Tatum Bartlett

Tatum Bartlett grew up in San Francisco as the fourth generation of a family whose passion for purebred dogs stretches back to her great-grandmother. Some of Tatum's earliest memories are weekend trips to dog shows with her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, riding along in a van full of Irish Wolfhounds. By age five, she was already helping in the breed ring and she has been in love with the sport ever since.

She began competing in Junior Showmanship as soon as she was eligible, starting with her mother's Whippet. A chance encounter at a local show — helping a couple walk a litter of Beagle puppies — sparked a new passion, and after two years of asking, Tatum got her own Beagle, "Disney" (GCHB Karakush In a Land Far, Far Away), in 2019. Disney became one of the most formative dogs of her Juniors career and kindled her love of scent hounds, which eventually led her to the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen.

In 2024, when Disney came into season right before an important show, family friend and professional handler Janice Hayes offered Tatum the chance to show her PBGV, "Spotify" (GCHS CH M & M Stellar Spotify), for the weekend. The pairing was instant — the two won two Best Junior awards their very first weekend together — and it grew into one of the defining partnerships of Tatum's career. With Spotify, Tatum became the Number One Hound Junior Handler in 2024.

 

On December 13, 2025, showing Spotify, Tatum was awarded Best Junior Handler at the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin in Orlando, Florida, besting 160 Junior competitors from across the country and earning her the honor of competing at Crufts as the US representative. Months later, at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tatum and Spotify placed second in the Junior Showmanship Finals for the 2nd time in her career. A month after that, she was recognized as 2026 California Junior of the Year.

Tatum spends her weekends working alongside Janice Hayes — bathing, grooming, exercising, and handling multiple breeds — and has recently welcomed a PBGV puppy of her own, "Niall" (Stellar Secret Sauce at Limerick), Spotify's son, into the family's Limerick line. She will age out of Junior Showmanship in 2026 but has no intention of leaving the sport. She plans to study veterinary medicine in college and remain involved in the dog world for life, through breeding, judging, and showing. She is the future of Limerick.