A former Oxford resident has a champion show dog living in her Augusta, West Virginia home.
Laura Hughes Edwards, a 1981 OHS graduate, is the proud co-owner of Niko, a 4-year-old English Springer Spaniel who recently earned Canadian Grand Champion status.
He’s now rated as the Number Three English Springer Spaniel in Canada. He’s working to become Number One.
‘I love the breed,? said Edwards, who began showing dogs at the age of 16. ‘Their temperament is wonderful for families.?
Niko earned his elite status by winning at two shows in one day in Calgary, Canada ? the English Springer Spaniel Club of Canada’s National Speciality and an all-breed show conducted by the Alberta Kennel Club.
He went into the shows with 10 points and earned 10 more to become a Canadian Grand Champion.
Niko won ‘Best in Specialty? at the National Specialty by beating out 57 other English Springer Spaniels ranging in age from 6 months to 13 years, according to Edwards, who’s the daughter of Oxford residents Jim and Diane Hughes.
‘The judge, who was from Australia, just loved him,? she said. ‘She told me she couldn’t keep her eyes off of him . . . He was the best one there, in her opinion.?
Edwards has owned about seven English Springer Spaniels, but Niko is in a class by himself.
‘He’s probably the best one that I have had,? she said. ‘His personality (is friendly) . . . There’s no aggression. There’s no hostility towards people, children, dogs, cats. He’s an all-around ambassador (for the breed).?
‘Back in the 1990s, English Springer Spaniels got a bad rap, which they called Springer Rage (Syndrome),? Edwards noted. ‘They said they were very aggressive dogs, very mean dogs. But it’s all about how they’re raised (like with any other breed).?
Niko currently has 13 points toward becoming an American Grand Champion. He needs a total of 25, so accumulating those points is now the focus.