New Lenox Woman's Rottweiler Headed To Westminster Dog Show

NEW LENOX, IL — Otis, a 3-year-old Rottweiler owned by New Lenox resident Melissa Buehler, will head to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Sunday. Otis is the American Kennel Club's No. 8 ranked Rottweiler in the country.

Buehler and her husband have lived in New Lenox for over 20 years, and Otis is her third show dog.

Buehler told Patch that Otis was born to a litter of 13 puppies from a breeder outside of Kalamazoo, Michigan. His AKC registered name is GCHS CH Brzustowicz's Gladstone Gentlemen, CGC TT.

Buehler said Gladstone is the town in upper Michigan where her parents were born and raised. GCHS stands for grand champion silver, and Otis has the titles of CGC and TT for Canine Good Citizen and Temperament Tested.

Buehler said Otis started dog shows when he was 6 months old, and earned his championship and grand championship at 15 months and 17 months old, respectively.

"Otis is now 3 and a half years old, is my sixth Rottweiler, my third show dog and lives with my ever understanding husband and I at home with my other two dogs, who are also Rottweilers and three cats," she said. "As with any type of dog, especially working dogs, I started him at a young age with obedience training and plenty of socialization and stimulation...so he could become the all around well-behaved dog that he is today."

Buehler said Otis has a personality like "Donkey" from the movie "Shrek." He is very happy, lovable, sociable and easygoing.

The Westminster dog show is like the Oscars of the dog world, Buehler said. The top five dogs of every breed are invited every year, and then the rest can enter via a lottery system which is then reviewed by the AKC.

To win their breed competition, a dog has to beat out all the other entered dogs, and then move to group competition, where they eventually move up to compete for Best in Show.

"The best of the best is there always, and it is such a beautiful and tough competition," she said.

The 145th annual Westminster dog show will be held June 12 to 13 in Tarrytown, New York. The event is not open to spectators this year, but the Best in Show competition will be broadcast live on FOX.