Pickle the puppy is the offspring of a French bulldog mother named Slava Ukraini, who escaped the war in Ukraine just before the shelling began.
From her original home in Kyiv in the heart of Ukraine, Pickle traveled to Moscow, then Los Angeles, then Vancouver, before reaching her destination in the arms of her Prince George owner, Dawn Trusty, who had a bed waiting when she arrived at the family acreage near Tabor Lake where she breeds German shepherds.
“She was snuck out,” said Trusty. “I got to know the breeder in Ukraine and we developed a relationship and when things started gong very badly in their country, she was like, ‘Take this dog, please,’ so we got her out just before the war,” said Trusty, who has since lost all contact with her Ukrainian breeder.
Now 16 months old, Pickle is competing in the non-sporting dog category this weekend at the Prince George Kennel Club – her first dog show - which returns this weekend to the Exhibition Park Livestock Arena after a three-year absence due to the pandemic.
Pickle came from established breeder in Ukraine and has the European standard paperwork to back that up which shows her heath was tested from top to bottom.
“That’s what we try to do as good breeders, to ensure that what we give you is going to last a long time and be healthy and be a wonderful member of your family,” said Trusty, vice-president of the P.G. Kennel Club.
All dogs in the show are purebreds. The concept of dog shows is to find the dog which best represents a particular breed and to preserve those traits for future generations by rewarding the best examples of each breed.
There are two shows each day Saturday and Sunday and each is divided into seven categories – sporting dogs, toys, hounds, working dogs, terriers, herding dogs and non-sporting dogs. The category champions compete against the champions of the other categories for the best-in-show prize.
Trusty highly recommends prospective dog owners come to the show this weekend to talk to the owners and handlers and learn more about the characteristics of each type of breed.
“Anyone who’s interested in getting a dog should come down and talk to the breeders and the handlers, and they will tell you everything about these dogs and then you can make a really good informed decision and buy from a reputable breeder,” said Trusty. “Then you know what you’re going to get.”
Selene Maxwell did her homework before she bought Echo, a giant schnauzer believed to be only example of that particular breed in Prince George.
“I fell in love with these (giant schnauzers) at a dog show,” said Maxwell, who has Echo entered in the working dog category. “My husband and I got a book, we got a shortlist from the book of breeds, I went to dog shows and I saw them. Once I saw what I liked, I found a breeder and I sat on the couch until he decided to get me a dog.
“Even if you’re going to the pound to get a dog, do your research. We, of course, love our purebred dogs. But there’s also a place for mixed breeds, just know what you’re getting.”
A total of 130 dogs shown by exhibitors from B.C. Alberta and Yukon are entered in the three-day event. The Prince George show is among several regional shows that go on throughout the year in B.C.
The shows are on from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission is free. Spectators are not allowed to bring their pets to the show.
