PARK FALLS — The Kozak family of Eisenstein have the top American water spaniel in the country. Their dog, Smokey, was awarded Best of Breed on May 14 at the 148th Westminster Kennel Club dog show in Queens, New York. Smokey, who turns 4-years-old in August, has held the title for three years running.
Smoky is the fifth generation of his breeding stock and is not the first to get to Westminster but is the first to win “the big prize,” not just winning the group, but winning the breed, said Pamela Kozak, who owns and trains the dogs with her daughter, Kayla.
Smokey’s grandfather was top ranked in 1997. That was the first invitation to Westminster.
“Westminster is the big one,” Kozak said.
The Kozaks breed, raise and train American Water Spaniels and English setters. The family travels around the country to attend dog shows, usually by van, but immediately after Westminster, Kayla took Smokey on his first plane flight to Farmington, New Mexico for the Durango Kennel Club dog show.
Earlier this year Pamela and Kayla presented on the American water spaniel at the Royal Canin shows in Orlando, Florida. The two held an education seminar for 35 judges at the American Water Spaniel Club.
“It is our privilege to present our dogs to the fancy and the public,” Kozak said. “Being a steward of a rare breed carries with it a great responsibility to educate and enlighten.”
Dog fancy is a term to describe professionals and hobbyists who are invested in the sport of dogs in judged competitions, she said.
The family has been breeding and training dogs for more than 40 years. Their champion line is the American water spaniel, which is the Wisconsin state dog. Dr. Fred Pfeifer, a New London kennel owner, started registering his cross breeds of spaniel varieties in the 1920s and his record keeping established a breed standard and led to water spaniels becoming recognized by the American Kennel Club, according to Kozak.
The medium size breed averages 40 pounds and 18 inches. They have a dark brown coat.
“They’re small enough to fit in your family life and still be able to do the job that they’re bred to do,” she said.
Kozak was introduced to the dog by her husband. His family has raised them for nearly a century. She was looking for a smart, sharp-looking dog that would have success in the show ring, but one that she would also be able to take hunting.
“They fit the bill for both of those,” Kozak said.
Smokey loves the routine which is what makes him a champion, Kozak said. In addition to conforming to grooming, health and genetic standards, Smokey skillfully runs a left-hand circle, stands for an exam, and performs his gaiting properly on a loose lead.
Smokey’s grandfather enjoyed the competitions as well which helped win and receive the first Westminster invitation. Smokey’s father, however, performed the routines but it was clear he didn’t enjoy it. The judges notice those things, she said.
Some dogs take to it easier than others, she said. The personalities are different. Some of them have that “it factor” and it helps because the crowd and judges sense that and take to it.
“What makes Smokey so special is he was just born to do this,” Kozak said. “His first time out in the ring at six months old, he acted like he’d been there all his life. He just loved it. He thrives on the competition and the applause.”
It’s the same for the owners and trainers, she said. The owners should find the shows compelling and fit in naturally with the dog owner community and judges.
“I’m like Smokey. I was born to do this,” Kozak said. “It was my dream as a child and I’ve been doing it for a really long time and I just love being around other like-minded people and watching my dog perform and get the approval of renowned judges. Yeah. It’s just something we love to do.”
A Westminster show invitation goes to dogs that are rated among the top five in their group breed. Other dogs may be invited but being in the top five is a pretty certain invite.
There are two entry systems, she said. The all breed sporting group placement entry comes from earning points for defeating dogs at other shows. The breed system entry is an invitation based on points earned from defeating other American water spaniels in the past year.
A championship dog will earn a total 15 points by defeating other dogs at shows. Each win will earn 4 or 5 major points depending on the show. The American Kennel Club initiated another reward system for a grand championship title that Kozak said requires additional shows.
There are any number of factors in deciding which shows to attend, Kozak said. The location, the time off, which dogs will be at the show and the judges. The cash prizes are rare so choosing a show is generally an effort to win champion points.
The Kozaks are members of the English Setters Association of America and the American Water Spaniel Club. Both club memberships are a breeder of merit status through the American Kennel Club.
Kayla takes the opportunities seriously. She rented out her house and moved home to ensure her own dogs were cared for while she was out campaigning Smoky.
Kayla started showing dogs at age 5, she said. At the time the junior showmanship competition required handlers to be at least age 10 but her eagerness won the day.
“My daughter is actually the fourth generation in our family to do so,” Pam said of Kayla. “So, you know, she sacrificed a lot too.”
Kayla works from home and so is able to be flexible with her schedule. Pamela has more time now that she retired as a dog groomer for a veterinary clinic and after working 11 years as a customer service agent for St. Croix Rides.
Pamela’s husband is a retired electrician who worked at the former Park Falls paper mill. The couple have a 40 acre property on the south fork of the Flambeau River in Eisenstein that has proved an ideal setting for the dogs.
There is space for a heated kennel where each dog has its own indoor-outdoor running area to go in and out as they please. There is space for all the grooming tables and equipment, and storage for traveling equipment.
Her son trains the pups to be guide dogs from the age of six months, she said. The dogs like to swim in the river and go looking for frogs, and are great hunters with agility, keen tracking and scenting skills.
As preservation breeders the Kozaks don’t breed a dog that hasn’t passed all its health clearances. The dogs have their eyes checked at age 1, and their heart checks at age 2. There are also DNA cheek swabs to check breeding stock.
“And If they don’t pass any of those, they don’t go any further,” she said.
Most of the puppies from breeding will become pets or hunting dogs and so those health assurances are just important for those families, she said.
“We want to provide them with the healthiest pet we can, too,” she said. “Most of our puppies go to hunting homes or companion homes. “It’s a really small group of people that actually get out there and show.”
The show dogs have their own training which includes traveling with the older dogs to the shows to get accustomed to traveling the country in a van in dog crates. The dogs come to love the crates as a safe place before and after the busy shows.
“We start them out young,” Kozak said. “They travel with us so they get used to the sounds and the sights and being comfortable in their crate. That’s their safe place to be. And you have to socialize them to get them used to sounds and people and all the activities going on around them.”
The English setter is a bigger dog and despite not working with them as long the Kozaks have done well with them. One English Setter has so far won an award of merit at Westminster.
Over 40 years Kozak has become well acquainted with the other American water spaniel owners around the country. Many of them were at a Louisville show in March where they spent time together away from the show.
“Most of the well-known breeders were all there and we went out to dinner to share our triumphs and our woes in the breeding and showing world,” Kozak said.
Even after all this time with dogs Pamela said what makes it interesting now is that she is always learning a new way to present a dog, or finding a new grooming product. It’s the food and cleanliness and grooming and genetics that make that dark brown coat shine and the dog healthy and smart.
“There is a lot to it and I’m still learning,” she said.
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