English Springer Spaniel ‘Earl’ Wins 2022 Puppy of the Year

On December 16, English Springer Spaniel Foxboro Tiffany Running Down A Dream was named AKC/Royal Canin National All-Breed Junior of the Year. The AKC/Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy & Junior Stakes event took place in Orlando, Florida, in conjunction held with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin.

The 10-month-old, known as “Earl,” beat out 1,617 purebred dogs aged 6 to 18 months to be named “Junior of the Year” by judges Desmond Murphy, Carl Gene Liepmann, and Dominic Palleschi Carota. “Earl” is handled by Robin Novack, owned by Susan Still of Howell, MI, and bred by Susan Still and Melissa Thorson.

Stephaniellen Photography © AKC

“Earl,” an English Springer Spaniel

“I am feeling so excited,” said Novack. “I’ve had very high hopes for this young dog since he was born, and we’ve been bringing him along with great expectations. He’s finished with some specialty majors, and did some nice sweepstakes winning at the National and so we’re very excited and very hopeful about this young one.”

Coverage of the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes is available for replay at AKC.tv.

Group Winners

After winning Best of Breed competitions, the below top dogs won their respective groups and then competed for Puppy/Junior of the Year:

Sporting: Foxboro Tiffany Running Down A Dream, an English Springer Spaniel known as “Earl,” owned by Susan Still of Howell, MI and bred by Susan Still and Melissa Thorson.

Hound: Flessner’s Udder Perfection, a Bloodhound known as “Sterling,” owned by J & T Chrisopoulos, Heather Buehner, B Flessner of Macomb, MI and bred by Bryan Flessner, Chris Flessner and Heather Buehner

Working: CH Molyn’s Cosmpolitan At Poconos, a Boxer known as “Cosmo,” owned by Donna Simpson, Monique and Linda Mastrapasqua of Newfoundland, PA and bred by Monique Mastrapasqua and Linda Mastrapasqua.

Terrier: Chyscott’s The Dark Horse, a Scottish Terrier known as “Stetson,” owned by Whitney Shafer, Larae Shafer & Kristen Simmons of Cheyenne, WY and bred by Kristen Simmons, Larae Shafer, Whitney Jean Shafer.

Toy: Kimmilove Tarzan, a Pomeranian known as “Tarzan,” owned and bred by Miae Kim of Seoul, South Korea.

Non-Sporting: Dawin Hot Commodity, a Standard Poodle known as “Carly,” owned by Linda C Campbell & Sarah Perchick of Toronto, Ontario and bred by Linda C Campbell and Sarah Perchick.

Herding: CH Daimler’s Geographically Courageous O’Images CGC TKN, a Belgian Sheepdog known as “Helen,” owned by Terry & Diane Benz of Lake Zurich, IL and bred by Diane Benz, Terry Benz, Renee Croft.