Thunder Bay-trained dog wins at the Westminster Dog Show

THUNDER BAY — Frankie, a bull terrier, is returning home with a big prize from the most famous dog show in the world.

She was declared the best of her breed on Tuesday at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York.

Because she was chosen the top terrier in the competition, three-year-old Frankie also became one of seven finalists for the overall title of "best in show," which ultimately went to a miniature poodle. 

Owner Sarah Byzewski, a resident of Rosslyn, has had bull terriers all her life.

She said Frankie has won plenty of other awards at dog shows in the U.S. and Canada, but she had no expectation her dog would do so well this time.

When asked why she thinks Frankie made such an impression, she replied "She's just fun. She goes out there and has a great time. We think she's beautiful, and I guess other people are seeing her virtues, for our breed. She's just had an amazing year."

A story about the seven finalists in the New York Times noted that terriers – the dominant group in the history of the Westminster Dog Show – "have plenty of dogs that are somewhere between delicate and nervous. But Frankie . . . stood out in her very crowded group by looking like she could easily wrestle toys away from the other dogs at the park. Maybe Canada's cold winters have toughened her up?"

Byzewski and her husband obtained Frankie as a pup from a California breeder in 2021, but she has trained the dog by herself.

"It's been a lot of practice, and yeah, just that special bond with your dog, to go out and have fun. Our motto is we pretend we're good at it and we just go out there and have fun, and whatever happens happens."  

The pair may also have stood out in Tuesday's Best In Show lineup because of their work as a team.

"In Best In Show, a lot of it is professional handlers, top handlers from around the country and sometimes the world, and we were the only owner-handled duo . . . so I've been told," Byzewski said.

Before Frankie returns to Thunder Bay to show off her biggest prize to date, she'll compete in another dog show this weekend in Baltimore.