Former Powegian and her dog place at Westminister
Article Courtesy of the Poway News Chieftain, Feb 25, 2010Poway High School graduate Tylia Smith spent countless hours training her dog before last week’s Westminster Dog Show in New York — and it paid off.
Jaca, a 2-year-old Papillon with a black-and-white fluffy coat, impressed the judges and others so much that he captured the award of merit in his breed — the equivalent of being second runner-up, Smith said.
Westminster is considered one of the ultimate shows by breeders, dog handlers and owners, as well as dog lovers, she added.
During such competitions, much depends on the relationship between the dog and whoever “shows” the dog, while the canine parades before the judges, Smith said.
Jaca’s registered name is CH (which stands for champion) Brevette Boy On the Town. He was one of a litter bred by Brevette Kennels in Huntington Beach. The dog’s breeders and co-owners are Susan Bleckley and JoAnne Ybaben, to whom Smith said she owes a great debt of gratitude for teaching her how to show dogs.
“In the future, I hope to handle other people’s dogs in the show ring who wish to take their dog to championship level,” said Smith, a 2001 Poway High graduate and current Carlsbad resident.
Smith said that trainers at Kindred Spirits of Vista and Bob Burkhardt, the now-deceased owner of Good Dog Training School in Poway, were helpful with their advice early in her career.
“Bob always stressed the importance of a respectful relationship with your dog,” Smith said. “He often said, ‘Let your dog know what you want from him.’?”
While Burkhardt never met Jaca, he did help train Heidi, an Australian Shepherd, and Hannah, a German Shepherd, both owned by Smith when she was younger.
After she finished college and became a microbiologist at Genentech in Oceanside, she knew she needed a small dog for her apartment in Carlsbad. That’s when she selected her diminutive dog with his friendly personality.
Smith and her dog plan on joining a dog therapy program, which will allow them to visit those in hospitals, the homebound, or seniors residing in assisted living homes.
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