Any dog lover who’s spent time on social media has seen the hard luck stories: a dog found in bad shape, rescued, rehabilitated, and now looking great in a new home. We have The Dodo online to thank for many of those stories, and the intention is to celebrate how far that dog has come, despite a rough start.

This is not one of those stories.

This is a story about a remarkable little golden Cocker Spaniel named Elvis who wows audiences around agility courses and confirmation rings. At eleven years old this year, he’s still going strong and still winning. Elvis is evidence that well cared for canines can do what they love into their second decade.

Elvis, while a success story, does not have a rags-to-riches story. Elvis has never left the home he was born in. He knows one, and only one, loving family since the moment he entered this world.

All in the Cocker Spaniel Family

Elvis is the pride and joy of Sheryl Gadol, but he’s not her only American Cocker Spaniel. She’s been a fan of the breed since she was young, and travelling and competing with these pups has been her passion project most of her adult life, after raising one daughter and working at a luxury car dealership (where Elvis grew up).

More than a decade ago, Sheryl bought Elvis’ mom, Ladybug, with the intent to breed purebred American Cocker Spaniels. Sheryl’s dog show mentor, Olga, helped find an appropriate stud for her. And voila, weeks later, Ladybug had a litter of two male pups – Elvis and Larry Bird.

“We kept both,” Sheryl says. “We couldn’t part with them.” The decision ended any thought of a Cocker Spaniel breeding program at the Gadol household. To this day, Ladybug and brothers Elvis and Larry Bird have never lived anywhere but the home they were born in.

As a show dog, Elvis sired several litters and one that resulted in the birth of one special girl – she’s named Lisa Marie (of course), who now lives with a family friend. Elvis and Lisa Marie visit often. Even Ladybug gets to interact with her granddaughter. A family that plays together … ends up in a lot of social media posts together. (See @thegadogs on Instagram).

Ladybug is still going strong at 15 years old, but she’s clearly retired from participating in sporting events. Larry Bird took a turn at agility, winning a few competitions and giving it his best try. “He wasn’t as into it as Elvis,” Sheryl says, “and we retired him when he lost interest.”

Westminster Dog Show Competitor

That leaves the remarkable Elvis, who at eleven years old is still giving both agility and dog shows his best effort. In fact, it was at the Westminster Dog Show that I met up with Sheryl and Elvis. Elvis was competing in both the Agility Competition on Saturday and during the day breed-specific confirmation classes. At the time we talked, Elvis greeted me with his usual paw on my leg enthusiasm, especially because I was offering him treats to sit pretty for the camera.

In the excitement, surrounded by friends and family who’d come to support him, he turned his attention to his next task: showing off his dog show skills in the ring during a public teaching session. Saturday afternoons, Westminster dog show judges offer the public quick workshops about how dogs are judged during confirmation competitions. Elvis happily volunteered, and once the show dog lead was slipped over his head, he knew what to do.

Elvis is no stranger to the dog show circuit, having won national champion and national grand champion titles (see below). In fact, dogs must qualify by winning titles to receive a participation invite from the Westminster Dog Show in New York City. Unfortunately, he didn’t win Best of Breed and make it to the evening event at Madison Square Gardens in New York City in February 2025. But Elvis competed in the same breed judging ring with his daughter, Lisa Marie and she won ‘Select Bitch.’ (Yes, that’s the title). “It was a thrill to compete together,” says Sheryl.

“Elvis isn’t the best dog at anything,” she says, “but he’s the best dog at everything. I consider Elvis the perfect breed ambassador. Our breed standard says, ‘above all, the Cocker Spaniel should be merry.’ That is Elvis.”

Lifelong Agility Enthusiast

At age 11, the fact Elvis is still competing in the show ring AND agility is remarkable. And Sheryl credits his success to several things: the fact he loves it and good veterinary care. The latter, she believes, was essential to him recovering from a back injury. Also, once he became ten, she moved him down a class to preferred class – shorter jumps, less risk of injury, which is a consideration as sporting dogs age.

She recommends starting dogs, especially spaniels, in sports like agility early. Elvis started training in agility at one and a half years old. Then started competing at three.

In February, I attended the Agility Championships at the Javits Convention Center in New York City – an event two days prior to the Westminster Dog Show. Elvis is here to run the agility course. Which he does with heart. So much so that he wipes out at a particularly tight turn between jumps. He’s not the only one – either the course design is too tight, or the indoor plastic astroturf is too slippery.

Either way, Elvis isn’t hurt but gets back up and keeps running. Sheryl, however, wasn’t originally supposed to run with him due to a bad knee, but a last-minute cancellation left her as Elvis’ agility handler directing this little powerhouse over jumps, through tunnels, and along a teeter, balancing as he goes.

Whether he knows what his course time isn’t important. He’s equally happy completing his run. Unlike the previous year, this year his finishing time doesn’t grant him a spot in the finals, unfortunately.

Elvis isn’t fazed. He’s still his happy-go-lucky self, eager to meet and greet, show off his shiny golden confirmation, or run and jump his heart out.

Merry Therapy Pup

Added to Elvis’ impressive resume is certified therapy dog. Yes, this merry little man regularly visits hospices to meet, greet, and spread joy. He’s a charmer and, like most spaniels, has boundless energy.

“His biggest accomplishment to me is his therapy work,” Sheryl adds. “Elvis volunteers with hospice patients to give comfort as part of end-of-life care. He has been part of the visiting nursing homes and hospice program of Rhode Island for three years now.” Elvis lights up a room.

According to Sheryl, he’ll keep being a therapy dog, show pup, and agility competitor as long as he keeps qualifying, is physically able, and – most importantly – still loves it. Elvis isn’t leaving the building any time soon.

Overall….

Elvis is an exceptional little pup, and there are many well-loved pets out there. Definitely, keep rescuing those who deserve a second chance, and they all do. Keep clicking and liking the hard-luck-turned-success stories, and please keep supporting animal shelters and rescues. But remember, there are awesome little poofs like Elvis out there who’ve never left the security they’ve known since birth. And sometimes, that’s the good news story we need. Merry and joyful, indeed.

Writer bio: Sherri Telenko has been a professional writer for decades and a travel writer for the last two. She’s a member of TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) and Dog Writers Association of America and travels almost weekly with her canine companion, Victoria.Contact Sherri at dogtrotting.net here. All written content is original, written by a person, and based on experience and research. Please subscribe!