Sarah Karger had her first experience handling a dog in a show when she was just 5 years old. A professional handler for the past 10 years, she entered what was sort of the family business.

"My grandma and mom showed," she said. "It's kind of what we did."

Karger, who lives in Pennsylvania, had a good day at the Upper Marlboro Kennel Club Show held at the Howard County fairgrounds Nov. 16. Three of her charges -- an Australian cattle dog named Rocky, a cairn terrier called Mitzi and a bloodhound that goes by Dallas -- all won their classes for the best of breed competition.

Rocky, otherwise known as Castle Butte Hardrock N Tuff, came to her from California.

"He's really, really sweet. He's my bed buddy. They're (Australian cattle dogs) my personal favorites. They're super, super sweet and very loyal," she said.

Karger has 15 dogs that she shows professionally for clients, traveling the circuit with them on weekends and training them during the week. She notes that you can't force a dog to be a good show dog, "they either want to do it, or they don't."

Karger has worked with Rocky for a year and is proud of his accomplishments.

"He's the No. 3 cattle dog in the country...He's already qualified for Westminster," she said.

Portuguese water dogs are Robin Valliant's favorite breed and she was at the show with her young dog, Bantry's Umber Ecco.

"They're lots of fun and they have a sense of humor. It's like having another kid in the house," she said.

Ecco was being shown in a lion clip: his coat is allowed to grow long on the chest and forelegs, while his hindquarters and tail are clipped short. As working water dogs, the clip is designed to give them maximum mobility in the water while also protecting them from the cold.

"Their haircuts are for swimming. Like poodles; would you believe that they were originally (used) for hunting? They were duck dogs," Valliant said.

That distinctive poodle show clip is something that fascinates even long-time dog fanciers.

"I'd love to just touch and mess around with one of those poodles. They just look so soft and fluffed out...But I'd probably be killed by his handler or his assistant who's there fluffing them up," said Dawn Jackson, with a smile.

Jackson, a longtime member of the Upper Marlboro Kennel Club and a resident of Olney, was the show chairman. Coordinating a large dog show with more than 1,550 entries takes a lot of preparation, but Jackson is happy with the Howard County fairgrounds as a venue. The indoor arenas and proximity to major highways make it a desirable location for AKC sanctioned shows.

"We have the top dogs in the country here," Jackson said, pointing out a Sealyham Terrier competing in the best of group class. "That dog won at Crufts (held in England) last year."

Jackson herself became involved with dog shows over 15 years ago when she got Lulu, a pretty doberman puppy. "She was just a pet, but she was good enough to show and I got the bug, the show bug," Jackson recalled.

Lulu's show name was Revelry's Knock 'Em Out Lucille. "She was a red doberman, so people would ask if I named her after Lucy Ball, but I named her after B.B. King's guitar, Sweet Lucille," Jackson said.

Watching Lulu strut her stuff in the ring was thrilling for Jackson. Lulu was shown by a professional handler and Jackson noted that she had to keep well out of eyesight when her dog was being paraded in front of the judge.

"I used to have to go hide in the bushes, because the dog would pay attention to me and not the handler," Jackson laughed. "I'd peek around trying to watch her."

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