ROCKLAND — Clara Gardner, of Rockland, owns and operates Harbor Hounds at 311 Park Street. This past Feb. 11 and 12 she had the privilege of her Australian Shepherd competing in the ultimate dog show, the 137th Westminster Kennel Club’s Dog Show in New York City and held in Madison Square Garden.

Gardiner’s Australian Shepherd is no stranger to dog shows. “Maine-ly’s Take It To The Limit,” call sign 'Fly,' (that’s her name) turned four years old this year. Garner entered her in her first show when she was six months and one week old.

Fly went on an eight-week circuit this last year and walked away with an AKC (American Kennel Club) Championship, an AKC Grand Championship, a CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) Championship and an American Shepherd Club of America Championship.

The show circuit took her and her handler Laura Levenauh to Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Utah, Arizona, Southern, mid- and Northern California, Oregon and Missouri.

With all that to her credit, she still had to win a lottery to get into the Westminster show.

Gardiner said it costs a small fortune to take a dog to a show, let alone a number of them.

“It takes a whole van load of things just to support the dog,” she said. “They have to have their whole spa with them. There are rooms to rent, gas, tolls, entry fees, meals and you have to pay the handler. It’s a lot. I’ve put a lot of money into that dog this year.”

Gardiner said it was an investment because it really was a privelage to own a dog like fly.

“She was born in my kitchen,” she said. “Her mother was born in my kitchen, as was her grandmother. In other words, I didn’t just go out and buy a ready made dog. I’ve been breeding and showing Aussies for 38 years though this was my first time in a Westminster show.”

Gardiner said it was time to retire Fly. Being a Westminster dog greatly increases the price of the puppies.

“Her boyfriend is all picked out and she is gong to have a family. The puppies can go for as much as 1,500 to $2,000 each, but because of her show history, most go for around $2,000, but there is a lot of testing and x-rays to ensure the dog is genetically pure.”

Gardiner has a new dog, “Hemlocks Roll The Dice” call sign "Vegas.” Vegas’s first show is March 16 in Tautin, Massachusetts.

Gardiner trained professionally on Quarter horses the first part of her life.

“I was involved with horses for around 15 to 16 years. We used shepherds on the farm to heard cattle. One day I was off the farm and downsized to dogs. Shepherds are very smart breads and they perform very well in any venue where the dog has to think for itself. They can heard anything.”

Gardiner said the breed scores high on loyalty, obedience and athletic ability.

“In all they are a very intelligent, medium sized dog.”

The logical question was what do you feed a show dog? Special diets? Vitamins and supplements? I was very surprised with her answer.

“”Purina Pro for the last 30 years is all I’ve used. I get good coats, good weight and good muscle tone.”

Gardiner has owned and operated Harbor Hounds for the last four years. Harbor Hounds specializes in doggy daycare, overnight stays, grooming and some training.

Visit Harbor Hounds, Rockland’s hotel for dogs here

The Westminster Dog Show is the second longest running sporting event held in the United States beginning in 1877. The Kentucky Derby began in 1875 making the longest running.

The winner of the show becomes “America’s Dog” and immediately embarks on a year long media tour. Westminster has been broadcast since 1946. It takes place over two days and nights every February. During the day, the dogs compete at the breed level; i.e., against other dogs of the same breed.

Each Best of Breed winner (BOB) advances into its respective group, of which there are seven groups of Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding.

Group competition is held during the evenings, and the seven group winners advance into the final competition, which one judge will select one of them as the Best In Show.

And what about that Westminster Dog Show?

“There were 43 Australian Shepherds in the competition,” said Gardiner. “All of them were Grand Champions. 39 of us were out after the first day of trials. It was a real honor just to be there and be part of it.”