Westminster Dog Show

4dogknight · Feb 10, 2003

Westminster Dog Show

The 127th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is on USA tonight and tomorrow night.

In my estimation, this is the greatest show on earth on par with Worlds even!

For those of us who are a little put out with the FS judging, this might be an opportunity to see a professional applying their craft without any regard to nationality.

Good viewing,
4dk

Grgranny · Feb 10, 2003

Re: Westminster Dog Show

The only things I can think of that would be more boring would be golf, wrestling, bowling, etc. Takes all kinds, eh?

RealtorGal · Feb 10, 2003

Re: Westminster Dog Show

Actually, we're not doggie people, but we watched it last year and thought it was so cute! I loved the stories on the doggies they selected to showcase and follow throughout the competition.

WOOF!

4dogknight · Feb 10, 2003

Re: Westminster Dog Show

Grgranny:
<blockquote>Quote:<hr>The only things I can think of that would be more boring would be golf, wrestling, bowling, etc. Takes all kinds, eh?[/quote]

Actually I can think of a lot of things that would be more boring than Westminster but that's for another topic, on another day.

Thank dog they make Cherry Garcia and From Russia With A Buzz ice cream. Wouldn't it be perfectly awful if we all liked the same thing?

4dk

DORISPULASKI · Feb 11, 2003

Best in Show

If you like Westminster, and like to laugh, rent the video Best in Show. It is hilarious. dpp

JOHIO2 · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

Sooooooooooo, did anyone else actually watch Westminster?

I watched Monday and the end of Tues, but I still have to go back on my tape and see beginning of Tues (after all, I couldn't miss choir rehersal).

I told my daughter she should watch - she's going to Las Vegas next week for some veterinary convention. I bet at least one person will ask her which dog she thought should win. Won't make much sense in her reply if she is totally clueless. Then again, she is new in the pet products advertising sales, so she'll get some slack.

Since "Mick" the Kerry Blue terrior finally won WKC, I wonder if they'll retire him from showing? Kinda cool to have won Crufts in England and the Eukanuba National Invitational earlier this year. (mea culpa, it was December, which is last year.) They're calling his win a triple crown. Guess no dog has ever won all three. (Of course, the nat'l is only a mere baby dog show. Even if it is invitation only and top dogs in points for the past year. I'd say that makes a previous triple win impossible.)

I am amazed how many dogs I had seen before in other televised shows. If I actually attended some, I bet I'd know more. Oh well, no car means all those dog shows require a ride. Maybe I need some new friends who love dog shows!

Next biggie is Crufts. Hope they don't have another hoof and mouth (OK, so they call it foot and mouth now. I grew up in the boonies, where animal diseases got talked about frequently.) scare and have to postpone it again. I understood why. I just didn't like having to wait! I love seeing Crufts because they recognize so many more interesting breeds than AKC. Some are right peculiar!

mathman444 · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

The Kerry Blue was absolutely sensational. It's great when you can tell that the dog is totally into being shown.

I agree that this is a wonderful sports event, especially when they show some of the preliminaries so you can pick your favorite and cheer him or her on throughout the competition.

Mathman

mike79 · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

I don't mind watching this stuff, but I didn't think it was actually considered sport!

sk8er1964 · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

I caught the tail end (no pun intended :lol: ) of the show. The Kerry Blue certainly was a showman.

One of our dogs is a beagle whose father was Crufts champion beagle in the late 80's. You can really tell the difference between her and our other beagle, who is American-hunting stock. She prances more, moving her feet in a flashy manner, and carries herself like a princess - where he barrels through everything like he's chasing a rabbit all the time. Also, she does not run at all (doesn't hunt well either) while he has to be watched every second when he's outside or he'll take off for hours, running rabbits.

It's funny how their breeding background makes such a difference in these two dogs - it's somethimes hard to believe that they're the same breed.

Ptichka · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

I was rooting for the Newfoundland in the "best in show". Also liked the German Shepard (sp?) a lot. Though how exactly do you choose between a Newf and a Pekinese???!!!

Actually, I really enjoy watching shows that have different breeds, but I do think they are kind of silly. I take more seriously the shows where the dogs actually have to do something to win.

Grgranny · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

Well, if nothing else is on I might even take a look. I do love dogs. It just always seemed kind of stupid to have "show
dogs".

Princess Leppard 625 · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

<span style="color

urple;font-family:georgia;font-size:x-small;">I like watching all the different breeds, too. But good Lord, if figure skating has some subjective judging, what the heck do dog shows have???

Thank God the poodle didn't win again....

Cheers,

Laura, who wanted the Newfoundland to win, too.

Ptichka · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

<blockquote style="padding-left:0.5em; margin-left:0; margin-right:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; border-left:solid 2">Thank God the poodle didn't win again....</blockquote>

ITA. I love poodles, but the way they are groomed nowadays does, I think, put groomers into the "cruelty to animals" category. I mean, what's the point breeding a dog with all this wonderful fur, only to shave off most of it. What especially kills me is the two furry balls they leave right above the tail. Is it sick or what ???!!!

By contrast, I like how the Water Terriers look. I could not distinguish them from poodles, accept they are treated like real animals, not like some freaking Cyprus trees!!!

4dogknight · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

I was rooting for either the Newfoundland or the Ibizan. Josh, the Newfie was really on - on Monday but didn't show as well last night. Bunny peaked in Group but did you catch her stance in BIS, very impressive. I'm sure we'll be hearing from this Ibizan in the future.

Mick will be retiring, after all he's won the triple crown so what's left except lazing away on the living room sofa. I don't remember if Mick had any initials after his name, anyone remember? If not, then there's all those titles.

For those of you that don't know: initials after a dog's name indicate that they have completed the requirements for agility, service or the good dog program. That's what's called finishing the dog.

And grgranny: yes the judging at Westminster was for conformation which means the dog is being judged against the breed standards. I don't know if you watched but believe me if those dogs in the various groups being judged didn't want to be there, they would not have performed like they did. Even my four foots know when they're on stage, when someone notices them or if they just think someone is looking at them. You should see them in the vet's reception area; butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth. But I digress.

The Animal Planet often airs agility competitions. Service, Good Dog or Utility competitions are not shown as often but they are just as exciting. Imagine watching a puppy over several years, finishing his/her titles. And some of these competitions are now for non-pedigree dogs. That means more people can enjoy and participate in the sport. Yes, sport, this is just as much of a sport as well, figure skating.

Mathman – don’t know if you have this but here’s the link to the Westminster site I think you find it interesting and enlightening.

www.westminsterkennelclub.org/info.html

4dk

Kzarah · Feb 12, 2003

Best in Show

In the hound group I was rooting for the Beagle. Best in show I was rooting for the German Sheppard. The hair cuts on the poodles are very gay. I felt sorry for them.
and the long haired dogs look like a lot of work.
Daniel and Little Lulu

mathman444 · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

Thanks for the link, 4dogknight. I added it to my favorites. I don't really know anything about breeding and showing dogs, but they have a big show in Detroit every year and we often go. That's much better than TV, of course, because you get to walk around and meet the animals before the show, etc. (like going to practices at big skating events :lol: )

We had a wire hair fox terrier who was the son of champions, but he was too tall to meet the standard for the breed, so we acquired him as a pet. We couldn't do a thing with him. When we tried to ask dog people for advice about why he acted so crazy, they just shrugged and said, well, he is a terrier. We have some friends who show Irish deer hounds, which I think is a rather unusual breed.

About subjectivity in judging, again, I'm no expert, but I think that the analogy with ice skating is apt. There are very well defined objective criteria that the judges are expected to adhere to -- it's not just who you like.

Mathman

4dogknight · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

Daniel: The poddle (standard, miniature, toy) is groomed that way because of the standards for the breed.
Here's the link to the Poodle standards:
www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/poodle.cfm

As far as these dogs being a wuss, I can assure they are not. These dogs are athletes in every sense of the word; unless their human companions choose to reward inappropriate behavior. And in that case, what are they doing with a dog like that anyway.

Let's pretend that a poodle walks into a bar and it's a hangout for bull mastiffs. Is there a problem? Nope because the poodle can finesse himself out of any situation. Ask any poodle human companion.

My personal preference; any dog that's either lying at my feet or sleeping within the sound of my voice.

4dk

Grgranny · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

If I ever have time, I will tell you some funny stories about some of the dogs we had. Our last two were female and male miniature poodles, black.

4dogknight · Feb 12, 2003

Re: Best in Show

Grgranny, I'm all for dog stories, in fact I've been writing a book, on and off, for the past ten years about the dogs I've known and loved.

About three weeks ago we lost our Robin, a Yellow Lab/Collie mix. Robbo developed an inoperable cancerous tumor and the cancer spread to his lymph nodes. We had no option other than to put him to rest. We didn't want him to suffer and he would have suffered had we just kept him on the medication.

So now we share our lives with only three dogs; they live in the house and we buy the food and pay the mortgage. They think it's equitable solution.

I won't be changing my handle (some other group has three dog knight - the nerve) but as we set a place at the table for the unexpected visitor, it's the same for the fourth dog; the once and future dog.

4dk

pati · Feb 12, 2003

4dogknight

First of all,I'd like to say I'm so sorry about your dog.I went through the same thing last year with my Maggie.She was one very cool dog.
And secondly,thanks for giving the link about poodles.I already knew why they got those cuts(learned from the dog shows,lol).You beat me to the punch.

Westminster Dog Show

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