Rufus, the Bull Terrier, Westminster's 2006 Best in Show; Interview with Co-Owner Barbara Bishop

Every now and then, a special dog comes from out of nowhere to surprise even those who know him best. Rufus is one such dog. Rufus, registered name Ch Rocky Top's Sundance Kid, made Westminster Dog Show history in 2006 as the first colored Bull Terrier to win Best in Show. His co-owner, Barbara Bishop, shared her thoughts in an interview focusing on Rufus's career and what it's really like to live with a champion show dog.

Rufus was born April 8, 2000 at Rocky Top Bull Terriers in Hixon, Tennessee. Rufus was colored and his breeder, Rocky Top Bull Terriers, was more interested in White Bull Terriers; that meant Rufus was eligible to be sold to another Bull Terrier enthusiast.

Barbara and her husband Tom didn't exactly pick Rufus out: "A friend knew we were looking for a red male and she had seen a photo of him and fell in love with him, but she could not keep him at her house, so she asked us if we wanted to co-own him. We said yes," says Barbara. "When we got down to Tennessee, we were in awe, he was amazing. We thought he was gorgeous."

Apparently, so did all the judges who saw him.

Rufus, Barbara and Tom, from Holmdel, N.J., spent every weekend for a year working with a young Rufus in handling class at Kindred Souls in Howell, New Jersey. Barbara joked about her experience working with Rufus in the beginning, "He just about broke my arm. He was a maniac! I never thought he would learn how to walk correctly. He was a very stubborn Bull Terrier! I never dreamed Rufus would be the dog he turned out to be, I had a feeling he could be, but one never knows."

Rufus turned out to be an even more exceptional dog than the Bishops had hoped for. "Rufus was called the 100 year dog," recalls Barbara. "He had just about every point of the Bull Terrier standard rolled together in one package. It's pretty hard to do. Rufus' litter was an amazing litter. The Bull Terrier people were very impressed with the quality of that litter. All his litter mates ruled the ring, but none like Rufus. The first time Rufus walked into a ring he won, and he kept winning. There were very few judges world wide that did not agree that he was the greatest Bull Terrier they had ever seen. And I am talking fellow Bull Terrier breeder Judges, which is a great, great honor. The all round judges also saw it. Which made it even more glorious."

The competitive nature of conformation showing requires a good handler to bring out the best in a dog. "If a dog's handler is not good, it goes right down the leash to the dog and the dog looks bad." Barbara explains. "Some judges overlook it; they are supposed to judge the dog, but when it effects the dog, then, oh well."

Judges at a conformation dog show, like Westminster, score each dog according to his breed standard. It's important for the dog to look, act and move according to his breed's standard, but a dog also needs to enjoy being in the ring.

"If the dog is not enjoying what it is doing, it is very obvious and it comes through. A great show dog has to be on. Days when Rufus was not on, we were penalized by the very same judges that rewarded us so greatly in the end." Barbara went on to say, " Some days if Rufus was really on we were great. I always tried to make it fun. I do know that at Westminster the night Rufus won, it was magical. Rufus and Kathy Kirk (his handler), worked like they never had before. Rufus was possessed. He knew exactly what he was doing. He was in it to win it." Barbara had put Kathy on Rufus, because, as she explained it, "Some days I did not show him so well."

Like most Westminster winners, Rufus retired from the dog show ring after his BIS win. But it wasn't in his nature to sit around the house with nothing to do. Barbara, who is a retired paramedic, introduced Rufus to the life of a therapy dog, which is perfect for a dog who loves people. "Rufus likes to keep busy. That was one of the reasons we got involved with therapy work. We were blessed and wanted to give back in some way, he was bored and this was a perfect fit." According to Barbara, Rufus is moving a little bit slower these days, but he wouldn't think of missing his weekly visits to the Nursing Home to see all of his friends. And in May, he'll be taking time out of his busy schedule to make a stop at the Legion of Valor United States of America, Inc. at their yearly convention.

Now that he's retired, Rufus likes some junk food now and then. "His favorite junk food goodies range from McDonald's dollar cheese burgers to Dunkin munchkins. He is a pretty cheap date." And, according to Barbara, Rufus is just like any active and healthy dog who, "Still does naughty things if we leave him home."

In between his therapy work and relaxing at home, Rufus has found time to pass on his winning genes. "Rufus has 47 kids worldwide. His grandchildren in England have been top stud dogs and show dogs, so many champions. A great-grandson won Silverwood this year," says Barbara. Two of his daughters, Sarafina and Clio, have been having their own success in the show ring and two of Sarafina's daughters are getting ready to start their own careers this spring.

Rufus's accomplishments in the show ring remain unmatched by any Bull Terrier, colored or white, in the history of the breed. He has over 750 titles, which include 35 all-breed Best in Shows. Rufus won the Triple crown, as Barbara calls it, in 2005 and 2006, consisting of wins at Morris & Essex Kennel Club show (only held every five years), The National Dog Show Presented by Purina, and Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Rufus is the only dog to have won the National Dog Show and Westminster. "He had already broken all the records for Bull Terrier wins in the USA. The foreign titles put him over the top. He also won the BTCA (Bull Terrier Club of America) Stud dog of the year trophy two years in a row."

I asked Barbara what her favorite memory of Rufus was during his career. Not surprisingly, with a dog as exceptional as Rufus, she has more than just one memory. "My favorite moments during his show career would have to be when I handled him to his two BTCA National Specialty wins. He was poetry in motion. His BIS at Great Western Terrier Show in California - big surprise. His two Group Ones at the AKC Eukanuba Shows - very unexpected. His BIS and Group win at Morris & Essex - almost fainted for the group win. The National Dog Show Group and BIS - the lights kept going off, got very late. Westminster Terrier Group - we were not the favorite to win, unbelievable! Westminster BIS - every dog show persons dream come true, that will be what I remember on my deathbed."

One dog to watch at this year's Westminster is a son of Clio's, (grandson of Rufus) who will be making his debut in his own right as a champion. His name is Ch. Caben Sundance to the Muse-ic at Bullful. His call name is Jeff. Barb and Tom will be anxiously sitting on the sidelines for this Westminster, as we all watch to see who this year's Best in Show will be.

Rufus has his own Facebook page for those of you who would like to follow him.

Source: Barbara Bishop via email, January 29, 2010

Legion of Valor, legionofvalor.com

See You at Silverwood, Bull Terrier Club of Tampa Bay