Norah Jones shows off some of the awards she’s collected from various dog and kennel shows.(Marla Khan-Schwartz)
Meeting Audubon neighborhood resident Norah Jones, aka, “Come Away With Me,” can at first be a little intimidating. Her sleek, silky fur, perfectly coiffed on her lean, 140-lb. muscle-laden body, is topped with cropped ears that make any Great Dane look like royalty.
But it’s not just her looks — Norah has spent much of her life winning awards based on her agility, style and personality while making her way to the top of her breed. She’s been in show business since she was six months old. She’s won so many best-in-show competitions, she even has a personal invite to the most prestigious upcoming competition this year: The 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City next month.
Her rise to fame has been hard work for Norah and her team handler, six co-owners, a personal chiropractor, a dog walker and everyone’s passion for the breed. The cohort most certainly brings value to the proverb “it takes a village,” because, for Norah, they’ve all shown up for the love of their Great Dane.
Norah has already participated in about 1,000 competitions, winning many of them. But not all Great Danes end up in the dog show world. Co-owner and breeder Sandy Mauck has spent years breeding dogs including Norah, making sure each dog finds a home based on their individual temperament. A DNA test is given to each pup as early as their first week of life.
“When you have the puppies, it’s just trying to figure out what place they are going to be in,” Mauck explains. “Who’s going to move? Who’s going to get on the board that jiggles first, or who’s going to climb up on the slide first?” If a dog is a better fit as a therapy dog, or another service-type dog, Mauck helps them find their niche and the right family to raise them.
What is a day in the life of a full-time show dog? Norah spends most of the calendar year traveling with her handler, Sue Larkin. Larkin has shown dogs for decades and travels with Norah in a large van that travels cross-country sometimes multiple times a month. With routine stops for chiropractic care and walking off some of the energy stewing from those long car rides, every opportunity is used to continue training, even outside of the ring.
It’s not just about the ribbon for Larkin, but the love of the breed. “You’re not only showing off your dog,” Larkin said, “but it’s also representing her bloodlines and all the breeding that went behind her, the hard work of the owners to campaign her and get her to that [top] level.”
Norah’s village surrounds her including (from left) co-owners Tanna Halphen, Sarah Thome, Sandy Mauck, Norah Jones, Todd Thome and handler Sue Larkin (far right). Co-owners not pictured: Julie Diola and Sofie Salmon. (Marla Khan-Schwartz)
Larkin’s relationship with Norah motivates her to continue efforts to compete and make sure the beauty of the breed is seen. “The most important part [is] you form a bond with the dog,” she said. “To be able to work, have that loving relationship, and go into the ring having this teamwork going between you and the dog, when the judges do recognize the dog in the win, it’s like a wonderful feeling that she’s done that. Maybe I’ve helped her get that recognition.”
For Norah, after a tough competition, her sights are set on the nearest ice cream parlour for her favorite prize: a pup cup. And according to her co-owners, she has a nose for sniffing out a Panera but will take any flavor she encounters. She’s not picky.
When Norah does get short breaks from her competition life and travels through the Twin Cities, her co-owners are all eager to see her. Co-owner Sarah Thome is always excited to see the pup she’s helped rear.
“She’s fun, she’s silly, she’s really lighthearted,” Thome said, “but she’s an incredibly intuitive dog.” After Thome experienced a miscarriage, Norah, in a sense, took care of her while she grappled with the loss. “Some dogs’ personalities are more like, I need you, where Norah has this sense to her of, ‘what can I give you?’”
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will be held at Madison Square Garden on Feb 8, 10 and 11. The club was established in 1877 and has televised the prestigious dog show since 1948. Anyone can try to enter their dog into the competition, but a lottery selects the competitors unless you are personally invited. It’s been a big year for Norah, as she competed and climbed from the 13th overall Great Dane in the country to number two — likely leading to her personal invite to this year’s esteemed dog competition.
Norah’s entire village of co-owners and Northeast fans will attend Westminster to cheer on their companion. Larkin hopes Norah catches the eyes of the judges. “I think she has the overall structure that is solid and sound,” Larkin said, “but she brings to that an added elegance. She has a way of holding herself. She has a beautifully arched neck and head and brings all that attention. I think that’s a strong point for her. In addition, she brings that extra ounce of star quality where she turns it on, and I think that’s one of her big assets.”
The ultimate hope: a win for Norah in her category. No Great Dane has ever won the Westminster Dog Show and Norah’s owners hope to make history. But at the end of the day, they are there for Norah and her bloodline.
“You’re trying to better the breed,” Larkin explains. “The love of the breed [is there], and it’s just so exciting to be on the other end leading a quality Great Dane that represents the breed so well who has achieved that level. It’s definitely not a job. It’s a passion. Norah is just the best dog.”
