I have what my friends call “Olympic Obsessive Disorder” – but I managed to tear myself away from the Olympics long enough to keep an eye on the Westminster Kennel Club’s 130th Annual Dog Show. If you missed it, check your local listings for USA Network; they will be running the highlights again over the next few days.
Monday night, four dogs were sent to the finals:
1. Working Group – Rottweiler
2. Terrier Group – Colored Bull Terrier
3. Toy Group – Pug
4. Non-Sporting Group – Dalmatian
Tuesday night, three more dogs went to the Best in Show ring:
1. Sporting Group – Golden Retriever
2. Hound Group – Scottish Deerhound
3. Herding Group – Old English Sheepdog
So how do you pick the one Best in Show from seven very different dogs? Each dog is judged against the standard for his or her own breed. Some breed standards are very strict; some are more general. Most standards describe general appearance, how the dog moves, temperament, and some specific physical traits like height, coat and color, eye and ear shape, tail, and more. If you’re curious about the standards for a particular breed, you can start with the American Kennel Club’s section on breeds.
In the end, it was the perfectly egg-shaped head on the Bull Terrier that was the deciding factor.
Local boy wins big!
Rufus (AKA Ch Rocky Top’s Sundance Kid), the Best In Show from the 130th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show hails from Holmdel, NJ. Lally and Moose want to go get his pawtograph.
The CH in Rufus’ official name is short for Champion. To be able to add the CH to a name, the dog has to win a certain number of Championships. (Rufus’ momma was a Champion, too!)
Other famous Bull Terriers in history? How about Bud Light spokesdog Spuds MacKenzie?
Over the next few days, we’ll take a closer look at each of the breeds that were in the running for Best in Show.