The ‘tail’ of Edith: Shell Knob Boston Terrier takes honor at Westminster Show
Local Boston Terrier Edith (center) receives the honor of Select Bitch for her performance at the 2019 Westminster Dog Show, where she won under judge Vicki Feiler-Cushman. Pictured behind Edith, from left to right: Vicki Feiler-Cushman, judge; Janice Swofford, breeder, co-owner; and Angie Henderson, trainer, co-owner.
April 10, 2019
Vinnie Roberts
Of all the pet competitions held in the United States, the Westminster Dog Show is by far the most prestigious. Dogs and their trainers come from all over the country to compete at the show. For Westminster’s 2019 show, one of the top competitors happened to be Barry County resident.
Edith, a two-year-old Boston Terrier, competed in this year’s show. Edith is co-owned by Angie Henderson, who she lives with, and Janice Swofford, her breeder. Both are residents of Shell Knob.
“I met Janice (Swofford) at a dog show,” said Henderson. “One day, she posted Edith’s picture on her Facebook and I loved her, so I asked her if [Edith] could live with me.”
It was at this point that Henderson and Swofford agreed to co-own the dog, with Henderson taking Edith in to her home and training her for competition.
Edith’s father was a champion Boston Terrier named Bumblebee. Swofford was given an opportunity to have one of her dogs mate with Bumblebee in hopes that a champion would be produced.
“I’m grateful that I got to be her breeder,” said Swofford. “I was allowed to breed to Bumblebee. Bumble was the number five Boston Terrier in the country. He has produced over 50 champions.”
According to Swofford, Edith isn’t the only champion to be produced from that coupling.
“That litter had six pups, five of them are contest champions,” said Swofford. “Edith and her brother, Bee Bee, are best in speciality winners. It was an awesome litter.”
Henderson has been showing dogs for nearly 30 years. According to her, Edith is one of the most naturally gifted performers she has had the pleasure of working with.
“She has a natural showmanship, which really helps,” said Henderson. “She’s always very proud of herself and very confident.”
According to Henderson, that confidence bleeds over into Edith’s competitions, making her one of the better behaved dogs competing.
“When we go in the showroom, she engages the judges with eye contact,” said Henderson. “She walks around the room and looks them in the face. It helps a lot that she has so much attitude.”
Henderson and Edith worked together regularly up to the time of competition. In addition to training for competition, Edith attends a weekly training class with many other dogs, taught by Henderson.
“She’s bathed and groomed before every show,” said Henderson. “We have a weekly training class that I teach with another friend of mine that Edith is a part of.”
Different from the basic movement and listening skills taught to dogs in standard behavior classes, Henderson and Swofford have trained Edith to respond to different commands and hold her behavior to a higher standard when in competition.
“She’s trained to move at the proper speed,” said Henderson. “When she stops, it’s called stacking where the dogs have to stop with all four feet squared and not move a muscle unless they’re told to move.
“She’s remarkably well-trained at this point, because we’ve been working with her since she was six months old. She’ll be three in May, so for about two years now. She’s an absolute joy at a show.”
At this year’s Westminster, Edith won two different awards. The first of these actually came from an event that directly preceded the Westminster Show, The Boston Terrier Club of New York’s Specialty Show.
At this show, Edith was awarded Best of Opposite. This is something of a second place award, given to the best dog of the opposite gender to the winner of Best of Show, the competition’s highest award.
At the Westminster Show, Edith was awarded Select Bitch, an award given to the female runner up for Best In Show when the Best In Show winner is a female.
Henderson stated that though she was nervous with this being the first Westminster show but was ultimately incredibly satisfied with Edith’s performance.
“Because of it being that show, it’s the most stiff competition we’ll ever face. It’s tough to do well in. I’m proud of her.”
At home, where the dog lives with Henderson and her family, Henderson says that Edith is like any other dog.
“She is our family pet. She sleeps on the couch with us; she sleeps in bed with me at night. She’s a fun little house dog most of the time. She’s kind of a spoiled house pet, but she’s a joy to live with. She enjoys life being a pet like any other dog would.”
Vinnie Roberts
Of all the pet competitions held in the United States, the Westminster Dog Show is by far the most prestigious. Dogs and their trainers come from all over the country to compete at the show. For Westminster’s 2019 show, one of the top competitors happened to be Barry County resident.
Edith, a two-year-old Boston Terrier, competed in this year’s show. Edith is co-owned by Angie Henderson, who she lives with, and Janice Swofford, her breeder. Both are residents of Shell Knob.
“I met Janice (Swofford) at a dog show,” said Henderson. “One day, she posted Edith’s picture on her Facebook and I loved her, so I asked her if [Edith] could live with me.”
It was at this point that Henderson and Swofford agreed to co-own the dog, with Henderson taking Edith in to her home and training her for competition.
Edith’s father was a champion Boston Terrier named Bumblebee. Swofford was given an opportunity to have one of her dogs mate with Bumblebee in hopes that a champion would be produced.
“I’m grateful that I got to be her breeder,” said Swofford. “I was allowed to breed to Bumblebee. Bumble was the number five Boston Terrier in the country. He has produced over 50 champions.”
According to Swofford, Edith isn’t the only champion to be produced from that coupling.
“That litter had six pups, five of them are contest champions,” said Swofford. “Edith and her brother, Bee Bee, are best in speciality winners. It was an awesome litter.”
Henderson has been showing dogs for nearly 30 years. According to her, Edith is one of the most naturally gifted performers she has had the pleasure of working with.
“She has a natural showmanship, which really helps,” said Henderson. “She’s always very proud of herself and very confident.”
According to Henderson, that confidence bleeds over into Edith’s competitions, making her one of the better behaved dogs competing.
“When we go in the showroom, she engages the judges with eye contact,” said Henderson. “She walks around the room and looks them in the face. It helps a lot that she has so much attitude.”
Henderson and Edith worked together regularly up to the time of competition. In addition to training for competition, Edith attends a weekly training class with many other dogs, taught by Henderson.
“She’s bathed and groomed before every show,” said Henderson. “We have a weekly training class that I teach with another friend of mine that Edith is a part of.”
Different from the basic movement and listening skills taught to dogs in standard behavior classes, Henderson and Swofford have trained Edith to respond to different commands and hold her behavior to a higher standard when in competition.
“She’s trained to move at the proper speed,” said Henderson. “When she stops, it’s called stacking where the dogs have to stop with all four feet squared and not move a muscle unless they’re told to move.
“She’s remarkably well-trained at this point, because we’ve been working with her since she was six months old. She’ll be three in May, so for about two years now. She’s an absolute joy at a show.”
At this year’s Westminster, Edith won two different awards. The first of these actually came from an event that directly preceded the Westminster Show, The Boston Terrier Club of New York’s Specialty Show.
At this show, Edith was awarded Best of Opposite. This is something of a second place award, given to the best dog of the opposite gender to the winner of Best of Show, the competition’s highest award.
At the Westminster Show, Edith was awarded Select Bitch, an award given to the female runner up for Best In Show when the Best In Show winner is a female.
Henderson stated that though she was nervous with this being the first Westminster show but was ultimately incredibly satisfied with Edith’s performance.
“Because of it being that show, it’s the most stiff competition we’ll ever face. It’s tough to do well in. I’m proud of her.”
At home, where the dog lives with Henderson and her family, Henderson says that Edith is like any other dog.
“She is our family pet. She sleeps on the couch with us; she sleeps in bed with me at night. She’s a fun little house dog most of the time. She’s kind of a spoiled house pet, but she’s a joy to live with. She enjoys life being a pet like any other dog would.”