English springer spaniel from Spokane takes on Westminster dog show: 'One of the most loyal, loving, gentle dogs I've ever had the pleasure to love'

May 16—Marble looked mellow as she strode next to her owner, Bev Gostovich, outside their South Hill home Wednesday — seemingly unruffled by her national-stage performance this past weekend at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

The 7-year-old English springer spaniel is Gostovich's first dog to get invited to the Westminster Masters Obedience Championship, held Saturday in Flushing, New York. The show also had weekend contests for breed showcase, agility and dock-diving for 2,500-plus dogs overall.

"It's the highest, most prestigious dog show in the country. It's like going to the Oscars for dogs, because it's only by invitation after you have reached a certain amount of accomplishments," Gostovich said.

Of the utility obedience and open obedience categories, Marble did her best work in that open contest, achieving a score of 194 out of 200. The winner, a border collie named Zayne, got a 199 score, Gostovich said.

"Marble did well enough in the open to place in the middle of the pack," said Gostovich, who raises English springer spaniels through her Downs Lake Kennel.

For utility, Marble got disqualified for one mistake: a mid-way hesitation after being told to run out far from Gostovich in the ring. The second time for that same requirement, she confidently ran the distance.

However, the dogs overall must follow precise movements or get point deductions, as a judge watches them go through exercises. Some include retrieving a dumbbell with the owner's scent and following only silent hand signals.

The contest's most common breeds are border collies or golden retrievers, Gostovich added. This year, there were two English springer spaniels including Marble, but she and Gostovich were the only obedience competitors from Washington.

"Utility is the top level of obedience," Gostovich said. "Everything is precision at this level, so doing a sit that is sideways even a fraction is counted as a half a point or point off.

"There has to be precision heeling — the basis of obedience — so she has to heel with me flawlessly. There are 52 ways to fail, and only one way to pass to get it all right out of 200."

But Gostovich is proud of Marble's overall performance in a strange environment, and that her dog did qualify in the open contest, which has a set of different exercises. Dogs follow verbal or hand signals. One step requires a high jump both ways in retrieving a dumbbell.

The pair have worked toward the goal for several years, first in obedience classes at the Spokane Dog Training Club.

They began more rigorous training in November 2022. About two years ago, they started to work with professional trainer Barbara Gordon, who runs West Plains Canine School.

Getting to Westminster also required Marble placing first or second at multiple shows around Washington, Oregon and Montana to accumulate enough points to earn a national title: American Kennel Club Obedience Trial Champion.

"It's become my life," Gostovich said. "Their eagerness to please is so huge, and their heart to continue. It's boring work for the dogs; we're doing the same thing over and over. She could tell me at any moment, 'Go ahead and do it yourself.'

"They have to be very intelligent and eager to please. It's a whole personality to be just right, in order to achieve this goal."

Marble got her first obedience champion title in Lewiston, Idaho, this past April. At Westminster, she competed against 24 dogs who have attained the title six times, or up to 13 times, Gostovich said.

If it wasn't enough to be a Westminster competitor, Marble also is trained as a service dog for Gostovich.

"I had cancer several years ago, and she detects problems by scent, discriminating by using her nose to discern a problem with my equipment," said Gostovich, who wears an ostomy bag.

But that's not all Marble does for her. Gostovich has scoliosis, an abnormal curving of the spine.

"I have a bad scoliosis back, so she can pick up anything I drop and hand it to me. She helps me a lot, and having dogs has actually helped me because I continue to move, when I might have been in a wheelchair long ago."

Marble is considered a "sable" English springer spaniel for her coloring, with a burgundy undercoat and a black overlay. Gostovich said sables aren't considered officially part of the breed because of coloring requirements of typically black and white, liver and white or what's called tri-colored for either of those with limited tan markings. Sables can't be entered in a best-of-breed showcase.

Gostovich has a fondness for those sables, although she raises the breed's standard-colored dogs. Her other dog Rusti, Marble's mother, had a shot at the championship title and reached utility level. But she died unexpectedly at age 8 in September 2020 from a stroke, thought to be brought on by a neck injury.

"I did not know of the injury; they're so stoic. They keep going."

Marble keeps going, too.

"She has worked her heart out for me both at home and in the ring.

"She's one of the most loyal, loving, gentle dogs I've ever had the pleasure to love. She's totally dedicated to me, and she would do anything I'd ask. I'm very proud of how she represented the team. I couldn't ask more of her."