THE MOST TITLED WESTIE IN HISTORY
Time passes and often we forget some of our dogs who have made history
in the breed. This story is in loving memory of Can, Am, Bah, Mex, Int'l
Ch. Scottlands Fiona, Can, Am, Mex UD, Bda, Pr CDX, Bah CD, TT (Froufrou)
who has raised to stardom and contributed like few Westies to the recognition
of the breed.
January 31 will forever be marked in my memory as one of the happiest and
one of the saddest. This is the day that Froufrou was born and died. In
1980, Froufrou was whelped in Scottlands kennel (Joan Thompson) from Eng,
Am, Can Ch. Jerome of Whitebriar and Can Ch Craigievar Morag. When Joan
let me have that lovely puppy, it was my first experience in Westies and
I then knew nothing about shows.
As soon as I got Froufrou, I entered her in a puppy class. I wanted to
give my new puppy all the chances to be well socialized and happy. Very
soon, her willingness to please made quite an impression on the instructor
as she finished first in her class. Her recalls were so speedy that once,
she went right through my wide opened legs and finished centered at my
feet.. . . but behind my back. At that time, she was 4 months old. Everybody
was telling me then that a Westie, being a terrier, couldn't do well in
obedience, especially in the "real thing", meaning the obedience
ring. Besides, it was considered by all that showing a Westie in obedience
would break his true spirit and ruin him for the conformation ring.
Even if I had no experience, I didn't believe that. I read all the books
I could find on all possible subjects. We entered in other obedience classes,
and always she would come first and beat other breeds renowned for their
aptitude in that sport. We worked hard. Every day, we would practice at
least half an hour the different exercises that we were taught. Each exercise
was decomposed and done in every possible way I could imagine so the dog
would have fun, not get bored and be reliable in all kinds of situations.
For example, when she was well trained for the long sit, I used to have
all kinds of people clap their hands, walk around and over her, call her,
offer her food, throw toys, bring other dogs who would also walk around
her etc. (This paid: once, in a trial, a little 3 or 4 year old boy threw
her food behind the judge's back; she never even considered leaving her
place). Soon we were ready to enter the obedience trials. CD and CDX were
obtained in three straight trials and Froufrou averaged an impressive score
of 194.2 in 12 Open trials, being a first place qualifier 4 times. When
I learned that it was possible to get a dog World Award for finishing the
three obedience titles in less than 9 months, we rose to the challenge
and thus Froufrou obtained that award by finishing her UD within 8 months
before she was 22 months old. She was the first Westie (and I believe is
still the only one) to have won this award. At the same time, Froufrou
was also being shown in conformation in Canada, and though it was my first
experience in grooming and handling, she finished her championship with
2 Best of Breed, 3 Best of Opposite Sex and 1 Group 4 over specials. She
was the first Westie in Canada to have a dual championship.
Seeing her success in the obedience ring, I was prompted to campaign her.
Some week ends, I would come back the hands full of trophies. I used to
laugh and say that she contributed to the family income by earning her
living. The class instructor was proud of her and used to say to everybody
that she would place in the top obedience dogs in Canada that year. And
placed she did. In 1982, she finished 8th in Canada with a total score
of 241 points, which is by far the highest score obtained by a Westie.
So far, she is the only Westie to have ever placed in the top obedience
dogs in Canada, and in any other country that I know of. One of my best
memories come from winning High in Trial 3 times in all breed obedience
trials with 2 scores of 198.5 in Open B and one score of 199 in Utility
out of a possible 200.
Showing that it was possible to compete in both obedience and conformation
at the same time without ruining the showmanship, Froufrou was entered
in breed and obedience in the United States at the same time she was being
campaigned in Canada and obtained rapidly her American championship. I
didn't always handle her myself in the States. As the competition was fierce,
I turned to Barbara Partridge, a well known handler, to handle her for
her majors, which she did in her first 2 shows the same week end. I used
then to groom Froufrou myself and handle her to Barbara just at the entrance
of the ring. Some days, it was really hectic, especially on a rainy day.
I remember once when I took her all wet and muddy from the long down under
pouring rain while she had to be shown in breed in less than 8 minutes.
You think it cannot be done? Nothing was impossible for Froufrou. Running
under the tent, I grabbed the dryer, the chalk and the brush, I handled
her that time, she showed her best . . . and won Best of Breed finishing
her American championship.
Discussing with a lot of interesting people, I then learned that it was
possible to enter one's dog in other countries. That is how, having done
all that was possible to do in both Canada and United States, we came to
compete in Bermuda, and after that Puerto Rico, Bahamas and Mexico. At
that point, Froufrou was 3 years old and had one litter of five, two of
which became champions. It became more hectic than ever because I was showing
her daughter Capucine at the same time that Froufrou.
I am sometimes asked if any funny or strange things happened when I was
trialing. I can recount a couple of stories. The first was in Open with
Froufrou at an outdoor trial. The weather suddenly turned windy, and dark
clouds rolled in. The dogs were left for the "out of sight sit stay"
under the branches of a large tree. The sudden fierce wind blew several
of the branches down, some branches even landing besides the sitting dogs.
Froufrou was so confident that nothing would happen to her when I told
her to sit and stay that she never moved, even under those unpredictable
conditions.
Another adventure happened at a Kingston trial when Froufrou was shown
in Open. Again, it was an outdoor trial and this time, it was pouring rain.
Most of the dogs failed, not wanting to stay on the wet grass. An elderly
lady watching at ringside was most impressed with Froufrou, considering
the terrible weather. This lady happened to be an official of the club.
The following year, while I was campaigning Froufrou, I entered again the
Kingston trial. When we arrived, the lady excitedly came up and told me
that she had sponsored a High in Trial Trophy just for the "little
white dog" to win. I was very touched by the lady's admiration of
Froufrou but told her that we had entered UTILITY, and there were a lot
of good dogs taking the easier Novice test. Therefore, it would be very
difficult to beat everyone. These news didn't shake the lady's faith. Froufrou
came through, passing all the exercises, but was the score high enough
to beat all the other passing dogs in the trial? Yes. It was 199 out of
200 and a High in Trial. It was difficult to know who was more excited,
the elderly lady or me but when I look at the picture taken that day, I
remember one of the very happy moments I had with Froufrou.
We don't always realize how stable Froufrou was. When I was called in two
rings at the same time, or had to show both dogs in the same obedience
ring at the same time, which was often, especially in foreign countries,
another person, sometimes a complete stranger, had to handle one of them
for the long sit and down. As Froufrou was so good, she was the one selected
to impress that person and show how good Westies are. Even though I had
to give a rapid course and teach the proper French or hand commands to
the newcomer, she never failed. It is in Mexico that we were the busiest.
Over there, dogs must compete for the three obedience titles on the same
day, though the superior titles are awarded only if the lower titles are
achieved successfully. We had four shows in breed and 5 shows in obedience.
Every day, I groomed Froufrou, who was shown in conformation by Barbara
Partridge, while I handled her in CD, CDX and UD and Capucine, then aged
one year old, was handled by me in CD and CDX. You think that a dog would
suffer from all that stress? That his spirit would be doomed for the conformation
ring? No way. Froufrou finished both her Mexican an International titles,
winning 2 Group 1st and 2 Group 2nd while at the same time completing her
CD, CDX and UD. She became the most titled Westie in history with 21 titles.
One club I attended for obedience classes had a flyball box. I took it
home and Froufrou learned quickly how to operate the box. She loved catching
the ball. Because there were no other people interested in forming a team,
Froufrou could not compete, and her skills at flyball went unnoticed and
unrewarded.
Go-to-ground was also tried at an Ottawa test. Unfortunately, Froufrou
thought it was easier to get the rats above ground, rather than go through
the tunnel. But she has over the years caught two squirrels, (fortunately
I could let them go in time), showing the true terrier spirit.
People tell me that I have had a lot of luck. That is true. I was lucky
to find in Joan Thompson a responsible breeder when I was a newcomer to
the breed, lucky to be helped in my grooming by Jean Brosseau, a local
and reputable breeder, to have had the best oethologist in Quebec, Mr.
Richard Beaudet, run the puppy class, to have met Barbara Partridge who
handled Froufrou so expertly and whom Froufrou liked so much in return,
lucky to have had so many tips at shows from other breeders and handlers,
lucky to have received a special trophy thanks to the generosity of Westie
fanciers,, lucky to have had such nice articles written about us in the
Westie news and even in New Zealand. Westie people are wonderful people.
But most of all, I have been lucky to have Froufrou for 16 marvelous years.
After five years, we retired from the show ring to enjoy life at home.
Froufrou loved to romp in the yard, chase the squirrels, play in the baby
pool outside on hot days, travel with me during my vacations and explore
new tracks, sit on my lap in front of the fireplace, lie on my knees while
I watched TV or sleep on my bed. She was so strongly bonded to me that,
even if Westies love everybody, I was clearly her only master. I don't
know her any fault. She was always in my shadow and trying to please. Even
with the best vet care, she started to age rapidly after a sprain last
fall. She recovered well from her sprain, and then from a corneal ulcer
but problems kept coming up. On her last Christmas, she played one last
time with her favorite gift: a stuffed toy that she destroyed as usual
in less than five minutes. Then, she started to loose her appetite. On
the day of her 16th birthday, I came to the realization that she was weakening
rapidly and that her days were gone. It was the hardest decision of my
life. She died in my arms which was the place where she liked the most
to be. Because it was winter, I had her cremated so that I could bury her
in my garden this spring in the spot that she liked best. While I am writing
these lines, I cannot refrain from crying. Even if her daughter Can, Am,
Bda Ch Gailuron Capucine, Can Ud, Am, Mex CDX, Bda, Pr CD, TT, the second
most titled Westie in history, is still with me, the house is empty without
her.
Froufrou has made history. Since her achievements, Westies will never be
considered the same way. I hope her talent will never be forgotten.
June 24, 1996
Monique Courtois
monicour@aei.ca