Meet Bella – the first-place female German shepherd at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
The Westminster Kennel Club hosts the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show each year in New York City. In 2020, 2,630 dogs vied for the top spot in a variety of categories. Out of those dogs, 63 were from Canada. One, in particular, took the top honors as the best female German shepherd.
Bella had competed in many competitions
The dog, named Bella, is from Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. She is owned by Jody Duin and her seven-year-old daughter Parker, who live in Canada, and Cortnie Partner, who lives in the U.S. Through several best in show titles, Bella ended up becoming the Canadian grand champion. This earned her a place in the 144th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
“Westminster is the Super Bowl of dog shows,” said Duin. “In order to be able to go to Westminster, you have to be a champion.”
Bella’s next stop was the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
In the competition, Bella competed against 12 other German shepherds. Her handler for the competition was Courtney Penner, who was serving in Bella’s owner’s stead. Unfortunately, Duin and her daughter could not attend the show due to a prior commitment. However, the proud owners did watch the three-year-old dog compete via Facebook.
While a champion, Bella is still just a regular dog at heart
Instead of competing in an agility competition, which is common at the show, Bella was judged based on how close she fit the breed standard with evaluations on her movement, overall build, and other criteria. Regardless of her status as a champion, Bella is just as much a family pet as ever, Duin says:
“For a dog that has done so much winning and is such a cool dog in terms of the show world, she’s also a regular dog,” Duin said. “She’s just like any other pet dog except she’s an athlete.”
Bella loves the limelight
According to Duin, Bella loves every minute of the limelight. The family knew early on that she was unique. Bella has the perfect attitude and temperament for performing in the ring and loves the work that goes into preparing for the various shows she’s attended.
Parker might be a future dog handler
Duin’s daughter Parker has also shown an interest in becoming a dog handler. She has already competed in a Best of Breed competition in the U.S. She won that competition over many handlers with more experience.
“Showing dogs can be a lot of work, but to see my daughter, at seven, going to all these shows, meeting some phenomenal, special people, that’s what keeps us coming back,” said Duin.
What’s next for Bella?
As for Bella, Duin thinks there is not anywhere to go. Duin is of the mindset that once a dog wins Westminster, that the dog probably retires on a high note. Check out this video of the competition and judging in the German shepherd category at the 2020 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
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