579 replies to this topic

[TudorQueen]

Well, we watched all six and a quarter hours, b@#*hing endlessly about the judges' preferences for little dogs, aghast at the fact that the Sporting Dog judge didn't even select the most perfect and gorgeous Golden Retriever ever put on this earth to be in the final cut...

and then the Newfoundland won! A big, soft, cuddly Newf who made you want to just curl up on him and take a nap. Just when I was sure it was going to be the goshdarned Corgi [who really has no right being a herding dog, I don't care what it herds].

WTG Josh! We love you for barking your happiness, and taking a stand for the big dogs!

[lotusbear]

Hehe, from personal experience, I think corgis herd children. After a friend of mine's child began to walk their corgi was psyched because she had something to herd.

I've been to the Westminster dog show in person and got a chance to go to the area where they keep the dogs/handlers/owners so you get to see a lot of the dogs in person. Most of the handler people aren't particularly friendly, but I think partially they're stressed out. Even if you can't get tickets to the show itself, you can still see the dogs in person if you hang out around the Madison Square Garden area because their owners are walking them and stuff. Also, as a wire fox terrier owner it cracked me up that while they were judging the WFTs they were the only breed I saw trying to fight eachother while the judging was going on.

All the sponsors give out a lot of freebies down there (dog food, biscuits, little toys) so we came home with a buttload of stuff for our dogs.

[TudorQueen]

lotusbear, that's fascinating. Wish we'd had a chance to go to Westminster while we were in the NY area.

So, Wire Fox Terriers are... territorial? lol. I'm not a terrier fan myself - though I thought their terrier winner, Coco, really did shine - but my cousin adores them. She had a rather nasty Cairn once that we all referred to as a Cairn Terror.

[lotusbear]

WFTs aren't territorial necessarily, but they tend to be aggressive towards other dogs, especially those of the same sex, and in the case of ours, aggressive towards other terriers. It's sort of embarrassing really, because we also have a younger mini poodle and he watches what our WFT does and copies, so he'll bark at other dogs on the street along with her.

Yeah I agree Coco was adorable. I've always been a fan of little dogs.

It's worth visiting Westminster though, not only for the treats, but if you show up during the day for just the "best in breed" portion you can pretty much sit where you want, move around and all because not that many folks are there. Nobody really keeps their assigned seats, so if you want to get closer to a part of the ring where your favorite dogs are, it's quite easy.

[kfree9]

I, too, was excited to see something besides a little dog or the standard poodle win. I was also a fan of Stump, the Sussex spaniel. His tail never stopped wagging!

I was cracking up when the yellow lab was being judged and he was just so excited! I thought he was going to jump on the judge and be diqualified like Beatrice in Best in Show!

Did anyone else notice that the female doing the floor interviews said, "West-minister," more than once AND the judge for best in Show said it when he announced Josh won? WTF?

[Peanutbuttercup]

b@#*hing endlessly about the judges' preferences for little dogs

Now, I know this will make me sound like a militant feminist (is that bad anyway?) but what about the preference for male dogs? It seems like bitches hardly ever win their group or BIS. You would think it would be 50/50, but I doubt the numbers are anywhere close to that.

[TraceyBee]

I was delighted to see Josh win. Newfies are wonderful, wonderful dogs, and he looked like such a sweetie. I was also happy to see the Sussex spaniel, Stump, win his group.

kfree9, I heard "Westminister" far too often last night. Also the ring announcer needs to be replaced, he not only screwed up with the Viszla and Weimaraner, he stumbled over his reading an awful lot.

peanutbuttercup, I read somewhere that male dogs tend to be "prettier" than female dogs - bigger, fuller coats, etc. I read that in an explanation of why Lassie was played by a male dog. It could be that the show standards are geared towards male dogs, too, I don't know enough about dog-showing to say. I do know that some large breeds put a premium on size and weight, so a smaller female would be at a disadvantage.

ETA: The petite handler with the Irish Wolfhound cracked me up. She could have ridden that dog around the ring.

Edited by TraceyBee, Feb 11, 2004 @ 1:05 PM.

[Silly Goose]

Yay! I am so glad to see other WKC fans! I, too, was so excited by Josh's win. I agree that they often seem to go for the smaller dogs, or the poodles. Newfies are great dogs, so that made me happy. Every time he barked, I clapped my hands. You can tell that he knew what was going on and loved it!

I highly recommend going to the show if you ever get the chance. During the day, the ring is divided into 4 - 6 small rings where they judge the breeds, and you can literally sit right next to the dogs on the floor. I went backstage and found the owners and handlers to be friendly to me, so I guess it varies back there.

They also always have vendors back there, so it's a dog lovers paradise.

[Lantern7]

Yeah, but tickets are $36, and MSG vendors charge a lot. There's a show that comes to my area...it's outside in the summer, but it's free.

Okay...is anybody else sick of poodles? I mean, I guess they're nice, but why is the standard so outdated? What practical use is there for shaved balls on the legs and the tail? Bleargh. My mother kept calling the Pekingnese a "furry roach." I went with "pug with fur coat" myself.

I'm glad Josh won...he was really excited, actually woofing during the final judging.

I did stop by the hotel yesterday...it reeked of dog. Saw some pooches, including a few bulldogs and a Dalmatian. Fun stuff.

[kfree9]

What practical use is there for shaved balls on the legs and the tail? Bleargh. My mother kept calling the Pekingnese a "furry roach." I went with "pug with fur coat" myself.

I've heard (or was it in Best in Show?) that the fur balls on the legs are to keep the hip joints warm. But, as for the tail, who the hell knows.
When the Standard Poodle won a couple years ago, this guy I know said, "His balls were on the wrong side of his legs." Heh.

I have to admit that I could not stop giggling when the Pekingnese was trotting around the ring. You could tell he was going as fast as he could, but he was still sooooo slooooowww.

[lotusbear]

The poof on the tail is so that while it's retrieving in water the hunter/owner can keep track of the dog. The poofs on their bums are to keep their kidneys warm.

I'd have to agree that the show cuts for poodles are pretty outdated considering that most likely none of the show dogs are used to retrieve game. We keep our poodle in a puppy-style "do", with just his muzzle, paws, and base of his tail shaved.

[indybear]

Add me to the list of Josh fans. I've wanted a Newfie for as long as I can remember, so I was thrilled when he won!

My DH says the Peke looks like something our cats hack up. Obviously he's not a fan.

[michelec]

I was pulling for Coco because she was so hammy, but it's cool that the big overgrown puppy Josh won.

My mother kept calling the Pekingnese a "furry roach." I went with "pug with fur coat" myself.

My DH says the Peke looks like something our cats hack up. Obviously he's not a fan.

Les made me think of that Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles." No offense to the Pekingese fans out there but Les was fugly.

Count me as another one who's mystified about the poodle grooming. They look silly all done up that way, even more so when they're male.

[Aiders]

My sick obsession with my dogs totally comes out when I watch Westminster. I have two West Highland White Terriers, and when the Westie in the terrier group almost won (barely) my mom and I got really, dorkily excited.

[TudorQueen]

I, too, heard "Westminister" more than once. And the announcer's flubs. He's been doing this for a long time, so I suspect the flubs were just that, and not actual ignorance in action.

The dogs I love best rarely win. You almost never see afghans, rough collies, shelties, any of the Belgian dogs [Tervuryen, Belgian Shepherds] or Borzois in the Best of Show ring.

No disrespect to Peke fans - and I know they are legion - but I honestly thought that Les, the winning Peke, looked demonically possessed...

[isiscloud]

I love the show too. Back in the mid-80s my father was the show vet. I didn't live in NYC so I didn't get to go, but I've been a fan ever since. In the past I've actually made out a scorecard with my faves and watched the show with it in hand! Not too dedicated!

Josh is sooooooooo cute. I love big dogs, actually most dogs, but Newfies are particulary nice.

Somehow I missed Monday's show and only caught the Sporting group by chance. The Sussex spaniel that won was adorable! The golden really should have gotten a better rating, though.

The announcers were so obnoxious. It's like whee! we can say "bitch" with immunity because we're really talking about female dogs. They overused that word so much.

At least Joe Garagiola (sp?) wasn't the co-host. I think Fred Willard's character on Best in Show was modelled after him! Next year!

Also caught the pronounciation mistakes.

[carolfb]

It was great to see a big dog win -- and the Newfie was gorgeous. Watched most of the show with my two pound puppies. Kept pointing out dogs that could have contributed to their gene pool. They were seriously underwhelmed. After all -- if those purebreds were all that smart, they would be living at Carol's spa for wayward dogs.

I found myself rooting against, rather than for, in Best of Show. Varying degrees of love for the Newfie, the Sussex (WHAT a cool dog, o-de-o-ing around the ring), the terrier, and the Corgi. My heart really went with the Newfie, cause I always identify at least 20 dogs I want in the Working and Herding groups. But I really DID NOT want:

the poodle -- don't you know that dog was humiliated to appear in public that way. Smart, athletic, and being paraded around in public in a cut that's sure to get him beat up on the playground. Yeah for the puppy cut!!

the hound -- sorry, there are plenty of anorexic movie stars around. We don't need anorexic dogs. Yeah, I know the hound is in perfect health, but the eating disorders she will inspire in others . . .

the peke -- enough has been said . . .

[TudorQueen]

Watched most of the show with my two pound puppies. Kept pointing out dogs that could have contributed to their gene pool. They were seriously underwhelmed. After all -- if those purebreds were all that smart, they would be living at Carol's spa for wayward dogs

.

Where can one make a donation to the spa? Wayward dogs need love, too.

Our cats were underwhelmed, too. They don't understand our enthusiasm for watching a group of lesser creatures [their opinion] prance around a show ring. Most undignified.

the poodle -- don't you know that dog was humiliated to appear in public that way. Smart, athletic, and being paraded around in public in a cut that's sure to get him beat up on the playground. Yeah for the puppy cut!!

I liked this particular poodle, because he so had his game face on, but overall I tend to agree with you that the show cut is more suitable for a Vegas showgirl than a dog you'd want to be seen entering your house.

the hound -- sorry, there are plenty of anorexic movie stars around. We don't need anorexic dogs. Yeah, I know the hound is in perfect health, but the eating disorders she will inspire in others . . .

ROTFL

[TheAnglican]

I just finished watching my tape of the show, although I missed the moment of truth for BIS since my tape ran out. Bah.

I may be misremembering, Peanutbuttercup, but I think David Frei made the point last year that females are somewhat less common in dog shows because of the bother of dealing with them when they're in heat. After all, if you've got a prizewinning bitch and she comes into heat on the weekend of Westminster, you'd pretty much be out of luck, no? Any dog show people out there, feel free to correct me. My knowledge of dog shows comes mainly from the Laurien Berenson mystery series about a woman who shows standard poodles.

I loved Josh too, but was a teensy bit disappointed that he won with the judge who gave him the group win last year. Sometimes it seems to me that dog show judges get fixed ideas in their heads about certain dogs that they can't transcend. A similar thing happened last year, only in reverse. Dallas, one of the premier German Shepherds of all time, met up with a BIS judge who had ranked him only third in the herding group in 2002, at a time when he was the winningest dog in the country. (I think) Besides Josh, I was rooting for the Ibizan since I always have a soft spot for the obscure breeds.

Personally I thought that the Pomeranian should have beat Les out for the toy group. Also, Charlsie Cantey (spelling?) was embarrasingly bad.

[TraceyBee]

At least Joe Garagiola (sp?) wasn't the co-host. I think Fred Willard's character on Best in Show was modelled after him!

I heard that, too, and Fred was spot-on. I also heard that Garagiola was seriously pissed. Hee!

Also, Charlsie Cantey (spelling?) was embarrasingly bad.

Big ol' WORD to that.

When we see poodles in Extreme Show Clip, MrBee and I tell each other, "It's not the dog's fault, it's not the dog's fault." There are a pair of standard poodles who live near us - one black and one white - that are just nicely trimmed, and they're beautiful dogs, so elegant.

Our cat wasn't interested, either, TudorQueen. She kept turning her back on the tv. That was pretty funny, actually.

[celticann]

In the Sporting group, I was rooting for the Flat-coat, because my first dog, Robin, was primarily flat-coat, for the Yellow Lab, because my current dog, Destiny is one, and for the Irish Setter, because she was bred and is half-owned by my ex-boss's widow. After that I was rooting for Josh all the way!!

I also like the Komondor and the Puli, because of the "dreadlocks", and ITA about the ugliness of the poodle show cut.

[cmkrcwi]

I rooted for Josh all the way. We had a toy fox terrier when I was a kid, so I rooted for him too.

I think the show cut adds to the perception that a poodle is a frou-frou dog. My parents have a standard poodle who's about as far from frou-frou as you can imagine. One of his favorite activities is to go mole hunting with the family rat terrier. He's also brought down a few deer and the odd rabbit and raccoon.

One thing I wonder about is how many of these dogs are "pets" in their off-hours and how many are basically investments. My sister breeds and shows English Springer and English Cocker Spaniels so I know it is a very expensive sport.

[gaPeach]

When we see poodles in Extreme Show Clip, MrBee and I tell each other, "It's not the dog's fault, it's not the dog's fault." There are a pair of standard poodles who live near us - one black and one white - that are just nicely trimmed, and they're beautiful dogs, so elegant.

You are right. It is NOT the dogs fault. I own a Standard Poodle and keep him pretty short with clean feet and face.

I think the show cut adds to the perception that a poodle is a frou-frou dog. My parents have a standard poodle who's about as far from frou-frou as you can imagine. One of his favorite activities is to go mole hunting with the family rat terrier. He's also brought down a few deer and the odd rabbit and raccoon.

How right you are. The cuts on these dogs certainly add to the myth that these are wimpy dogs. My Standard has taken down a couple of squirrels and loves camping/hiking and the outdoors in general. Great dogs and very smart.

[jakes mom]

My sister and I live in different cities, but we faithfully watch every dog show on the phone with each other. We enjoy much sisterly bonding over making up voices and personalities for each of the dogs, with the exception of poor Coco, who got song selections from Best In Show instead.

So the Sussex Spaniel had Eeyore's voice, Josh had a posh Londoner accent for some reason, and the poor skinny hound had the whole supermodel, "if I'm good in the show I don't have to throw up the one cracker I eat for dinner" thing going on. The poodle was a heroin addict because of the humiliation (and because the frou frou haircut hides the track marks), and the peke was clearly a rodent who had snuck into the proceedings.

[kfree9]

jake's mom, I couldn't stop singing "God loves a terrier," and saying, "You're gonna show Winky," either.

[amp]

I thought Les the Peke looked and walked exactly like Cartman from South Park. Every time he started around the ring my husband and I would yell "Respect mah authori-tay!".

[jmslsu01]

Is anyone else planning on watching this (I did a search and didn't find any old discussions)? It starts tonight on the USA Network at 8 EST and concludes on 2/15 starting at the same time.

I don't own purebreds,but I always enjoy watching this competition. I always enjoy the announcers-they are true dog lovers and give out good information (although I think there's a new announcer this year).

Since I don't know anything about purebreds,and since the judge is really the only one who gets up close and personal with the doggie,my favorites usually come down to my favorite breeds (I don't have a great fondness for many toy breeds,except pugs and the Cavalier spaniels,and I like it when a non-terrier or non-poodle wins. Just my prejudices.).

More information about TV coverage (from Westminster site)

Cute article from ABC news about Westminster

Edited by jmslsu01, Feb 14, 2005 @ 9:36 AM.