Commander Chaos earned his
name as a young puppy by directing search and destroy missions throughout the house and enlisting his littermates as
eager aides-de-camp.
Commander Chaos had his show ring debut in October 2011 at six months of age in Belton, Texas, where
he competed in the Bred-by Exhibitor class with the big boys. Chaos took early command of the ring, winning
a three-point major his first time out at the Stephenville Kennel Club of Texas show under Judge Dr. E. Carolyn
Hensley, followed by a reserve major win at the Bell County Kennel Club show on Saturday, October 22,
2011, under Judge Pamela Wilson. He cleaned up at his next outing at the Cypress Creek Kennel Club shows on November
12 and 13, 2011, under Judges Betsy Dale and Christine Erickson, taking Winners Dog both days from the Bred-by Exhibitor
class (and Best of Winners on Saturday). At eight months of age, Commander Chaos won his second major (4 points) from
the Bred-by Exhibitor class at the North Texas Terrier Club show on Thursday, December 8, 2011, under Breeder Judge Linda
L. Wells (with reserve major wins two other days) at the Lone Star State Classic cluster in Dallas, finishing out the year
with 9 of his 15 championship points.
At his next shows, February 18-19, 2012 (Guadalupe Valley Dog Fanciers) in San Marcos, Texas, Commander Chaos had back-to-back wins under Judge Alfred J.
Ferruggiaro (WD/BW) and Judge Sandra Anderson (WD). He then won his first Best of Breed, from the Bred-by
Exhibitor class, at the Houston Kennel Club show on Saturday, March 17, 2012, under Terrier Judge Lydia Coleman Hutchinson.
In April 2012, Commander Chaos flew with Paula to Maryland for the Columbia Terrier Association show (4/20)
and for the West Highland White Terrier Club of America National Roving Sweepstakes and Specialty (4/21) in Lutherville-Timonium,
where he made a strong showing against the national competition, winning the Bred-by Exhibitor class both days
and placing third in his National Puppy Sweepstakes class. At 14 months, on the first day (June 7, 2012) of
the four-day Cajun Cowboy Cluster in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Commander Chaos won his third major (4 point) and his championship
title from the Bred-by Exhibitor class; then Judge Barbara Dempsey
Alderman put him up for Best of Breed over the special.
Commander Chaos ended the year 2012 with a Best of Breed win and Grand Champion major the first day of the
Lone Star State Classic dog show cluster in Dallas, Texas (December 6-9, 2012), earning his Grand Champion title under Breeder/Judge
Dr. Frederic B. Askin at the North Texas Terrier Club show, supported by the Trinity Valley West Highland White
Terrier Club. Commander Chaos went on to take Best
of Breed wins the next two days under Judges Betsy Dale and Robert Stein (making the cut in the large Terrier Group on Saturday
under Judge Betsy Dale) and was Select Dog on Sunday under Judge Dr. H. Scott Kellogg.
In addition to retiring from the show
ring as a new Grand Champion at 20 months of age, Commander Chaos had also earned a spot of distinction as
one of the Top Ten Westie dogs in the country for 2012. In April 2013, Commander Chaos took official command of his
new residence with Eric Phifer and Eric Shreiber. Under the training and guidance of his new parents, Commander achieved the
suffix title of CGC (Canine Good Citizen) in August 2013; and after many more hours of work, including more than 50 volunteer
service hours, Commander achieved the title of Therapy Dog (ThD) in October 2014.
