In the highly competitive world of dog shows, an Alberta dog, Doc, emerged as the top dog at the 148th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, a renowned event that draws the best of the best from the canine world.
Doc is a six-year-old boxer from Calgary.
His breeder, Sheila McAvoy, from De Winton, entered him in the dog show.
Most show dogs have two names: a short one known as a “call name” and a longer one known as a “registration name.”
Doc’s registered name is GCHB Tybrushe’s Livin Notoriety, but most people call him by his call name, “Doc.” Can you blame them?
If you thought Doc’s registered name was a mouthful, his parents’ registration names are Hi Desert Bend It Like Beckham and Tybrushe N Rikar Crazy Dreams.
Registered names are meant to record a dog’s lineage, often including the breeder’s name, the dog’s parents, or where the dog was born.
Doc’s registered name is recognized across North America. McAvoy’s pup earned the “best-of-breed” in the New York City tournament boxer group last year.
Doc was the top dog among 16 other boxers in his category.
At the 148th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this year, Doc defended his best-of-breed title against 13 other boxers.
Doc didn’t stop there. He also placed third in the Working group, which had more than 400 entries. The Working group consists of intelligent and quick-learning dog breeds.
Fun Fact: boxers are the most successful dog breed in the Working group, with 24 wins and the longest winning streak of five years.
Stepping Out Of The Ring
However, Doc still has a long way to go to compete with Sage, a three-year-old Miniature Poodle.
Sage won this year’s best-in-show award, the highest honour a dog can achieve at the tournament. For the prestigious title, Sage beat over 2,500 dogs of more than 200 different breeds.
Sage nabbed the 11th triumph for poodles of various sizes at Westminster; only wire fox terriers have won more best-in-shows with 15 wins!
Doc’s victory is bittersweet because it marks his retirement from the show ring. When a show dog retires, a breeder may choose to breed, rehome, or keep the dog.
McAvoy didn’t specify her plans for Doc, but it wouldn’t be surprising if she decided to keep Doc.
McAvoy describes Doc as full of life and her gentle companion, but the lovable boxer is more than just a dog to her.
“When I try to explain it to people who aren’t dog people, I say, ‘Your kids do skating or hockey or soccer, and they practice and then they go compete.’ And in both cases, it’s the thrill of winning and the drive to win,” McAvoy told the Calgary Herald.
Doc might have retired from the show ring, but plenty of boxers are ready to carry his torch, including his thirteen children.
Doc also has a sibling that goes by the call name Miller and is registered as Tybrushe’s Livin The High Life.
Although Doc is retired, McAvoy has no plans to stop breeding boxers at the Tybrushe Kennel. The kennel’s name combines the names of her first three boxers, Tyson, Brutus, and Sheba.
McAvoy has bred boxers under the Tybrushe name for almost 30 years and owns Tybrushe Pet Supply Ltd.
Doc’s retirement was hard-earned.
The accomplished pup deserves a tropical vacation with as many dog treats as he can eat.
