Youngest follows family tradition of showing dogs

Each of the McKarnin family’s five dogs has a distinct personality.

There’s Lilly, a rat terrier mix who chose Brandon McKarnin, age 13, as her favorite human when he was 5. Brandon’s grandmother rescued Lilly when she was a puppy and was found in a Walmart parking lot. Lilly bonded with Brandon, who started inviting her over for sleepovers that got longer and longer over time.

Lilly and Brandon made it to the run-offs for the finals of the dog showmanship competition at the Kansas State Fair two years ago. They fell short because Lilly was tired; Brandon takes the blame for that because he made her sit all day instead of letting her lie down. She retired from showing last year, at age 10.