National Dog Show Newsmakers – Entertaining Stories From Our Entrants in 2023

National Dog Show Newsmakers – Entertaining Stories From Our Entrants in 2023

Every year, we set out to find fun stories to tell about our entries at the National Dog Show Presented by Purina. We ask every owner and handler to fill out an information form and get it back to us so that we can use their stories with our television broadcast and for our publicity effort before, during, and after the show.

This year, we got over 700 forms submitted, so we found a lot to share with our viewers and fans. Here are just a few of them. You can see more of them on my Facebook page—one post for each Group.

We ask every owner and handler to fill out an information form and get it back to us so that we can use their stories with our television broadcast and for our publicity effort before, during, and after the show.

A’LORING’S HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT, A VISZLA FROM COLLEGEVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, got her name from the family joking about how they were able to keep her when their husband/father didn’t want to get another dog. Laika (call name) stayed, and they say the reason was that they would never let their Vizslas (who all look very similar) in the same room at the same time in an effort to keep her a secret in case someone was counting.

SONNY, A 4-YEAR-OLD PLOTT FROM WHITWELL, TENNESSEE, was the star of the 2023 Coon Dog Day in Saluda, North Carolina, last summer. Sonny led his AKC-sponsored float to victory by chasing a coon skin in a tree on the float along the parade route.

LEGEND IS A BELGIAN SHEEPDOG FROM WASHINGTON D.C. who was trained by his owner to be her PTSD Service Dog. Legend’s owner recently separated from the Army after 12 years of active duty, making the last three years of her military service “doable” by giving her an outlet to meet new friends. Her first show dog, the 4-year-old Legend is a Grand Champion with seven performance titles in just two years of showing.

They all will be traveling to Ontario, Canada, in February as one of 12 sled teams invited to participate in the Seguin Sled Dog Mail Run, an event that has been going on for over 39 years. The teams transport bags of official mail over 17 km of trail, commemorating the days when all the mail was delivered by sled teams in the winter.

KRIS, A SIBERIAN HUSKY FROM LEESBURG, VIRGINIA, RUNS ON A SLED DOG TEAM ALONG WITH HIS DAUGHTER, “ALEX,” and his half-brothers, Ian and Bryce (Kris and Alex were entered at the National Dog Show this year). They all will be traveling to Ontario, Canada, in February as one of 12 sled teams invited to participate in the Seguin Sled Dog Mail Run, an event that has been going on for over 39 years. The teams transport bags of official mail over 17 km of trail, commemorating the days when all the mail was delivered by sled teams in the winter.

EDGAR, A 1-1/2-YEAR-OLD TOY MANCHESTER TERRIER FROM SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND, competes in CABT, Fast CAT, Barn Hunt, Farm Dog, Trick Dog, Canine Good Citizen, and Fit Dog. His owner is a high school teacher in Washington DC, and Edgar will be starting training in a Therapy Dog program to support his students’ mental health and well-being, and as an attendance incentive to cut down on truancy.

FATTY PATTY IS A 1-YEAR-OLD PUG FROM PORTLAND, MAINE, who got her name for her physical appearance at birth when she was born in the backseat of the car, pulled over under duress, appropriately enough, in a Cabela’s parking lot. Patty and her sister, JoJo Pugdashian, were both shown at the National Dog Show. Patty and JoJo are part of the famous @Pugdashians family, social media influencers with “too many to count” viral videos! They are well-known for their fashion statements and showed off their fashion at the dog show while meeting their fans in the benching area. The Pugdashians are also known for their Therapy Dog work and Pug Rescue work.

BAM BAM IS AN ENGLISH TOY SPANIEL (KC&R) FROM SPRING LAKE, NEW JERSEY, who was brought to the United States as a puppy from war-torn Ukraine last spring through the owner’s connections to international ice skaters (the owner is a U.S. Figure Skating Judge). The dog’s registered name is Please Klear the Ice.

Dogs work year-round, but a NEWFOUNDLAND NAMED JAKE FROM CRANBURY, NEW JERSEY, has a notable and noble seasonal job doing what he was bred to do: he goes to nearby Morgantown, Pennsylvania, and helps to raise money for Newf Rescue at Plow Farms by hauling people’s Christmas trees in his wagon from the field to their cars.

MOSES, A RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK FROM SHOEMAKERSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, probably weighs twice as much as his 10-year-old owner-handler, who shows him in regular Conformation classes and Junior Showmanship. On show day, it’s definitely a family affair in the Ridgeback ring when brother and sister (Moses and Ginger) are led into battle by granddaughter and grandmother, who happens to be the breeder of both dogs.

Dogs work year-round, but a NEWFOUNDLAND NAMED JAKE FROM CRANBURY, NEW JERSEY, has a notable and noble seasonal job doing what he was bred to do: he goes to nearby Morgantown, Pennsylvania, and helps to raise money for Newf Rescue at Plow Farms by hauling people’s Christmas trees in his wagon from the field to their cars.

DARIC, A 10-MONTH-OLD IRISH RED AND WHITE SETTER, traveled a modest 47 miles from his home in NEW TRIPOLI, Pennsylvania, to get to the National Dog Show, his second show in this country. That’s nothing compared to his journey to get here from Tasmania (where he was born). His airline ticket was Tasmania to Sydney to Los Angeles to Seattle to Newark, then a drive to his new home in America; a 10,000-plus mile journey.

ENZO FROM FREDERICK, MARYLAND, won the St. Bernard National in 2023 and has gone on to bigger and better performances. He is also shown by the owner’s deaf son in Junior Showmanship, providing the opportunity for the young man to develop handling skills, learn ring etiquette and good sportsmanship, and develop self-confidence through handling Enzo in the show ring. “Enzo has been a life changer for my son,” the owner says.

JOEL IS A 5-YEAR-OLD WHITE CORDED STANDARD POODLE FROM NIANTIC, CONNECTICUT. A multiple Group-winning dog, he is also a trained Mobility Service Dog and has flown with his owner many times to provide her with support when her rheumatoid arthritis makes travel difficult.