(FORTUNE Magazine) – DOGS HAVE A THING FOR ME. I GUESS THEY know I'm somebody who likes them. I raised my own champion--a Lhasa Apso named Tygerlily. She's 4. She has been to Westminster twice. Last year she won an award of merit, which is like runner-up to the best of breed. This year I hope for a breed win. In October she was the Lhasa Apso National Specialty Best of Breed Winner over 143 other dogs. It's very prestigious--a dream come true. But Westminster will be her last show for a while. After that, she'll be taking a sabbatical so that I can breed her and see what the next generation brings. So it's like a farewell show for her. A lot of people have their dogs in training sessions, but she's not on a treadmill or on a special diet. She just does it out of her heart, which is rare. That's why they call her a natural show dog. It's once in a blue moon a natural comes along. When I show her, I wear a color that coordinates with her hair. Pinks clash. Blues are good. So are ivories and greens. Hopefully when she has a puppy, she'll carry on that red. Red is a rare color for a Lhasa. The majority of them are blond. -- Interview by Ellen Florian Kratz