considering handing my dog over to a person I know to show.I cannot move the dog fast enough and so I am hindering the dogs progress...its nothing to do with faces its to do with giving the dog the best chance of winning

I agree archer its all about emphasizing the dogs quality and showing it to its full!