Rockville Centre Dog Wins at Westminster Dog Show

Marie Forgach’s entry into the dog show world happened almost entirely by chance. When the 26-year Rockville Centre resident agreed to purchase her friend's Portuguese Water Dog, she said she had no idea that it would someday become a champion. But that’s just what happened.

Forgach’s dog, Oz, was named Best in Breed at the Westminster Dog Show on Feb. 14 at Madison Square Garden. The title elicited a range of emotions from his owner.

“Surprise was a big one,” Forgach said. “They’re all beautiful dogs in the ring at the Garden. They’re all champions. We were just delighted that he won.”

The success represented a long journey for Oz. Bred by Jane Freeman, the dog was supposed to live at a “show home.” When that fell though, Forgach took him on with the agreement that she would let Freeman enter Oz in shows. The breeder already owned one male Portuguese Water Dog and, as a general rule, two males are not kept in the same house together.    

“This is Jane’s passion,” Forgach said. “Oz’s father won Westminster three times. (Jane) thought he was a very nice dog. She would have kept him. She was very happy that I was going to allow her to show him in breed.”

After competing in smaller shows and amassing points along the way, Oz was bestowed with titles of distinction.

“His first dog show (was when) he was seven and a half months old at the Planting Fields (Arboretum),” Forgach said. “It was a smaller show and he did very well there. We continued to show him (until) his championship and than we sporadically showed him and he wound up being a grand champion.” 

Oz was entered in the Westminster Dog Show lottery and was selected to compete. Once in the show, he was judged on how close he was to the “standard of the breed,” according to Forgach.

“Quite honestly, I don’t really understand how they come to a decision most of the time,” she said. “Sometimes you look at the ring and you wonder why they picked what they did.”    

While Oz does have a professional groomer and handler, Forgach said that no formal training was given to the dog prior to the show. The owner expects Oz to be bred shortly, passing on his champion genes to new generations.

Forgach has not decided whether Oz will enter next year’s Westminster Dog Show. She does intend to show him in smaller events.

Although he’ll occasionally go out on the show circuit, Oz will primarily serve as a pet to the Forgach family.

“He sleeps in bed with us,” she said. “He travels with us. One of the things I like to do with him is take classes. We take obedience and agility classes. We have fun together.”