Good Handler or Questionable gameness ?

[Officially Retired]

Sure, you have to handle free of holds after a turn, I'm just saying that it is very easy to be a few feet further away from your dog and a little slower when the opponent is up to scratch.

Sure, it's very easy to do this, but it is still poor sportsmanship, not earnest effort.

Anyone who doesn't play the game like that is a damn fool.

Strictly speaking, anyone who does play the game "like that" is defying the rules, and as such can (and should) be fouled for it.

I can guarantee you when you are up against most top notch dogmen that is what is going on with the other side.

Justifying not following the rules with "Other guys do it too" arguments is invalid.

The simple truth is, a participant is either earnestly following the rules, or he's not, and those participants who deliberately transgress the rules are called "cheaters."

For this reason, if a participant is deliberately not following the directive of "pick up free of holds," when there's a clear opportunity, then that person can (and should) get warned, then fouled-out. Period.

Good dogmen do everything within the rules to give themselves an advantage.

Actually, deliberately being too far away to handle, or not trying to handle when you can, is not "within the rules" ... it is acting in defiance of them

Jack