Olivia Belasco is a senior at Villanova University studying Communications with a concentration in Advertising & Public Relations with minors in Business, Marketing, and English. Alongside her academic career, Olivia is passionate about early career success and mentorship. She is a peer career counselor in the Villanova College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Summer Business Institute Ambassador, and Communications department peer mentor. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her dog, Charlie, going to concerts, and trying new restaurants with friends.
My dog, Charlie, is a diva!
My family has always believed that Charlie is more like a human than an animal, with mannerisms more fitting for a king than for a suburban dog. His real name is King Charles, a very original name for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy 🙂 While he goes by Charlie for short, he embodies the regality and fanciness of his true given title.
He does not bark unprovoked, watches TV with his arm propped up on a pillow, loves dressing up in costumes, and hates water, as it ruins his nice coat of hair.
Indeed, Charlie is a diva.
When he first joined our family, I often wondered where he got this regal nature; it seemed to be ingrained in his attitude; not learned, but innate. After a few months with our family, I asked my mom about his background, and it all made sense. Charlie comes from a long line of show dogs. His mother was a competitive show dog, co-bred by a team from Florida who present their prize-winning pups around the country.
My family got Charlie during COVID, a demanding time for both dog breeders and bored families. We searched high and low for breeders with Cavalier puppies, but we ran into dead ends and year-long waitlists. After a month of tireless searching, we found Charlie, an 11-month-old dog deemed “not quite right” for showing after a trial period of grooming and training. While he didn’t have all the traits necessary to be a show champion like his lineage, Charlie was perfect for our family: crate trained, adorable looks, a friendly demeanor, and a clean bill of health.
Charlie may have been taken out of the show dog lifestyle, but he certainly has not forgotten his upbringing. When he goes out for walks, his position on the leash is natural; he prances and trots around our neighborhood with his head held high. He brushes past other dogs with a competitive attitude and a big smile as if he is performing. He turns every sidewalk, grass patch, and living room into his own personal stage.
My family prides itself on our almost prize-winning pup, joking often that he is special because of his lineage. Having our very own show dog has made our yearly tradition of watching NBC’s National Dog Show Presented by Purina on Thanksgiving Day even more entertaining. We judge the dogs a bit more harshly and compare each one to our own Charlie, especially the Toy Group entries and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Charlie happily sits with us each year to review the dogs’ performances. He props himself up on a pillow, gets comfortable, and emanates the same grace and poise as every dog on TV.
While Charlie will always be our “Best In Show” winner, he is not as polished as the dogs who compete on the National Dog Show stage at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA, each fall.
The National Dog Show on NBC is a celebration of dogdom that brings 15,000 people and 2,000 dogs together for a magical two-day smilefest. Tickets go on sale in June at https://nds.nationaldogshow.com/. And while the event showcases dogs from some 200 different breeds, none of them will be like Charlie. Nor will any of them be like your favorite pup who sits on the couch with you at home.