Grand Champion Robert the Bruce (Hill Country's I'll Bee Your Shining Star)

Pedigree
Health Tests
Show Wins

Robert is beautiful inside and out. He finished his entire AKC championship AND AKC grand championship during the Covid Pandemic. He had JUST turned 6 months old when the Pandemic shut everything down, (although he had squeezed in one puppy match in Tallahassee, FL, at 5 months of age winning the Breed and Toy group). His 1st official win was the Best of Breed and Best Puppy in the AKC 1st Top Dog Virtual Challenge contest, beating out other seasoned champion pugs, then a Best of Breed out of Puppy 9-12 class at his VERY FIRST 'real' in person show June, 2020.

Everyone who meets this magnificent pug comments on his amazing temperament and mink-like soft, thick coat. He moves beautifully and is truly amazing from top to bottom which is not surprising as he is a half-brother of Biggie who you might have seen on TV winning the Toy Group at Westminster and who won more best in shows that any pug in history. From top to bottom, Robert is truly an incredible representation of the pug breed and we are eternally grateful to his breeders for producing him and entrusting us to love and treasure this boy.

Robert is a half brother to Biggie, who won more Best in Shows than any pug in history. Here is Biggie winning the Toy Group at Westminster.

Robert finishes his AKC championship at his home town Kennel Club (Birmingham Kennel Club) under Judge Deborah Barrett, with wonderful WD and BW wins under Dennis McCoy and Randy Garren as well. What a special boy inside and out.  Both his AKC championship and grand championship were completed during the Covid pandemic and he is the first pug to win Best of Breed in AKC's first virtual show! He is now working on his AKC Canine Good Citizenship, therapy dog, and tricks titles and just gets more and more handsome with each passing day!

Robert says: "I love you I love you I love you."

Robert says "I like eating at restaurants and sitting in dad's lap."

Did you forget to order an appetizer for me?!

Robert's loot after finishing his championship.

Robert saying hello to judge Randy Garren after down and back. "Excuse me sir, do you have treats?!?"

Perry, GA May 2021 - the show where he finished his Grand Championship!

Robert's 1st official show . . . got both his majors out of the way!

Robert loved his handling class with Cindy Roberts in Vestavia, Alabama

Everything shut down right as Robert was starting his show career (due to the pandemic) but we were so fortunate that the wonderful dog trainer, Cindy Roberts, was offering training classes. Cindy's specialty is scent work and she teaches dogs to sniff out cancer and other things. Our pugs Lilly and Princess Buttercup actually took a scent work class with her and LOVED it. (Go figure, pugs can use their noses, too!) Here is Robert at conformation class, summer 2020:

Winning Best of Breed and Best Puppy in AKC's first ever Virtual Show!

Loving life . . .

Robert's Novice Tricks Routine .... Robert the Bruce - King of Scots!

Robert's 1st trip to his new home in Alabama!

Robert had fun going to work with his dad on Wednesday. Here he is flirting with one of the choir members after choir rehearsal!

We had JUST started training and getting out right before the pandemic. Here is Robert at his first match in Tallahassee, Florida. He entered in the 3-6 puppy category and ended up winning the Toy Group, over other older dogs with more experienced! He had only had a few training sessions with walking wearing a lead and he greeted the judges as if he had been doing shows all his life (of 5 months!) He did have a little *too* much fun at times, showing off his Bunny Hop move, but "FUN" was our goal for this first outing and he nailed it! Robert is winning hearts all over the southeast as we continue to meet new people and experience new environments.

Robert won LOTS of ribbons at his first match … including winning the Toy Group!

The next weekend, Robert attended his first workshop and learned a lot but the instructor was insisting everyone  use choke collars. The instructor didn't want to hear anything differently and was so incredibly rude. Probably the most important thing  Robert learned? That his owner is going to stand up for him if asked to do something that doesn't seem safe or to his best advantage ….  so, he's glad he has a champion in her. To read more about this nightmare of a workshop click here.

Robert thinks his mom should have bought him a hamburger, too! He loved going to Tip Top Grill.

His favorite part of visiting Tip Top Grill was watching all the cars go by. Robert takes every new experience in stride and is truly, truly remarkable in temperament.

Robert's 1st trip to Home Depot:

Robert loves training! 

AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge - Best Puppy; Best of Breed Overall; Toy Group 4

Health Tests (final OFA, beyond Prelims, Fall, 2021)
Prelim OFA Hips/Patellar/Elbows - good; (official OFA report for hips/patellar/spine coming 9-21, at age 2)
PDE - N/N
PK Def - N/N
DM - N/N
​EIC - N/N
OFA Cardiac - Normal

DM
Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is an inherited neurologic disorder of dogs characterized by gradual muscle wasting and loss of coordination typically beginning in the hind limbs.

PK
Pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKDef) is an inherited hemolytic anemia caused by a defect in the enzyme pyruvate kinase. Signs in affected dogs may include lack of energy and fatigue in dogs that appear otherwise fit.

NME/PDE
Necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME), also known as Pug dog encephalitis, is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that is usually progressive and fatal. Several genetic markers are associated with risk of developing NME.

*EIC
Exercise-induced collapse is a genetic neuromuscular disorder characterized by muscle weakness, lack of coordination, and life-threatening collapse after intense exercise in otherwise apparently healthy dogs.

*While the EIC is not a health test performed on pugs (the breeds appropriate for the EIC test include: Australian Cobberdog, Australian Labradoodle, Bouvier des Flandres, Boykin Spaniel, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Cockapoo, Cocker Spaniel, Clumber Spaniel, Curly Coated Retriever, Deutsch-Drahthaar, English Cocker Spaniel, German Wirehaired Pointer, Labrador crosses, Labradoodle, Labrador Retriever, Old English Sheepdog, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Vizsla), we added this test in case there was any possibility of existence in pugs due to this tragic incident with another pug. 

Robert's AKC Points and Awards:
February, 2020 - AKC Sanctioned B Match Tallahassee, FL - 1st Place Puppy Class; Best of Breed; Best Puppy
AKC 1st Virtual Top Dog Challenge - Judge Cindy Vogesl - Best Puppy; Best of Breed Overall; Toy Group 4
July 23, 2020 - Piedmont Kennel Club - Judge Sharon Masnick - 1st Place Puppy 9-12 Months; Winners Reserve Winner
July 24, . 2020 - Greenville Kennel Club - Judge Benson E. Ray - 1st Place Puppy 9-12 Months; Winners Dog; Best of Breed (4 Pt Major)
July 25, 2020 - Piedmont Kennel Club - Judge Ms Melinda L Lyon - 1st Place, Puppy 9-12 Months
July 26, 2020 - Greenville Kennel Club - Judge Judy A. Harrington - 1st Place Puppy 9-12 Months; Winners Dog; Best of Breed (4 Pt Major)
August 29, 2020 - Beaver County Kennel Club - Judge Mark R. Kennedy - 1st Place Puppy 9-12 Months; Reserve Winner
August 30, 2020 - Fort Steuben Kennel Assoc - Judge Dr. Steve Keating - 1st Place Puppy 9-12 Months
September 12, 2020 - Chattanooga Kennel Club - Judge Patti Widick Neal - 1st Place Puppy 9-12 Months
September 12, 2020 - Greater Atlanta Toy Dog Association - Judge Dr. Valeria Rickard - 1st Place Puppy 9-12 Months; Winners Dog; Best of Breed; Best of Breed Owner-Handled (4 Pt Major)
September 13, 2020 - Chattanooga Kennel Club - Judge Sharon Masnick - 1st Place Puppy 9-12 Months
October 7, 2020 - Oak Ridge Kennel Club - Judge Mrs. Nancy Smith Hafner - 1st Place Puppy 12-18 Months
October 8, 2020 - Oak Ridge Kennel Club - Judge Elizabeth Muthard - 2nd place Puppy 12-18 Months
October 10, 2020 - Tri-Star Kennel Club of Williamson County, TN - Judge Dr. Adam Stafford King - 1st Place 12-18 Months; Reserve Winner
October 11, 2020 - Tri-Star Kennel Club of Williamson County, TN - Judge Mr. Jon R. Cole - 1st Place 12-18 Months; Reserve Winner
November 5, 2020 - Decatur Alabama Kennel Club - Judge Malcolm E. Moore - 1st Place 12-18 Months; Reserve Winner
November 6, 2020 - Decatur Alabama Kennel Club - Judge Nikki Riggsbee - 1st Place 12-18 Months; Reserve Winner
November 12, 2020 - Tuscaloosa Kennel Club - Judge Dennis McCoy - 1st Place 12-18 Month; Winners Dog; Best of Winners * (1 Pt)
November 13, 2020 - Birmingham Kennel Club - Judge Randy E Garren - 1st Place 12-18 Months; Winners Dog; Best of Winners (1 Pt)
November 14, 2020 - Tuscaloosa Kennel Club - Judge Deborah Barrett - 1st Place 12-18 Months; Winners Dog; Best of Winners (1 Pt)
15 points, Finished Championship 11/13/20 
​February, 27, 2021 - Ochlockonee River Kennel Club of Florida - Judge Judy A. Harrington - Best of Opposite Sex (5 GCH Pts)
March 25, 2021 - Jackson Tennessee Dog Fanciers - Judge Nancy Smith Hafner - Best of Breed (5 GCH Pts - Defeated #2 Pug in US); Best of Breed Owner Handled
April 10, 2021 - Asheville Kennel Club - Judge - Best of Breed Select
May, 2021 - Perry, GA - Best of Opposite Sex; Best of Opposite Sex, Charlotte Patterson; Best of Breed Judge Carolyn A Herbel