Our Pets: Champion Portuguese Water Dogs
We are proud owners of two champion Portuguese Water Dogs: Olivia and Brutus, known to the American Kennel Club as CH Aviator's Small Craft Warning, AOM and CH Aviator's Dom Perignon.
We were overjoyed when "Lady Bug," Olivia's daughter, won Best of Breed at the 2009 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. It was great to see her on national TV. It was also nice to see our names as co-breeders on the Westminster web site.
Olivia
Olivia was born on November 19, 2003. She adopted us at the end of January 2004. Because of maturing or the heat of summer, Olvia has put away many of her puppy behaviors and began acting more like a dog.
In May at 6 months old, Olivia won Best of Opposite Sex in a southern California dog show.
The first week of October 2004 was the Portuguese Water Dog Nationals in Oregon. Olivia won 1st place for puppies 9-12 months old. For that age group, she was the best PWD in the nation.
The following week was the Northern California regionals in Pleasanton. There she won Winner's Bitch for all age groups.
At the end of January 2005, Olivia was in the Golden Gate Kennel Club show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. There she won Best of Breed - Exhibitor's.
At the Sacramento Kennel Club show in March 2005, Olivia won Winner's Bitch (her second major) and 4 more points toward champion.
At the Los Angeles County 5 meet Memorial Day Weekend 2005 shows, Olivia gained another Winner's Bitch and Best of Breed - Exhibitor's, giving her 2 more points.
At the Sacramento Dog Fanciers, in Oct 2005, Olivia won Best of Breed, her third major and enough points to make champion. Her registered name is now Champion Aviator's Small Craft Warning.
On March 14, 2006 Olivia gave birth to eight puppies. Cathy and Mike Dugan's Anchor, also a champion, is the daddy. The puppies were due on St. Patrick's day, so they have Irish themed registered names. All the puppies were born healthy and they eating very well -- gaining a lot of weight. One of Olivia's puppies, Lady Bug, ended 2008 as the number two Portuguese Water Dog in the country. Another puppy, Dickie, was number four.
In September of 2007, Olivia was entered in the Portuguese Water Dog nationals. This was to help publicize her for her puppies planned for early in 2008. She advanced through her events ending up with an Award of Merit and an automatic invitation to Crufts in England, the largest dog show in the world! This made her one of the top 10 Portuguese Water Dogs in the country and one of two best females in the country.
In May of 2008, Olivia had her second litter. For more information on purchasing a puppies, see
www.aviatorkennel.com. Olivia's puppies have all found new homes.
Brutus
Responding to a plea by Cathy Dugan, we added Brutus in January of 2005. He was born on November 27, 2004. Brutus is the son of Cathy's Portuguese Water Dog, Anchor, and Olivia's sister, Belle. Brutus was 50% larger than any of the other puppies in the litter. By May of 2005, he weighed more than Olivia.
Brutus' first show was regionals in Oct 2005. He got 2 second places and 2 third places.
When we have taken Brutus to dog shows as a spectator, we have yet to see a bigger Portuguese Water Dog than he is.
Brutus is a daddy! His puppies, carried by Coco, were born on March 24, 2006.
On the weekend of May 27-28, 2006, Brutus won Best of Breed twice at the Hangtown Kennel Club Dog Show.
On October 21, 2006, Brutus won Winner's Dog at the Northern California Regionals, giving him his second major and more than enough points for his champion. The AKC now knows him as Champion Aviator's Dom Perignon. Several of Olivia's and Brutus' puppies were entered in this show.
In 2007, Brutus was "fixed", but his sperm is on ice for future fathering of litters.