Wiggins, Mississippi. The state-owned Red Star Kennel, in Moscow, developed the terrier as a working dog, with the original purpose of guarding prisons, gulags and Russian military installations during and after World War II. They’ve come a long way since. “They love people,” Charles says, noting that the strongest evidence of their Russian past is the shaggy hair covering their faces, which would have been a valuable trait during the Siberian winters. Charles began showing black Russian terriers in 1994, just one year after they were first brought to the United States. On top of regular bathing, nail trimming and teeth brushing, Charles, who also works as a manager at McDonald’s, will groom a dog three days in a row leading up to a show. “And they know when we’re getting ready for a show,” she says. “They see certain items go into the car, and they start prancing around.”
“I GOT HOOKED ON IT. IT’S LIKE AN ADRENALINE RUSH FOR ME.” Cecilia Charles
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DOG NAME: Wufus • FORMAL NAME: CH RingLeader the Rascal in the Gang BREED: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel • AGE: 5 years • OWNERS: Cheryl and Ben Schoenfeld
Meet the Brood Ben Schoenfeld, like most owners at a dog show, is a hobbyist. And although many owners prefer to hire a professional to present their dogs in the ring, he doesn’t. “The majority of dog shows are made up of professional handlers,” says Schoenfeld, a 24-year veteran of the dog showing circuit. “Using a handler is well worth it. It’s just — I wouldn’t have any fun with someone else showing my dog.” Having fun is the whole idea, after all. Schoenfeld, who works in insurance sales, says he’s gone from “fishing to hunting to golf and now dogs,” and it’s safe to say this hobby has stuck. Ben and wife Cheryl operate RingLeader Cavaliers out of Daphne, where they breed championship-quality Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, such as the 5-yearold Wufus, above, sitting in his lap. “Wufus is just a cool dude,” Schoenfeld says. “He relaxes all the time.” But preparing Wufus for a show is anything but relaxing, which is why many are surprised to learn 52 mobilebaymag.com | august 2019
that dog shows rarely involve prize money. The day before an event, Schoenfeld bathes and grooms Wufus before slipping him into a drying coat, which the dog wears overnight in order to keep his hair in place. Depending on the show’s location and the opening ring time, the next morning could involve a 4 a.m. start, followed by hundreds of miles of driving and a handful of nights booked at a hotel. What, then, keeps drawing him back to the show ring? “We’ve met wonderful people from all over the world, and they’ve become lifelong friends,” he says. Aside from seeing well-known and beloved breeds, such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, visitors to the Gulf Coast Classic Dog Show might also encounter breeds they’ve only seen on television (or have never seen at all). The black Russian terrier, page 50, certainly falls into this category. “The Russians invented this breed,” says Cecilia Charles of Ebonies Pride kennel in
It’s a ritual that dog, and owner, can enjoy. “It’s relaxing when I take them down to my grooming room. I’ll stick a movie in and work on [the dogs] for a couple of hours, just combing them out and trimming them — it’s a break away from the hustle and bustle of the world.” While show prep can be a tranquil, solitary process, the weekend of a show, for many owners, is a social event. “You get very close to people, especially owners in your breed,” says Julie Huffine of Vancleave, Mississippi. That’s why Huffine often finds herself with owners of French bulldogs like her very own Mykha, top right, a 2-year-old grand champion. Each breed and their owners are only in the ring together for maybe 20 minutes. “The owners and handlers spend the rest of the day as friends,” says Huffine, “eating together, sitting around the ring together, barbecuing at someone’s RV. It’s like a whole new family.” Huffine, who’s shown dogs for a combined total of about 20 years, admits it’s a “very expensive hobby,” but she’s found a relatively low-maintenance breed. “There’s not a whole lot to do with a Frenchie,” she says of preshow grooming. “I’ll bathe her, trim her toe-