CASPER, Wyo. — For years, local dog owner Shelby Shank and her Australian Shepherd Sansa have been impressing dog show judges across the country. This year, the duo have earned a spot in the most prestigious dog competition in the world: the Westminster Dog Show.
Shank was introduced into the world of dog training and competitions as a young child, as her mother was a dog breeder and judge throughout her childhood. Growing up around dogs and dog shows, she naturally developed a love for each, and ultimately decided to become a breeder and trainer herself as an adult.
“I got into it when I was three, and have been doing it ever since,” she said. “Even when I was really young, I’d help my mom bring them in, dock their tails — that sort of thing.”
These days, Shank is a veteran of the dog competition world, recognized as an American Kennel Club Breeder of Merit and qualified to judge competitions herself.
Shank said she likes to begin training and competing with dogs while still young, usually starting with them at eight weeks old.
“I’m a firm believer that the faster you start [training the dogs], the easier they’ll be able to absorb what you’re teaching them,” Shank said.
Training involves instilling the routines and routes of a show in her dogs until they become second nature to them. On weekends, she works with them on ignoring the distractions that are sure to be plentiful at competitions.
Shank’s dogs also get hands-on experience with shows, as she begins entering competitions at the same time that she starts training them at two months old.
Over the years, Shank has seen excellent results with several canines, but none of her dogs have had the same level of success as Sansa.
Born in late 2018, Sansa comes from a winning lineage, as her father was a Best in Show winner himself. Very quickly, Sansa began to show that even among Shank’s other award-winning dogs, she was special.
“She’s definitely one of the very best we’ve ever bred,” Shank said. “She’s got a beautiful and effortless side gait, she has an unbelievably sweet and easy temperament and she picked everything up so well.”
Shank added that there are several factors judges look at completely outside of the animal’s control, such as the shape of their ears, the positioning of their eyes and more. As it would turn out, Sansa also excels there.
Two years ago, Sansa became Shank’s first dog to be crowned National Best in Breed. Shank said she earned the title while competing against well over 100 other dogs from across America. From there, accolades continued to come, in competitions both with the AKC and the Australian Shepherds Club of America.
Sansa’s excellence culminated this year with an invitation to the famed Westminster Dog Show, to be held in New York City in May.
Shank said Sansa qualified for the Westminster Dog Show after a panel of judges reviewed her qualifications and found that she had more than enough merit to warrant entry in the elite competition. Other dogs can automatically qualify for the show by being in the top five of their breed, based on results from the past year of competition.
This year, Sansa finds herself in the highest echelon of competition shepherds in the world.
This competition year, Sansa is a multiple-time Best in Show winner and has racked up multiple other stellar showings.
This is Shank’s first time taking a dog to the event.
Shank said she will attend with her whole family — including her mother, who helped her get into dog training all those years ago. Shank added that she hopes above all else to enjoy the experience and have fun with Sansa and her mother.
“It’s considered the Super Bowl of dog competitions,” Shank said with a smile. “It’s a huge deal. We’re stoked.”
Shank isn’t letting her excitement get in the way of being as prepared as possible, though. She said she and Sansa have been hard at work preparing for what will be the biggest competition of their lives.
Shank knows Westminster will have more distractions than Sansa has ever seen before, and she is getting creative in ways to help prepare the pup.
“Because Westminster is all broadcast, there are cameras everywhere. To help [Sansa] get used to that, we’re actually building a contraption that will mimic a camera since part of it involves going down and back, and basically walking right into the camera so the people at home see exactly what the judges see,” she said. “Each year, there are some dogs that freak out because they aren’t used to the camera, and I don’t want Sansa to be one of them.”
Sansa is also continuing to compete in the lead-up to Westminster, and will be at a show this coming weekend.
“For me the best part is the connection you develop with the dogs,” Shank said. “That’s why I never understand people who send their dogs to professional handlers to train them — they’re missing out on the most fun part.”
