Beagle headed to Big Apple
SAXONBURG — Mako is a “little sweet and a little silly,” says owner Chanel Lefever, 17, of Saxonburg.
But as for quality, Lefever believes her beagle is good enough to best the 20th in the country ranking the pup earned last year.
Mako will accompany Lefever on Feb. 15 to the teen's third trip to the Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show in New York City.
More than 3,000 dogs representing 1,197 breeds will compete in the 140th annual show.
“Beagles come in hoping that they'll get to be the third (Best of Show),” said Gail Miller Bisher of The Westminster Kennel Club.
A beagle named Uno was the winner in 2008, and Miss P. took the honor last year.
“It's anyone's game,” Bisher said.
Lefever, a junior at Knoch High School, first went to the country's premiere dog competition to compete in junior showmanship, where the handlers are judged.
This is the first year she'll step into the ring for the breed competition where it's the canine that's under scrutiny.
Despite Mako's young age, 18 months, she too has experience. She attended Westminster last year at 6 months, the youngest age that a dog can compete.
Initially, Lefever had entered the competition last year with Mako's father, 7-year-old Nelo.
“But he wasn't feeling up to it, so I took the puppy,” Lefever said.
Nelo is now retired, and Mako earned enough competition points during the year to qualify.
Lefever with her mother Laura and sister Brigette, 27, run the kennel Glade Mill Sporting and Hound.
In addition to breeding dogs, they groom, train, show and build relationships with the dogs.
“You can see if there's a connection between the handler and the dog,” said Lefever.
The kennel started off with vizslas. But “I picked the beagles when I was little,” said Lefever, who bred Mako.
Lefever, who has been working with dogs since age 3 and showing since age 7, said that's not unusual for the people involved at this level of competition.
“I'm not nervous because I already know the atmosphere at Westminster,” she said. “I would love to keep going back.”
