Westminster Kennel Club

Ch. Pinecrest Orchard Hill Rock the Boat, also known as Rocky, was named top Cavalier King Charles Spaniel at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Tuesday.

Sure, he looks like a 15-pound ball of exquisite fluff, but in the show ring, Rocky acts more like a battle-tough heavyweight champ.

Facing down 38 other dogs Tuesday morning, the 2-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel from Argyle won best of breed at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at New York's Madison Square Garden.

"This is the Olympics of our sport," said breeder Mary Grace Eubank, which means Rocky – or Ch. Pinecrest Orchard Hill Rock the Boat, as he's officially known – is a gold-medal winner, too.

With this victory, his second in two years at Westminster, Rocky took on the other winners of the toy group Tuesday evening.

Despite a proud showing, Rocky was not chosen as the winner in the toy group. Instead, a well-coiffed toy poodle named Vikki, properly known as Ch. Smash JP Win a Victory, claimed the crown.

Another Texan stole the show at Westminster overall and made hound history Tuesday. The burnt orange and black beagle Uno from Austin was named best in show, the first time a beagle has won top honors at Westminster in the show's 132-year history.

Rocky's loss meant he missed the chance to be pitted against the very top dogs competing for best in show.

That's an award no Cavalier has ever won, but there's a pretty good reason for that. Despite the long history of small lapdog spaniels – ancestors of the Cavalier King Charles appear in paintings dating to the 15th century – the breed has been recognized by the American Kennel Club for only 12 years.

Ms. Eubank and her husband, Ted, who handles Rocky in the ring, hope this little dog can change history. On Tuesday, they savored that first step.

"You don't ever take anything for granted in competition," Mr. Eubank said. "I knew I had a nice dog and knew he would be competitive. But Westminster attracts the top dogs from all across the country, a lot of entries, a lot of quality dogs."

Edd Biven of Fort Worth, who judged the Cavaliers, had seen Rocky before, but almost a year ago. And a year can bring a lot of changes in a young dog, Mr. Eubank said.

"He had judged Rocky when he was more of a puppy, back in the spring," Mr. Eubank said, "and we didn't know how he would do now."

Great-looking puppies often turn out to be show winners as adults, but not always.

"Sometimes you have a [Cavalier] with a pretty head, but as it matures, the head gets more 'houndy,' actually, and you hope that doesn't happen," Mr. Eubank said.

Rocky changed so much in the last year – at least to the expert eye – "that we had to go out and do publicity photos a couple of different times as he continued to mature."

Now, at 21/2, Rocky is full grown and fully formed.

"He always had a pretty head, but it became a prettier, broader head as the year went on," Mr. Eubank said.

The past year, in which Rocky became the No. 1 Cavalier King Charles spaniel in the country and the No. 7-ranked toy dog, "was a fun time for an old guy like me," Mr. Eubank said.

KERIN CHURCHILL/Westminster Kennel Club

The Eubanks have been involved with the breed for 20 years, even before it was recognized by the American Kennel Club, and always had success in the show ring. At home, Rocky romps with a whole pack of Cavaliers, including up-and-comers, current show dogs and retirees.

But even in that company, Rocky is extra special.

"We've never had a dog that was as pretty and structurally sound before," Mr. Eubank said.

"Rocky is the nicest dog we've ever bred."