Share <Embed>

Buy New

$18.89

List Price: $30.95
Save: $12.06 (39%)

FREE Shipping on orders over $25.

Only 10 left in stock - order soon.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

Ship to:

Select a shipping address:

Buy Used

$9.99

FREE Shipping on orders over $25.

Used: Very Good | Details

Sold by Your Fast Green Saver

Fulfilled by Amazon

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

Other Sellers on Amazon

Add to Cart

$14.16
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: Grandisbooks

Add to Cart

$13.19
+ $4.99 shipping

Sold by: Custerbookstore1874

Add to Cart

$14.22
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: TopValuePro

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 3 images

The Winning Edge: Show Ring Secrets (Howell reference books) Hardcover – May 1, 1992

by George Alston (Author)

96 customer reviews

See all 5 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$8.69

—

Hardcover

"Please retry"

$18.89

$13.19

$1.91

George Alston has been one of the country's preeminent professional handlers for over thirty years. Now, the secrets of his success are shared with every dog fancier.

The Winning Edge is the very first book to apply sports psychology to dog showing. Here, serious exhibitors, including the seasoned veteran, will have the opportunity to develop and polish the skills necessary to take a place in the winners' circle. With award-winning author Connie Vanacore, George Alston shows us all how to gain consistent success in the only sport in which amateurs compete directly with the professionals. Chapters focus on the advantages of being an amateur and underscore the necessity for the mental preparation and psychology that are essential to every exhibitor's success.

The authors cover every ingredient in the recipe for show ring success, with chapters on the perfect handler, the making of a show dog, psychocybernetics, where and how to focus when in the ring and learning from the competition.

The Winning Edge, an essential for every dog exhibitor's bookshelf, now makes George Alston's professional know-how available to everyone with the desire to win.
A Howell Dog Book of Distinction

The Winning Edge: Show Ring Secrets (Howell reference books)

$18.89 FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Only 10 left in stock - order soon. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Frequently bought together

Total price: $48.84

One of these items ships sooner than the other. Show details

Buy the selected items together

This item:The Winning Edge: Show Ring Secrets (Howell reference books) by George Alston Hardcover $18.89
Only 10 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Tricks of the Trade: From Best Intentions to Best in Show, Revised Edition by Pat Hastings Paperback $29.95
Only 17 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping. Details

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Pat Hastings

53

Paperback
$29.95
Cheryl S. Smith

33

Paperback
36 offers from $12.59
Vicki M Ronchette

26

Paperback
$11.04
Robert W Cole

52

Paperback
$20.08
D. Caroline Coile…

45

Paperback
51 offers from $1.96
Peter Green

31

Paperback
28 offers from $11.74

Special offers and product promotions

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

George Alston, an expert dog handler for more than 30 years, teams with author Connie Vanacore on The Winning Edge: Show Ring Secrets. Combining sports psychology and dog showing, topics include psychocybernetics, the making of a show dog, learning from the competition, and etiquette and sportmanship. The Winning Edge: Show Ring Secrets is "an essential for every dog exhibitor's bookshelf."

From Library Journal

An experienced professional dog handler, Alston offers tips on showing in either conformation or obedience rings. His advice on canine health, training, etiquette, and ring preparation is sound, helpful, and very concise. While much of this information is covered in other books, Alston's handbook provides quick reference and some new ideas; his frank discussions of campaigning and the psychology of showing also help make this a unique and contemporary addition to collections needing a book on handling. Beginners looking for basic "secrets" on training, grooming, breeds, or special handling situations won't find them here. Instead they should turn to Mario Migliorini's more basic Secrets of Dog Show Handling (Prentice-Hall Pr., 1982. 2d ed.), which this complements. The Winning Edge has value as a specialized guide to showing and should be considered for patron audiences that include large numbers of dog show exhibitors.
- Carolyn Alexander, Technical Information Ctr., Ft. Hunter Liggett, Cal.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE

Start reading The Winning Edge: Show Ring Secrets (Howell reference books) on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Product details

Series: Howell reference books
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Howell Book House; 1 edition (May 1, 1992)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0876058349
ISBN-13: 978-0876058343
Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 0.7 x 9.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (96 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #326,283 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #556 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Pets & Animal Care > Dogs > Breeds
- #754 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Pets & Animal Care > Dogs > Training

If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars

5 star		69%
4 star		17%
3 star		7%
2 star		6%
1 star		1%

Write a customer review

See all verified purchase reviews

Top customer reviews

Great Beginner's Tool

BySandy H.on June 17, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I greatly enjoyed this book. As a complete newbie to the dog-showing world (my first show pup is due to debut in the ring in 2 weeks) I found the information inside very helpful, and it definitely helped me learn some of the unwritten rules of dog show tradition and etiquette that I might not otherwise have known. Highly recommended for a beginner like me.

0Comment 6 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

The title tells all

ByGift of Galwayon May 10, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

It's called The Winning Edge for a reason. It's not basic how-to and it helps if you know a little going in - although even a brand new handler will learn a lot. The winning edge is that little extra that puts you over the top. Show ring secrets. Exactly. Like the mint to hide the adrenaline in your saliva. Handling classes were and are helpful, but the truth is, everything I learned came from George. I've taken his workshops five times and learned something new at every one. You can learn how to show a dog anywhere. This book is about how to win. As for the person who said he demeans owner-handlers, his workshop begins with a question...what gives an owner-handler an advantage over a professional? Huh? How could I know more than a professional? Answer, you have only ONE dog, whereas the pro has many. You can focus 150% on your one dog and that is a huge advantage, both to your handling skills and your confidence level. George is ALL about helping owner-handlers and there is no one better to do it. He has a reputation for being gruff and harsh on his students, especially the kids. If you are willing to listen and work hard, he will bend over backwards for you. If not, he won't waste his time. As for the kids, I've never seen anyone more attentive to their needs. But the bottom line is that this book is a condensed version of his two day workshop and that's a hell of a big bang for your buck. Plus he has a great sense of humor!

0Comment 4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

One of the two best books on the subject that I've read.

ByChris B.on November 4, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I show my own dogs and have shown to multiple group wins and placements as well as Best in Show. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning the finer points of presenting your dog to its best. This book and Peter Green's "New Secrets of Successful Show Dog Handling" are the two I own and recommend.

0Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Read the book

ByMichelleon May 12, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I have 0 trainers, 1 dog, and 2 years of trying the shows. I read this book 3 times.
Trying to "be George" at our next outing, a Specialty - We took all the points.
Read the book.

0Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Seems to work!

BySSon May 21, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Bought this for my mom at her request. She loved it and it seemed to help her, as her Vizsla pup is now a finished champion! Way to go mom!

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Great Book; Smart Man

ByAaron Stutzmanon July 12, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The book has great info. None of the material is really dated. I liked his writing style. You feel like you actually know this guy, by the time you finish the book. A "must-have" for anyone trying to start showing.

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Five Stars

ByPochi's Momon March 13, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Just perfect book that I was looking for.

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Five Stars

ByAmazon Customeron January 10, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

best book with good advice!

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Most recent customer reviews

New, useful tips for dog showing

Very good book with lots of new tips for those of us new to the dog showing experience. Some of the photos are difficult to see, most likely because they are old ones.

Published 5 months ago by Jacqueline Fitch

Four Stars

Good info!

Published 10 months ago by Bonnie J.

Amateur first time handler

Lots of info. Some is just too much to appreciate at this level. Ultimately it helps to understand what we are up against when competing with a pro.Read more

Published 10 months ago by werd10101

Five Stars

Great book for beginner and experienced handlers.

Published 11 months ago by Hamilton S. Barnard

Best book on handling I've read

This book was full of excellent tips and advice. I plan to read it several times. Good tips about grooming, training and handling.

Published 11 months ago by Larry Rogers

Five Stars

Useful, if you re to compete

Published 1 year ago by China

Five Stars

Great insight on how to handle your dog for the ring.

Published 1 year ago by Ivan benitez

Three Stars

Interesting information and different point of view.

Published 1 year ago by MG

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway

This item: The Winning Edge: Show Ring Secrets (Howell reference books)

Set up a giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Pat Hastings

53

Paperback
$29.95
Cheryl S. Smith

33

Paperback
36 offers from $12.59
Peter Green

31

Paperback
28 offers from $11.74
Vicki M Ronchette

26

Paperback
$11.04
D. Caroline Coile…

45

Paperback
51 offers from $1.96
Lynn Hall

20

Hardcover
59 offers from $1.55

Pages with related products. See and discover other items: lake george, animal training, animal husbandry, show dog, Book Browser

Buy New $18.89

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

or

or

Buy Used $9.99

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

Other Sellers on Amazon

The Winning Edge: Show Ring Secrets (Howell reference books) Hardcover – May 1, 1992

Frequently bought together

Customers who bought this item also bought

Special offers and product promotions

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From Library Journal

Product details

Customer reviews

Top customer reviews

Most recent customer reviews

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Buy New

$18.89

Buy Used

$9.99