Chaz, a 3-year-old papillon, likes playing with a ball, riding in the car and munching on treats like any other dog.
But unlike ordinary pooches, Chaz is one of 16 award-winning dogs from Hawaii contending for the "Best in Show" title at the world-famous Westminster Kennel Club’s 137th Annual All Breed Dog Show in New York City, Feb. 11-12.
Chaz’s official title is actually GCH (grand champion) Nightfire’s Love Letter, and he’s competing at Westminster for the first time.
"It’s a very prestigious dog show," said Chaz’s owner, Brooke Hernandez of Kunia. "It’s a goal I’ve had, to find the right dog, and he’s the first dog I’ve had that I felt we’re going to be competitive."
The Westminster dog show dates back to 1877, making it second only to the Kentucky Derby as America’s longest-running, continuously held sporting event.
At this year’s competition, 2,721 dogs representing 187 breeds and varieties from throughout the globe will be vying to be named top dog, marking the largest field in 15 years.
Last year, only seven canines from Hawaii competed, and the year before that, five were in the show.
Westminster is considered a benchmark of achievement for many dog show participants, according to James and Maria Sakoda of Kailua.
The Sakodas are co-owners of Cinders, a wire-haired dachshund that placed first in the hound group at Westminster last year, which they consider a crowning achievement.
"To me it was kind of like I won the Super Bowl," said Maria Sakoda.
Cinders, whose full title is GCH (grand champion) Raydachs Playing With Fire V Gleishorbach, first had to beat out all the other dachshunds before moving on to the finals of the hound group, which includes Norwegian elkhounds, afghans and whippets.
She impressed judges last year with her beautiful profile and spunk.
"Her tail never stops wagging," said James Sakoda.
The Sakodas, who co-own Cinders with Shirley Ray of Texas, fell in love with dachshunds, which were originally bred in Germany to hunt badgers.
They own Cinders’ mother, Heidi, and compete in local shows with Cinders’ younger brother, Kaiser.
In the months leading up to Westminster, Cinders spent most of her time in Corpus Christi, Texas, where she had the opportunity to compete in more AKC dog shows than in the isles.
Also key is having the right handler in the ring, according to the Sakodas, who, with Ray, chose Cheri Koppenhaver to handle Cinders at Westminster.
They described the New York show as very competitive with high stakes, although there are no cash prizes. The winner of "Best in Show" gets a silver bowl, and the other winners get ribbons, but there is the prestige of the title and a place in the record books.
The Sakodas consider themselves "small fish" compared with competitors who fly their dogs around in private jets and invest in advertising to promote their pooches.
They said they simply love dachshunds, and so placing first in the hound category last year came as a pleasant surprise.
There’s also a little luck involved, according to James Sakoda, because the judges’ picks are anyone’s guess. Many contestants do extensive homework on the judges before going.
Westminster invites the best-in-breed winners and top five champions in each breed at AKC-licensed shows. Other AKC-registered dogs can apply for entry if they accumulate enough points from shows.
For competitors in Hawaii, the challenges of entering the Westminster show include the travel and distance to New York, as well as cold weather. Also, with only about one show a month, Hawaii dogs have fewer opportunities to compete unless they travel to mainland competitions where they can rack up points.
"It’s a real expensive hobby," said Barbara Peach of Pupukea Ridge Kennels, which breeds Rhodesian ridgebacks. "You have to be showing every single weekend."
Peach, whose dog Ikaika took "Best in Breed" at Westminster in 2010, plans to go as a spectator this year to watch one of Ikaika’s offspring compete.
She remembers trying to put booties on her dog while walking in the icy streets of New York, but he would have none of it.
The cost of hiring a handler could be about $100,000, plus a bonus if the dog wins any awards. At a competition like Westminster, only professional handlers go into the arena.
"Going to Westminster with your dog is most dog breeders’ dream," said Peach. "It’s a very, very prestigious win."
IN PREPARATION for the competition, Hernandez has been practicing with Chaz every day. He’s drilled in the "stack," or pose, in which he needs to stand correctly to show off his profile, and a walk and turn to demonstrate his gait.
According to Hernandez, it all starts with having a good dog bred to the meet the breed’s standards.
"You have to start off with a good dog, and to get a good dog, you have to know what you’re looking for," she said.
Considerations include bone structure, proper coat and markings. The dog’s personality is also a factor, she said.
She got Chaz from a breeder in Germany, who will fly to New York to be the dog’s handler at Westminster.
"He’s a very happy and playful dog," she said. "He’s not afraid of people and he loves to play."
Hernandez, a closed-caption writer for television shows, considers the competition more of a hobby than a career. She does it out of a passion for papillons, which she fell in love with for their dainty grace and distinctive ears, which earned them their name. (Papillon is French for "butterfly.")
She eventually developed relationships with papillon breeders and found mentors on the mainland for proper grooming and other tips for raising a champion.
On the day of a competition, she wakes at 4 a.m. to start grooming Chaz, making sure his ears are properly brushed out.
Last March, Chaz won an award of merit at a National Papillon Show in Seattle.
If Chaz wins his round against other papillons at Westminster, he’ll go on to compete against dogs in the toy group, which includes chihuahuas, pomeranians and Yorkshire terriers.
Last year’s "Best In Show" winner — a Pekingese named Malachy — came from the toy group.
Why does she do it?
"For the love of dogs," said Hernandez. "I just love dogs. I think they’re such fascinating creatures because of their intelligence and what they can do — whether as show dogs, therapy dogs or service dogs. They’re truly man’s best friend."
