After a round of jubilant licking and prancing, Kaida stretched out on the floor. As her owners thrilled about her accomplishments of Best in Show and Grand Champion, Kaida yawned, the picture of nonchalance, and took a nap.

The 2-year-old Shiba Inu  had a busy weekend winning two Best of Breed awards at the Wenatchee Kennel Club. Her fancy registered name is “Dragon House That Jones Girl!”

“It’s an incredible learning process because neither of us ever dreamed of showing dogs,” Alice Schisel said. Her husband, John, handles Kaida and Alice handles 3-year-old male Kenji, Kaida’s adoring pal.

John has come a long way from resisting dog ownership years ago.

“Alice came home with a Shiba and I said ‘what the heck is that?’ Five minutes later, I was in love with Shibas, fascinated by the breed and knew it’s the one for me,” John said, smiling down at his sleepy winner.

They owned their first Shiba 17 years ago. They started showing dogs two years ago because Kenji’s breeder said he was too pretty to be just a pet, Alice said.

“We actually gradually got hooked on it,” Alice said.

John has done 70 to 100 shows and Alice has done 20 to 30.

“I learn something new every time,” John said.

At show time, Kaida arrives freshly bathed — something she doesn’t enjoy — with groomed fur dried by a huge doggie hair dryer. Alice and John dress up in suits, John’s topped with a hat.

At the show, tense excitement fills the air but Kaida is always cool and calm in the ring, John said. Handlers and their dogs enter the ring and stop at a table for the judge to examine each dog, feeling the dog for its structure, bones and muscle. The dog must be extremely well-behaved.

Within 10 minutes, everything dog and handler have worked for is over.

“Every second counts. You have to be on your game,” Alice said.

In the Best of Breed competition, dogs are judged separately by those that have earned their championship and those that haven’t. The winner moves on to the group competition. There are seven groups and Kaida falls into the non-sporting group with 20 breeds like poodles, Dalmatians and American Eskimo dogs.

A judge chooses the top four dogs in each group and only the first place dog from each group competes for the coveted Best in Show.

Kaida won Best in Show in May at the Coyote Hills Kennel Club. She defeated 950 dogs, including 22 Shibas.

She’s the 13th Shiba and the second female Shiba to win Best in Show since 1994, when the American Kennel Club first recognized the breed.

Thirteen-month old Kaida earned her championship in her first three shows and in record time — just three days. That’s the quickest a dog can earn it. To get a championship, a dog must win so many points in shows.

She also won Best of Opposite Sex and Best in Show Bred by Exhibitor at the Shiba Nationals. She won her Grand Championship by the time she was 20 months old.

It’s no wonder Kaida is such a winner with her lineage. She was bred by Sandi Smith of Langley, who imported Kaida’s mother from Japan, where the Shiba breed originated as hunting dogs. Her father, Mr. Jones, is a world champion and the number one Shiba in the United States this year. Kaida is ranked number two.

“Just think, the two top-rated Shibas this year are from Whidbey Island,” Alice said.

John and Alice don’t consider themselves to be professionals at this; it’s a life-enriching hobby. Some people take dogs to multiple shows every weekend but the Schisels choose a few shows a month.

“It’s one of the few sports you can walk in as an amateur and compete with pros,” John said. While he’s beaten the pros time after time, John said it’s hard to compete against people who devote their lives to handling and can afford the time and money to travel all over the country.

Most amateurs hire handlers to show their dogs but the Schisels chose to show their dogs personally.

“We’re pretty excited. We’re learning,” Alice said.

They also keep their dogs at their house instead of kennels as pros do, preferring to build close relationships with them.

“These guys are our children. We don’t treat them like dogs,” Alice said.

The Schisels treat their dogs to Kraft Singles cheese. As soon as John reached for a slice, Kaida abandoned her nap, her pointy ears perking forward as she stood up straight, on her best behavior.

“We ate dinner at a Leavenworth restaurant with them this weekend. There was outdoor seating so we carried them through the restaurant. First thing, they brought the dogs water before asking us what we wanted to drink,” Alice said with a laugh.

While Kaida has earned her prestigious status among dogs, her shining red-brown coat and the white markings around her eyes and muzzle make her look like royalty among every species. And sometimes, she likes to act the part.

Last February, Kaida competed at the Westminster Kennel Club in New York City. Her professional photo pictures her yawning.

“That exemplified her feelings for Westminster,” John said, chuckling.

It was one of the first shows John handled her; Smith had handled her until she earned her Championship. At 14 months old, Kaida was one of the youngest dogs in the competition.

“It was just for the fun of it,” John said, adding that neither he nor Kaida were ready for it at the time.

While she didn’t shine at the show, she sparkled during the rest of her trip.

“We took her shopping at Macy’s in Manhattan and she got petted by about a thousand people,” Alice said. They took taxis to Central Park day and night for Kaida to exercise and because she refused to potty on the street.

The Schisels and Kaida plan to attend the Shiba Nationals in Kentucky and the Eukanuba National Championship in Florida, along with local shows. Kaida was invited to Westminster again and Crufts in England.

Why do the Schisels brave the hard work and traveling of dog showing?

“We’ve never won a dime,” John said, adding that they show for the prestige but mainly because, “It’s fun!”

“We’ve been very, very lucky with showing both dogs, getting them this far. It’s largely the dogs — we just happen to have two wonderful dogs, even if we don’t have the experience to be showing at this level,” Alice said, despite the numerous awards denying that. “Anyone can learn how to show a dog and we’re out there to prove that.”

From his seat on the floor beside Kaida, John patted his irresistible winner’s belly and they seemed to smile at each other.