Showgirl shines at Westminster

Elvira, an Italian greyhound from Ventura County, was a long way from home as her paws touched down in New York City for the 147th Westminster Dog Show.

But the Camarillo canine strutted her stuff and was awarded Best in Breed for Italian greyhounds at the show.

She was shown by 25-year-old Emily White.

Emily’s parents, Jeffrey White and Darcy Della Flora, have bred, shown and loved Italian greyhounds for 40 years.

“Elvira is seal (colored),” Emily said. “But when she was born, she was very dark. So my dad thought of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark,” referring to the character played by Cassandra Peterson who hosted showings of horror films on television.

Her father said he’d decided to get Elvira when she was a very young puppy.

“We picked out Elvira at 3 weeks old, and I never do that,” said Jeffrey. “We literally kept our fingers crossed that she would turn out.”

The 4-year-old Elvira, whose AKC registered name is Sunjata’s Once Bitten, is one of the family’s top winners at dog shows, taking home numerous Best of Breed awards and group-winning accolades. Elvira has also ranked in the top five among all Italian greyhounds and all AKC breeds.

This was Elvira’s second time flying to Westminster, accompanied by Emily and her mom, while Jeffrey stayed home to dog sit.

“People from throughout the country travel to come to this show, so it’s always nice to connect with old friends,” Emily said. “And all the top dogs in the country are there, so it’s mesmerizing to see dogs that you’ve only seen online.”

She said competing alongside the biggest winners is when the nerves start to settle in. Though the 2000 mockumentary “Best in Show” portrays dog show exhibitors as nerve-wracked and frantic, Emily said, she felt calm and confident when she walked into the ring for judging.

“It’s about having as much fun as we can. . . . I’ve been showing for so long, it’s something that comes naturally,” she said. “I felt confident in the quality of my dog. I felt like she was deserving.”

As they’d hoped, Elvira took Best of Breed against all the other Italian greyhounds entered that day.

The dogs are judged on how close they come to the written standard of their breed, describing the ideal dog when it comes to appearance, movement and temperament. Judges also look at specific, physical traits unique to what each breed was bred for.

There’s no money in prizes, Jeffrey said, only ribbons, trophies and pride.

“First and foremost, all our show dogs are still our family pets,” he said. “I like everything about showing, from the whelping box to the training, and the camaraderie among other dog enthusiasts.”

Then it came time for the little dog to show with the pros in the toy group.

“She never places a foot wrong,” Emily said. “I just had to go in there and let her shine.”

Back in Camarillo, Jeffrey watched the televised event live. In the final lineup, he saw the judge point to Elvira, pulling her out from the dozens of other toy dogs.

“That was pretty exciting,” he said. “I was keeping my fingers crossed for a group placement, but getting pulled at Westminster is pretty exciting.”

Ultimately, Elvira did not place in the final decision of the toy group, but Emily said it was an honor to be chosen in the judge’s short list.

At home, Elvira enjoys the simple things, like being the center of attention. Her hobbies include digging holes and chasing gophers in the backyard.

“She’s the sweetest dog to live with,” Emily said.

“Owning a purposefully bred dog, one where you know what personality you’re getting and was bred for a function, is so valuable,” she added. “I would say not to knock purebred dogs against adopting because there’s certainly a place for both in this world.”