I have a soft spot in my heart for Trenton Kennel Club show,” says Gina Smith of West Windsor, looking ahead to the event that takes place Sunday, May 8, at Mercer County Park. “My first show dog became a champion there.”##M:[more]##
That was Spencer, a Welsh Springer Spaniel, introduced to Smith and her husband, J.O, by Marion Daniel of Lawrenceville. “My husband and I were looking for a dog but I wanted a Doberman and he wanted a Cocker Spaniel,” she says. Spencer was a happy compromise.
“Spencer was our pet but we showed him to championship,” Smith says. “He was shown until age eight and was neutered when he developed a prostate problem.” He never sired a litter. When he died a couple of years ago, Smith was despondent and dog-less.
“My friend Michelle Brooks had just had a litter of puppies — six boys — and invited me to see them,” she says. “When I chose Owen she said that he was the one she wanted to show so we agreed to co-own him and she handles him in the ring.” Most of the puppies were sold as pets and never shown. Owen’s father, Quinn, is a big name in the breed and has sired over 130 puppies.
His handler is a singer with music background. Her kennel is called “Lyric” and most of her dogs have names of songs. Owen’s full name is Brooksong Lyric Dolce Canto (Sweet song).
Owen, Smith, and Brook will be on hand May 8 for the 76th annual All Breed Dog Show and Obedience Trial sponsored by the Trenton Kennel Club. But the preparation begins at least a week before the show, when Smith clips him, scales his teeth, clips his nails, and cleans his ears. He is again trimmed two days before a show. The night before a show, he is bathed with puppy and whitening shampoos, followed with a creme rinse to make his hair silky. He can dry naturally because his coat is straight, as the breed standard indicates. Smith brushes him every day to get excess hair removed and keep his feathers untangled and unmatted.
“Owen’s breed [a Welsh Springer Spaniel], requires not too much grooming — compared to a poodle or an English Sheep Dog, where a grooming can take four hours or more,” says Smith.
But there are plenty of details to consider on the day of show. “When I go to a show now, I bring Owen, help set up, and then I have to hide from Owen,” she says. “If he sees me he is looking at me and not paying attention.” She hides behind whatever she can and watches him being judged. His handler uses “bait” of roast beef, prime rib, or eye round, to keep him attentive and bright-looking. Smith cooks it the night before.
Owen eats Purina Pro Plan Chicken and Rice dry dog food. He also gets cooked chicken or beef scraps or juices or fat. Brewer’s yeast is given for the folic acid which helps his thick coat, anti-flea properties, and the B vitamins to keep him stress-free. Once a week he gets a scrambled egg, also for the coat. He loves raw carrots and apples and he gets occasional tastes of Dorito Chips, breads, and pizza crusts.
Smith grew up with dogs in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and remained there after marriage to J.O. The couple moved to West Windsor in 1988 when her husband, then a global focus accounts manager, was transferred. “When we came here to look it was wilderness and farmland but I read about a Toll Brothers development just east of Princeton in the New York Times so we looked at it,” she says. They bought a house on Ellsworth Drive.
Smith received a bachelor’s degree in human anatomy from University of Vermont and earned a doctorate in chiropractic medicine at the National College of Chiropractic Medicine in Chicago. A chiropractor in the state of Connecticut, she retired when they moved to New Jersey. She still does some massage work and maintains an antique business on three internet sites.
She taught horseback riding for several years and owns a 16-year-old horse boarded in Assunpink. Smith still rides two to three times a week. J.O., now retired, is working in advertising and sales at Hamilton Golf Center. Their son, Garrett, 12, is in sixth grade at Grover. “I was pregnant with Garrett when I was showing Spencer so I took him to a lot of shows in his early years,” she says. “He’s always been around animals and still goes to shows occasionally.”
So how will Owen fare at Mercer County Park? “A good rule of thumb is to try to win consistently over a variety of judges,” Smith says. “We are looking for a judge’s opinion on one day.”
Breed judging begins in the morning and continues throughout the day with Best in Show being awarded at approximately 6:30 p.m. Obedience trials begin at 8 a.m. and continue until early afternoon.
Vendors present everything from rawhide chews to hard-to-find items for your pet. Refreshments available. Only dogs entered in the show are allowed on the grounds.
The experts agree that a dog show is a great place to visit if you are interested in buying a dog. Seek out breeders and talk to them. It helps to go interested in a breed but it’s easy to see every breed at this show since it’s the third largest outdoor show in the country.
“Responsible breeders will match dog to person,” Smith says. “They are living, breathing creatures that need attention.” She praises the rescue groups that work to find homes for animals that have to be given up by their owners. “Rescue is a wonderful way to get a dog who may need a new home due to a move, death, or a divorce.”
— Lynn Miller
All Breed Dog Show, Trenton Kennel Club, Mercer County Park, Hughes Drive entrance, 609-448-6247. The 76th annual All Breed Dog Show and Obedience Trial, the largest outdoor show on the East Coast. Show features over 3,”000 dogs, representing 180 breeds, and junior showmanship. Rain or shine, but closes if there is lightening. Judging schedule at www.infodog.com. Use Hughes Drive entrance. $3. Sunday, May 8, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
