Everett’s Wendy Whiteley (left) with Zoom, her Finnish Spitz, gets together at her Lowell neighborhood home with Shahntae Martinez and her Field Spaniel, Hudson. Martinez, a 17-year-old Sequoia High School student, and Whiteley will compete with their dogs next week at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City. (Dan Bates / The Herald)

Everett’s Wendy Whiteley (left) with Zoom, her Finnish Spitz, gets together at her Lowell neighborhood home with Shahntae Martinez and her Field Spaniel, Hudson. Martinez, a 17-year-old Sequoia High School student, and Whiteley will compete with their dogs next week at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City. (Dan Bates / The Herald)

Everett dog owners hope for the best at Westminster show

Meet Zoom. He’s a Finnish spitz with a fox-like look, a persistent bark and a lively personality.

Meet Hudson. He’s a field spaniel with floppy ears, keen hunting skills and a gentle nature.

Meet Wendy Whiteley, Zoom’s owner, who at 49 has been showing dogs competitively for three years.

Meet Shahntae Martinez, co-owner of Hudson. At 17, she has nearly a dozen years of experience working with dogs.

Martinez and Whitely, both of Everett, and their purebred pets are heading to New York City. Next week, they’ll compete in the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which is marking its 141st year. Both will show their dogs Monday in New York.

If their beautiful dogs advance to the finals, they’ll compete at Madison Square Garden. Final events wrap up Tuesday. Those finals, including Best In Show, will be televised Monday and Tuesday evenings on Fox Sports (FS1).

Martinez, a student at Everett’s Sequoia High School, began participating in canine care and events 11 years ago through 4-H. She travels extensively with Hudson, and just Monday returned from a dog show in California. The teen co-owns Hudson with Janelle Chamberlin, an Everett Community College student from Bothell.

Although busy packing, Whiteley, Martinez and their prize-winning pooches got together Wednesday at Whiteley’s Lowell neighborhood home. A blue dress and jacket, suitably formal for the show ring, were hanging in Whiteley’s living room, ready for her suitcase.

Hudson and Zoom get along famously. The dogs, who couldn’t be more different, minded their manners even with the excitement of visitors.

Zoom is high-energy and ever-watchful. A “sight hound,” the Finnish spitz is the national dog of Finland. Once near extinction, the breed is known for its high-pitched bark — 100 barks per minute — useful to corner or tree birds or animals. The breed competes in the United States in the Hound Group, Whiteley said, but as a hunting dog in Canada and Europe.

Hudson, the field spaniel, will compete at Westminster in the Sporting Group. Developed in 19th-century England, the breed is known for loyalty, noble beauty and hunting skills, especially flushing out ducks. On Wednesday, Hudson was still and stoic as Zoom barked out greetings.

Martinez said competition and all that goes with it “creates a bond between you and your dog that’s better than just cuddling on the couch.” For years, she competed in 4-H dog events at the Evergreen State Fair.

She and Hudson qualified for Westminster with fine results at December’s AKC National Championship Dog Show, presented by Royal Canin, in Florida. There, she ranked No. 1 in an Owner-Handler category, No. 2 for the field spaniel breed, and No. 6 in Junior Showmanship.

She grew up with pets, and for years competed with Australian terriers. Her older sister, Shannon, also was involved in showing dogs. Their mother, Sue Martinez, said 4-H helped the girls learn responsibility.

Whiteley has five dogs in her household. Along with Zoom, the family has a female Finnish spitz, two shiba inu dogs, and a Pomeranian belonging to Whiteley’s 14-year-old son, Oliver. Her husband, Dr. Tim Whiteley, is a physician with Group Health.

“This will be our first time at Westminster as a competitor,” Whiteley said. “I’m pretty new to it, but I’m used to being out there with the professionals.”

She was invited to the Westminster show in 2016, Zoom’s first full year of competition, but attended as a spectator. “Zoom just turned 3 years old on Christmas Eve. He’s quite young for the breed to be at this competitive level,” she said.

Zoom and his master also did well at the AKC National Championship show in December. They took honors as the No. 1 Owner-Handled Finnish spitz team, No. 2 Best of Breed/Variety Dogs, and No. 6 All-Breed.

Whiteley credits Zoom’s breeder, Michelle Leathers of Dv9k9 Finnish Spitz Pups in Klamath Falls, Oregon, for giving her the opportunity to show a top dog. “I feel blessed every day,” Whiteley said. “She is a rare breeder who believes in putting her best dogs out there with people who are showing, rather than showing them all herself.”

Both owners said their dogs live as family pets at home, but are accustomed to travel. “The airlines are excellent at handling dogs,” Whiteley said. And certain hotels, Hilton among them, are dog-friendly.

Whiteley can laugh about what some might see as bad-dog behavior. Dogs of Zoom’s breed “are like the class clown of the spitz family,” she said. Zoom figured out how to open a door hiding kitchen garbage, even with a child-proof lock.

“And I’ve caught him with a can of pop,” said Whiteley, describing how Zoom punctures a can to get the sweet liquid. “He’s a great problem-solver.”

Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Police: Teen in stolen car flees cops, causes crash in Lynnwood

The crash blocked traffic for over an hour at 176th Street SW. The boy, 16, was arrested on felony warrants.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.