Will Newport couple’s poodle be Best in Show?

A Newport Beach couple are sending their champion dog to the nation’s best-known canine competition.

Kathy and Jim Smith are hoping their 2-year-old black miniature poodle, nicknamed Jukka, will take the top prize at the 136th annual Westminster Kennel Club competition in New York.

Jukka actually lives in the Bay Area with his handlers, Kim Russell and her assistant, Akiko Matsushima.

Still, Kathy said, she gets to see him regularly for his various competitions, which have garnered him a host of top awards. This year will be his first appearance at Westminster, which takes place Feb. 16 and 17.

“I get real emotional over him,” she said. “We bred him, and we never expected him to go this far. He’s an amazing dog, just amazing.”

Jukka’s full name is Grand Champion Black Sky Jukka. His father was from Finland, so the Smiths named him Jukka, which is like John in Finnish.

He’s particularly noted for his impressive coat, particularly around his head, as well as his almond-shaped eyes and distinctive underjaw.

At Westminster, he’ll be judged on his appearance based on a predetermined ideal, or standard.

The hope, Kathy said, is that all the effort put into him by his handlers — conditioning, muscle toning, dieting and grooming — impresses the judges.

“They look over every inch of the dog,” she said.

Onstage, Jukka’s got a real “show attitude,” Kathy added.

“Sometimes he’ll just look at the judge like, ‘OK, here I am. Look at me,’” she said. “He’s got that little arrogant thing going for him.”

Offstage, Jukka — who has sired five puppies, all since sold — is still much like a puppy, intelligent and fun, she said.

“He’s got a wonderful temperament,” Kathy said.

In Newport, the Smiths have two retired champions living with them, including Jukka’s mother, Champion Antares of Midnight.

Should Jukka win Westminster, the Smiths won’t receive any monetary prize. It’s more about the prestige, a “pretty good-sized trophy” and his winning record, Kathy said.

The Smiths spend tens of thousands of dollars a year — perhaps close to $100,000 — on their top dog, including advertising in dog publications and paying for his handlers and travel fees.

“It’s not an inexpensive hobby,” Kathy said, “but it’s so rewarding.”