Greenville dog owner Ann Elise Bouchard and her Rhodesian Ridgeback Lucius
A local canine is gearing up to take part in the most famous dog show in the world – the 145th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
But for 5-year-old Lucius, strutting his stuff under glaring lights and the withering eye of hard to impress judges is all in a day’s work.
Already a national champion, the handsome Rhodesian Ridgeback has impressed countless audiences at competitions throughout his young life – just by being himself.
“Trust me, we don’t do anything special to train Lucius for dog shows. He’s just a sweet, wonderful dog – even tempered and happy. He also has the look and the walk that I guess the judges like,” said owner and Greenville resident Ann Elise Bouchard.
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| Lucius, 'Two for the Show,' wins a 5 point major in 2018 |
While some dog owners hire a team of specialists to train and ready their pet for shows – think chiropractors, conditioning trainers, groomers – Bouchard doesn’t do anything special beyond keeping Lucius active, fed and loved.
Most days this time of year you can spot the 87-pound, brown-haired hound with Bouchard at the dog park in Wilmington’s Rockford Park. Or you might bump into him on the Alapocas Run or Jack Markell Trails – even sniffing the flowers at the city’s Jasper Crane Rose Garden.
“I walk him at least four times a day, about seven miles each day. I’ve discovered so many beautiful parks and hidden gems in our area,” says Bouchard.
As the name implies, Rhodesian Ridgebacks hail from Africa, where the ‘fearless companions’ were originally bred to hunt lions. The characteristic ridge of hair that runs down his back is a distinctive feature of the breed.
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| Breeders look for proportions, structure, and movement at a young age to determine whether dogs like Lucius might be show quality |
The Bouchards fell in love with Rhodesians nearly a decade ago, when they adopted their first, named Doc, from a local SPCA. When Doc passed away unexpectedly in 2016, they set about looking for a new one.
An initial search among local breeders turned up nothing. But a few weeks later Whirlaway Rhodesians, an American Kennel Club registered breeder in Pennsylvania, called Bouchard to say that one puppy, already claimed by another owner, was back up for sale.
“We learned that the first owner could no longer care for Lucius due to family health concerns. Of course, we had lots of questions. But the breeder invited us to come meet the puppy, and she provided about 10 pages of statistics about his pedigree and health,” said Bouchard.
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| Lucius' mother 'Ida Belle's A Ringing' won Best of Breed at the Westminster Dog Show in 2013 |
“Every puppy in this litter had been claimed. But somehow Lucius was given back, and we fell in love with him immediately,” said Bouchard, who texted daughter Skyler multiple pics of the pup on her visit. “Lucius means ‘light,’ and we really felt that Doc sent the light to us. It was like a miracle.”
Bouchard had to sign a contract allowing the breeder to show the dog if Lucius grew to possess show qualities.
Bouchard had to sign a contract allowing the breeder to show the dog if Lucius grew to possess show qualities.
The breeder then told Bouchard two more fascinating tidbits about Lucius, a name she had already bestowed on the pup: Lucius was a progeny of the father who had actually lived 30 years ago. He was bred three decades later 'in abstentia' with Lucius' mother ‘Ida Belle's A Ringing,’ a Ridgeback that had taken first prize herself at the Westminster Dog Show just a few years ago.
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| Lucius walking the grounds at Country Methodist House in Greenville |
She spent the next six months training Lucius under the guidance of canine obedience professionals in Kennett Square.
At five months of age, Lucius was ready for his test.
“She (the breeder) came to the house and took his collar off, and she put a show leash on him and ran around the yard with him, and he was a natural,” said Bouchard.
Breeder Jen Lazowski (co-breeders Christine Kitsch and Lynn Fitzgerald) says she looked for proportions, structure, proper movement and temperament. “They have to be bold and outgoing, carry themselves in a proud, dignified manner," she tells us. "Lucius has all of these things!”
To commit fully to the dog show circuit – and her end of the bargain – Bouchard had to agree to give up time with her favorite pooch while he’s put competing. But she tries whenever possible to travel to the shows with Lucius.
Lucius works as a therapy dog for PAWS for People
He won his first show – the Philadelphia Oaks show – at 10 months of age, and he’s won every show since then except one where he came in 2nd place.
While he’s traveled to compete in Michigan, Virginia and New Jersey – all at costs absorbed by the breeder – one of the most important shows Lucius won was the 2018 Lums Pond Classic, a five-point major in Bear.
Lucius has also earned the required 15 points with two major wins to be considered a National Champion, a qualification requirement for the Westminster Dog Show.
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| Lucius joined the pet therapy team at PAWS for People in 2016 |
There’s one more rank that Lucius has earned that may be the most important of all to Ann Elise: the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Certificate. Bouchard spent the first year of Lucius' life using a variety of training methods so Lucius could earn the special certificate.
Since then Lucius has served as a therapy dog at hospitals and senior residential communities in the area. Unfortunately, pet visitations in senior homes ceased over a year ago with the onset of the pandemic.
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| Children and seniors are drawn to the friendly dog |
“He’s really the ideal dog in new, unfamiliar and familiar situations,” says Bouchard. “Absolutely nothing flusters him, not even the nervousness of another person. And wherever he is, he knows the rules. If I say, lay down, if he will lay down. My husband jokes that Lucius is our first A+ student!”
The 145th Westminster Dog Show will air live on FOX on June 12 and 13.
