Grover was an extraordinary little Fauve — a dog who never met a stranger and greeted each admirer with a sparkle in his eyes. His humans, Janet and Brian Hillier, quickly learned that traveling with him meant answering one question endlessly: “Oh my gosh! What kind of dog is that? He is the cutest dog I have ever seen!” They would smile while Grover, chest puffed proudly outward, seemed to reply, “Yup! Gotta love me!”
Grover found his calling early in the then-new sport of Nosework and trained with some of the discipline’s very developers. He traveled the country to compete, gathering a fan club at every stop — something no one found surprising. He was that delightful to watch. Known for occasionally delaying his start to greet admirers in the gallery, Grover never hurried but was always methodical, precise, and deeply thoughtful in his searches. His signature indication for high hides — sitting up, nose lifted, paws waving like a conductor — became iconic. He astonished crowds by locating hides tucked into impossible places: deep inside a steering wheel on heavy construction equipment or tucked up into light fixtures high overhead.
Grover competed almost exclusively in NACSW, the sport’s most challenging venue. He earned his NW1, NW2, NW3, ELT1, ELT2, ELT3, and ELT-CH titles, often being among the first dogs in the country to reach these milestones. He later competed at the Summit level, stepping back only when his health began to decline. In 2015, he was ranked the #2 Nosework dog in the entire United States. His instinct was so pure and versatile that — on a whim at a field trial — he enthusiastically flushed a pheasant after spending the day watching bird dogs work.
Brains were only half his gift. Grover was also a beauty, earning his Championship and multiple Altered Best in Show wins in both UKC and IABCA.
He loved traveling with the Hilliers, and they were regularly reminded that they were not the celebrities of the family. Whether in airports, show grounds, or rest stops, shouts of “Hi Grover!” regularly eclipsed “Hi Janet and Brian!” They never minded — Grover had a presence that filled every space he entered.
We know that when Grover crossed the Rainbow Bridge, there were cheers on the other side: “Look — it’s Grover!” No doubt he is already large and in charge in Heaven. But here, on this side of that Bridge, he is so very missed.
In 2023, Grover was posthumously awarded the first-ever Basset Fauve de Bretagne Club of America Ambassador Award — a fitting and forever tribute for a dog who represented his breed with pride, joy, and a heart that could light the world.
