By Ryan O'Connor
Staff Writer

The Goffstown News/Ryan O’Connor Dickens, a 5-year-old black Labrador retriever, sits with owner Marianne Rousseau of Weare. Dickens will compete Feb. 14 at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City. “He’s very photogenic,” said Rousseau of her award-winning canine. “He’s a ham.”

Dickens is from Weare. He is playful, friendly and very personable, and if all goes well, he may soon be howling a rendition of “New York, New York,” on his way home from Madison Square Garden.

Dickens is one of 26 Labrador retrievers who will compete along with almost 2,600 other dogs at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

A 5-year-old dog with a shiny black coat and an eager personality, Dickens is already an American and Canadian championship dog with a wall full of ribbons.

His owner, Marianne Rousseau, said he has been showing since he was 6 months old, when he won best puppy in his first competition.

According to Rousseau, Dickens has won more awards than she can count, including specialty competitions against up to 1,500 other Labs.

“I couldn’t even tell you,” said Rousseau. “There’s been so many (awards).”

Now Dickens will try to win the ultimate prize in the world of dog show competition when he travels to New York City to strut his stuff at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

“It’s a pretty tough competition. The cream of the crop will be there,” said Rousseau. “We are just happy to go, so whatever happens will be just fine. It’s such a thrill just to be going.”

Still, Rousseau said Dickens will be ready. She said Dickens has competed with the judge who will be in charge of scrutinizing the Labrador retrievers and has walked away with a ribbon.

She also said Dickens has the experience necessary after competing almost every weekend since he was a puppy.

“He loves to show. His tail is always wagging. He’s just a very happy guy,” she said. “When you look at the American Kennel Club standards, he is pretty close to what (an ideal Lab) should be.”

Some of the standards, according to Rousseau, include head shape, demeanor and a nice straight line down his back from head to tail. She said that Dickens’ excitement plays perfectly into the latter. By wagging his tail constantly from side to side, it helps to exhibit his near perfect posture.

In addition to his showing capabilities, Rousseau said Dickens is quite the stud as well. At only five years of age, he has already produced 97 puppies, and she anticipates plenty more.

Rousseau, who has been showing her dogs in competition for more than 13 years, said the secret to Dickens’ personality and success is the way she treats him and her other dogs.

“He’s very sweet,” she said. “All of my dogs live in my house. They don’t live in kennels, so I think that helps with their temperament.”

As much as she loves showing Dickens, Rousseau admitted that while she had originally hoped to walk the floor with him, her nerves have gotten to her and she has decided to hand Dickens over to friend and professional handler Jen Leitao for the competition.

“I’ll be too nervous,” she said. “I’m already a nervous wreck.”

For those interested in seeing Dickens in the show, Rousseau says the Westminster Kennel Club shows a live Web cast of each dog on its Web site, westminsterkennelclub.org. Dickens will be Labrador retriever number six, and is slotted to be shown at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

Should he beat out the other Labradors, he will be featured in the Best of Show competition that night on the USA network.