It's Westminster or bust for Rockford-area woman and her dog Tank
Sara Degenhardt is only 39, and she's already crossing "bucket list" items off.
She will show her prized Swedish Vallhund, Tank, at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show held May 8 and 9 in New York.
"This is kind of a bucket list item," she said. "I've always wanted to go to Westminster. Even as a little girl, this has been a dream of mine."
More: Rockford woman will show her prized Neapolitan Mastiff at Westminster
However, reality will be slightly different from her dream. Degenhardt has owned and been partial to German Shepherd Shelties for years. If she were to show any dog at Westminster it would be one of her Shelties, or so she thought.
That changed nearly four years ago when she was attending a dog training class ran by Tank's breeder, Telah Garwacki, owner of K9 Junction in Davis Junction.
Degenhardt said Tank was part of a litter of Swedish Vallhund puppies and was given to her by Garwacki.
"I had just lost one of my Shelties when (Tank) was born, and she really wanted me to have him. It was just a total stumble into kind of thing."
Her good fortunes didn't end there. Garwacki also agreed to mentor Degenhardt and is traveling with her to Westminster as she too will be showing a dog.
So what's special about Swedish Vallhunds?
They have a history that dates back over 1,000 years, but are still relatively rare outside of their native Sweden. Degenhardt said Tank will be one of only six Swedish Vallhunds competing at Westminster.
The bushy-tailed dogs are about 12 to 14 inches tall, weigh 20 to 30 pounds and are considered athletic and highly intelligent as they are often used on farms for herding sheep and cattle.
Degenhardt, a Pecatonica resident, said of Tank, "He used to herd my chickens."
Tank and all the dogs at Westminster will be judged on American Kennel Club's breeding standards, which takes into account the dog's structure, gait and temperament.
"They even have a requirement for their coats to not be too clean," Degenhardt said of the Swedish Vallhunds. "They're a farm dog, and they're supposed to be farm fresh."
Degenhardt, a dog groomer at Spiffy Pets Grooming in Machesney Park, said the Westminster showing is not only a learning experience for Tank, but her, too.
She's been learning the finer points of how to show a dog from Tracy Regole, owner of Bunker Hill Dog Training in German Valley.
"She taught us ring patters and how to get him to stand and move the way I need him to move without really exaggerating my self and how to position him at the best angle toward the judge," Degenhardt said. "There's a lot of nuance to it that I had to learn because I have two left feet."
Regardless of how the Westminster showing goes, Degenhardt said she is a fan of the Swedish Vallhund for life.
"They're all friendly," she said. "They're good with all other dogs and good with people. You never get a mean bone out of any of them. They're just super sweet dogs."
Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Westminster bound: Tank is a rare Swedish Vallhund from the Rockford-area
