A Kingfield couple’s dog didn’t make Best in Show at the Westminster Dog Show this week, but the dog’s owner said Wednesday that she is proud of her pooch just the same.

“Our goal was just to come home with a ribbon,” said Valarie Cheimis, owner of Csoki, a six-year-old black Hungarian Puli.

The Westminster Dog Show, held annually in New York City, features more than 2,500 canines from all over the country.

According to the American Kennel Club, a three-year-old miniature poodle named Sage, from Houston, Texas, took top honors on Tuesday.

Csoki presented himself to the judges on Monday, and took home an award of merit. Cheimis called Csoki’s winning the award “fabulous.”

Cheimis and her husband, Gary Cheimis, moved up to Maine last year from Atlanta. They have been breeding Hungarian Pulis since 2017.  

A herding dog, Pulis are known for their distinctive hair, which is double-coated. That means, Cheimis said, the undercoat tangles with the top coat, resulting in what looks like dreadlocks. The look, she said, prompts people to call them “Rasta dogs.”

But the hair, Cheimis warns potential owners, is not easy to work with. For example, when they need bathing, it’s an operation, particularly afterward when they need to dry. It can take up to 24 hours, and that’s with the help of fans and a dehumidifier.

“People will not understand the maintenance that’s required,” she said.

Csoki, Cheimis said, has a good demeanor, and enjoys being on display.

“He loves people, so yes, because he gets attention,” she said. “He’s happy wherever.”

Cheimis said she has been to Westminster twice before, with other dogs. Csoki, aside from appearing in enough shows to be labeled a champion at about a year old, had been content to stay at home and play on the family farm for the past few years. It was only recently, she said, that she started showing him again.

During the qualifying judging in 2023 for this year’s Westminster show, Csoki made it into the top five for his breed, earning him an automatic invite. Cheimis said they arrived on Sunday, showed on Monday, and drove for seven hours to get back home on Monday night.

“It was kind of a whirlwind trip,” she said. 

According to the club, the winning poodle’s owner has been appearing at the show for the past 45 years. Cheimis said most Best in Show winners appear frequently at other shows leading up to Westminster – campaigning, she said it’s called.

Since Cheimis wasn’t doing that with Csoki, she said she was thrilled just to see her pup make it to the show, and taking home a ribbon was plenty rewarding.

Cheimis said she expected she and Csoki would be back at the show in future years.