Dogs are our best friends, and they can also have significant impacts on our mental health. This has been the case for 17-year-old Natalie Van Tassel, a junior handler from Washington State. Van Tassel credits her dogs and her involvement with dog shows with helping her through a very dark period and changing her life. Dogs, dog training, and dog shows helped to give her hope, community, and improved her self-confidence.
Even though Van Tassel always grew up with dogs around, it wasn’t until she was a teenager that she got involved with showing. After getting “Remi,” her first Australian Shepherd, her mentor encouraged her to take classes with Remi and invited them to attend their first show. “I was very nervous the first time and I had a lot to learn, but it was a lot of fun, and I was hooked ever since,” she says.
Mindy Van Tassel
Van Tassel now has three Australian Shepherds at home: Remi, “Nickel,” who Van Tassel calls the princess of the house, and “Poppi,” her little sister Jewel’s dog. Following in her big sister’s footsteps, Jewel is also involved with showing dogs in conformation, Junior Showmanship, and performance sports. In addition to her Australian Shepherds, Van Tassel co-owns and shows a variety of breeds including Border Collies, Pomeranians, and Saint Bernards. She believes that handling this wide array of dogs has helped her improve her handling skills.
Showing dogs is a fun hobby, but for Van Tassel, participating in dog shows has been nothing short of life changing. She recalls that before getting Remi, “I was going through a really rough time. So much so that I was struggling with self-worth. It was a very dark place.” To try and help her daughter, Van Tassel’s mom thought she needed some unconditional love in her life, and told her she could get a dog of her own.
Before getting a puppy, Van Tassel’s mom required her to research different breeds and make a list of different options. When they narrowed their list down to the Australian Shepherd, they approached people they knew with Aussies who put her in touch with their breeder. Van Tassel calls getting Remi a “light in the dark” and says he was exactly what she needed to work through that difficult time. “He gave me purpose. He gave me friendship without strings and love without conditions,” she says.
Mindy Van Tassel
She also admits that training Remi as a puppy was extremely challenging. In hindsight, Van Tassel thinks that hard work was key to Remi becoming the stable show and sport dog he is today. “Training and competing can be challenging and sometimes frustrating, but those difficult moments will make you a better handler in the long run,” she explains.
Having dog sports in her life shifted the course of her teen years substantially. “Dogs have impacted my mental health in the most positive way possible,” she explains. The act of raising, training, and showing her dogs helped teach her about sportsmanship and perseverance. Competing in dog sports has also helped Van Tassel to have a more positive outlook on the future. Through working to achieve her dog show dreams, Van Tassel says she’s developed goal-setting skills. Plus, the overall experience has strengthened her self-confidence and self-esteem. “I’ve also made countless friends and connections in the dog show community, each one enriching my life in ways I never imagined,” she says.
Van Tassel and her dogs compete in obedience, AKC Rally, Canine Good Citizen, and AKC Trick Dog. She also has recently gotten involved with herding. Van Tassel finds herding especially rewarding because it’s an opportunity for her to watch her dog do what he was first bred to do. “I love the bond that forms between us as we work together, and the trust and understanding that develops over time,” she says. She notes that the relationship she’s built with her dogs has been her favorite part of being involved in dog sports.
Mindy Van Tassel
When she’s not showing dogs, Van Tassel enjoys horseback riding, swimming, and mountain biking. But her favorite sport is conformation because she gets to show off her dog and have fun at the same time. Van Tassel particularly enjoys the training that goes into a successful dog show experience and getting the chance to help her dogs become well-behaved and skilled companions.
Her proudest moments to date with the dogs include finishing Remi at the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) national show. “It was such a huge sense of accomplishment and happiness when I finally finished my very first dog,” she explains. She’s also especially proud of winning Best Junior Handler and Altered Best of Breed at ASCA Nationals, as well as qualifying for Westminster for the first time.
For Van Tassel, showing dogs isn’t just about going into the ring and coming out with a ribbon. “It’s about the journey, the friendships, and the incredible bond with my dog that makes it all worthwhile,” she says. Her life has been changed for the better, in and out of the show ring.
As she nears the end of her Junior Showmanship career, Van Tassel is looking back fondly on her experiences and remains excited about the future. “When a chapter ends, a new one starts with the memories, accomplishments, and challenges striving me to go further and further each chapter in my life,” she explains.
The experiences she had as a junior handler will stay with Van Tassel forever and inspire her into adulthood, as she hopes to start her own kennel one day. She says her dream is to eventually breed Australian Shepherds. “I know it takes time, blood, sweat, and tears, but I am so very eager and excited to see what the future holds,” she says. She also hopes that more kids and teens will get involved as junior handlers. For anyone thinking about starting to show dogs, Van Tassel encourages you to just give the sport a try and get out there with your dog. “Embrace the journey, stay committed, have fun,” she says.
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Taking Her Love of Dogs to the Next Level
Even though Van Tassel always grew up with dogs around, it wasn’t until she was a teenager that she got involved with showing. After getting “Remi,” her first Australian Shepherd, her mentor encouraged her to take classes with Remi and invited them to attend their first show. “I was very nervous the first time and I had a lot to learn, but it was a lot of fun, and I was hooked ever since,” she says.
Mindy Van Tassel
Van Tassel now has three Australian Shepherds at home: Remi, “Nickel,” who Van Tassel calls the princess of the house, and “Poppi,” her little sister Jewel’s dog. Following in her big sister’s footsteps, Jewel is also involved with showing dogs in conformation, Junior Showmanship, and performance sports. In addition to her Australian Shepherds, Van Tassel co-owns and shows a variety of breeds including Border Collies, Pomeranians, and Saint Bernards. She believes that handling this wide array of dogs has helped her improve her handling skills.
Getting Through Dark Times
Showing dogs is a fun hobby, but for Van Tassel, participating in dog shows has been nothing short of life changing. She recalls that before getting Remi, “I was going through a really rough time. So much so that I was struggling with self-worth. It was a very dark place.” To try and help her daughter, Van Tassel’s mom thought she needed some unconditional love in her life, and told her she could get a dog of her own.
Before getting a puppy, Van Tassel’s mom required her to research different breeds and make a list of different options. When they narrowed their list down to the Australian Shepherd, they approached people they knew with Aussies who put her in touch with their breeder. Van Tassel calls getting Remi a “light in the dark” and says he was exactly what she needed to work through that difficult time. “He gave me purpose. He gave me friendship without strings and love without conditions,” she says.
Mindy Van Tassel
Working Through Challenges With Her Dog
She also admits that training Remi as a puppy was extremely challenging. In hindsight, Van Tassel thinks that hard work was key to Remi becoming the stable show and sport dog he is today. “Training and competing can be challenging and sometimes frustrating, but those difficult moments will make you a better handler in the long run,” she explains.
Having dog sports in her life shifted the course of her teen years substantially. “Dogs have impacted my mental health in the most positive way possible,” she explains. The act of raising, training, and showing her dogs helped teach her about sportsmanship and perseverance. Competing in dog sports has also helped Van Tassel to have a more positive outlook on the future. Through working to achieve her dog show dreams, Van Tassel says she’s developed goal-setting skills. Plus, the overall experience has strengthened her self-confidence and self-esteem. “I’ve also made countless friends and connections in the dog show community, each one enriching my life in ways I never imagined,” she says.
It’s All About the Bond
Van Tassel and her dogs compete in obedience, AKC Rally, Canine Good Citizen, and AKC Trick Dog. She also has recently gotten involved with herding. Van Tassel finds herding especially rewarding because it’s an opportunity for her to watch her dog do what he was first bred to do. “I love the bond that forms between us as we work together, and the trust and understanding that develops over time,” she says. She notes that the relationship she’s built with her dogs has been her favorite part of being involved in dog sports.
Mindy Van Tassel
When she’s not showing dogs, Van Tassel enjoys horseback riding, swimming, and mountain biking. But her favorite sport is conformation because she gets to show off her dog and have fun at the same time. Van Tassel particularly enjoys the training that goes into a successful dog show experience and getting the chance to help her dogs become well-behaved and skilled companions.
Her proudest moments to date with the dogs include finishing Remi at the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) national show. “It was such a huge sense of accomplishment and happiness when I finally finished my very first dog,” she explains. She’s also especially proud of winning Best Junior Handler and Altered Best of Breed at ASCA Nationals, as well as qualifying for Westminster for the first time.
Life Lessons Learned
For Van Tassel, showing dogs isn’t just about going into the ring and coming out with a ribbon. “It’s about the journey, the friendships, and the incredible bond with my dog that makes it all worthwhile,” she says. Her life has been changed for the better, in and out of the show ring.
As she nears the end of her Junior Showmanship career, Van Tassel is looking back fondly on her experiences and remains excited about the future. “When a chapter ends, a new one starts with the memories, accomplishments, and challenges striving me to go further and further each chapter in my life,” she explains.
The experiences she had as a junior handler will stay with Van Tassel forever and inspire her into adulthood, as she hopes to start her own kennel one day. She says her dream is to eventually breed Australian Shepherds. “I know it takes time, blood, sweat, and tears, but I am so very eager and excited to see what the future holds,” she says. She also hopes that more kids and teens will get involved as junior handlers. For anyone thinking about starting to show dogs, Van Tassel encourages you to just give the sport a try and get out there with your dog. “Embrace the journey, stay committed, have fun,” she says.
The post Meet Junior Handler Natalie Van Tassel appeared first on American Kennel Club.
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