The WEstminster Dog Show is coming!

[cassiesmom]

Feb. 15- part on USA Network and part on CNBC -- Hound group, Toy group, Non-Sporting group, Herding group
Feb. 16- all on USA Network -- Sporting group, Working Group, Terrier group; Best In Show

I :love: to watch the Westminster show because I always learn something about dogs, and then I come back to PT and see what you all have to say and usually I learn even more from those discussions! Love it, love it!

[Pinot's Mom]

"Westminster" is on my favorites and I grew up at that show. Love it, too!:)

[Queen of Poop]

I LOVE to watch Westminster!!! Thanks for the reminder.

[lvpets2002]

:) Yup I watch it every year too.. thanks for the heads up..

[Freedom]

Marked the calendar -- as I do every year when I find out the date!

[Karen]

Be sure to remind us closer to the date. I do enjoy the show, even if I hate some of the "show cuts" and what the breed standards are doing to the dogs in terms of health.

[Grace]

I also love this show. First saw it back in 1987 when the German Shepherd Manhattan won - and I haven't missed any since.

My favorites over the years were Brady, the Clumber Spaniel - Uno, the Beagle - and Josh, the Newfie.

[IRescue452]

There's a few newly recognized breeds in the mix this year I believe. Of course they're not new to the world, just to American competition. It'll be interesting to see how American breeders have changed their looks to suit American preference. Somebody will have to hold me down when they show the toller (orange border collie?).

[cassiesmom]

BOUNCE! Today is the day!

[cassiesmom]

Now this is just downright mean. The Non-Sporting group is on CNBC and at the same time, Alec Bilodeau, mogul skier is receiving his gold medal and the Canadian fans are going berserk. I'm flipping channels back and forth like mad!

[Freedom]

I sat up for the first 3 of the 4 groups, just couldn't stay up -- yawn. Not that the dogs are boring, not at all! I love it! I was just too tired.

Will try tonight to get to the end. This was never a problem when I was younger. :rolleyes:

I did love Lola the 15 in beagle, was surprised she didn't make group.
And the Frenchie, well, that came out of nowhere! He heee.

The all white min poodle is stunning.

I missed the last one of the group.

[Ginger's Mom]

Ha, funny you should say that. Yep, I too fell asleep watching Westminster. That has Never happened before. As you said, I think it's age creeping up on me. :lol:

[Grace]

I watched it all - switching over to the Olympics during commercials. The Puli won the herding group - same dog won this group last year.

I loved the Bulldog - she had a certain look about her.

[Freedom]

Puli? Cool!

Hey was anyone else surprised to see the Havanese in cords? WOW, but then when David Frei said the owners have both Puli's and Komondors, well, I could see it.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Needless to say, I love all the dogs and I love the show every year. However, the Chihuahuas were both so cute, I had a smile the size of Texas on my face. I may be a little biased.;) ;) ;) I thought that Poodle was precious. :)

Can't wait for tonight.:)

[cassiesmom]

Westminster Dog Show 2010: Why it's better than Winter Olympics
By Peter Grier
Mon Feb 15, 3:26 pm ET

Washington – The Westminster Dog Show is on TV tonight. So is the Winter Olympics. Which are you going to watch?

On the one hand, NBC in prime time will be showing pairs figure skating and snowboards. On the other, Westminster will have the hound, toy, non-sporting, and herding groups, starting on the cable USA Network (owned by NBC Universal), then shuffling over to CNBC later in the evening.

The human-based competition will probably win this ratings smackdown. After all, it’s got glamorous athletes cavorting on snow and ice. Westminster? A bunch of people in tweed walking their dogs indoors.

That’s the conventional wisdom, anyway. But for a significant minority of American households, salukis are a bigger draw than skaters.

Here are some of their reasons why:

• Dogs are cuter than Lindsey Vonn. That flowing hair! Those gleaming teeth! There’s nothing like an Irish setter bounding around the ring.

US skier Lindsey Vonn is very attractive. But walk a long-haired dachshund down the street, and people will spontaneously coo, “Awww, she’s so cute! Look at the hair in her ears! Who’s a good dog? Yes you are! You’re such a good dog!”

• Dogs are happier than Scott Hamilton. Dogs live for the moment. The tension of competition does not furrow their brow. This is how dogs emote: “Time for a walk? My favorite thing! A judge? My favorite thing! Did I lose? Still my favorite thing!”

As the great American humorist and dog observer James Thurber wrote, “Dogs are obsessed with being happy.”

Figure skating analyst Scott Hamilton – a former gold medal winner himself – is pretty upbeat. But he’s not spreading joy around as surely as if he were tossing out gold coins.

• New breeds are better than new events. The Olympics has added several new events this year, such as snowboard cross, a type of race that is generally described as winter-sports-meets-NASCAR.

But Westminster has added three new breeds. New competitions? That’s for amateurs. The folks at the Westminster Kennel Club have got whole new categories of competitors. There’s the Norwegian Buhund, which looks like an albino mini-sled dog; the Pyrenean Shepherd, which looks like a cross between a collie and a teddy bear; and the Irish Red and White Setter, which looks like you would expect.

[Editor's note: The original version of this story misidentified the Irish Red and White Setter.]

• Beagles. Beagles make everything better. They swagger around the dog show ring with a merry attitude, as if they just successfully stole the poodle’s food. They don’t usually do well at big shows, because judges prefer breeds whose hair can be styled. But Uno the beagle won Westminster in 2008, and he remains the most popular champion in the show’s history.

This year, the favorite is Sadie, a four-year-old Scottish terrier. Tune in Tuesday for the dramatic best-in-show ending, and see if she wins.

[Grace]

Sadie won!!

I would have been happy with any of them. That Doberman was drop-dead-gorgeous.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Westminster Dog Show 2010:

This year, the favorite is Sadie, a four-year-old Scottish terrier.

And the WINNER is >>>>

Sadie, the Scottish Terrier!! :)

:D

[Twisterdog]

We had a humane society fundraiser at a local bar tonight for Westminster. People bought dog collars and we called the name on the tag for auction and raffle winners. Hilarious, announcing that "Fifi" won a prize, and a big biker guy comes up. We made a lot of money for the shelter and had a lot of fun.

However ... personally, I was BUMMED that the whippet didn't win!

[Freedom]

Gosh, that last round, I found myself routing for -- ALL OF THEM! What spectacular dogs.

Sadie has been at Westminster 3 or 4 times (I forgot already), and this year she wins the triple crown: National on Thanksgiving, AKC in December in Long Beach, and now Westminster. WOW

And the top 1, 2 and 3 dogs were in that final round?!

Sadie was the one they said knows the words "hot dog" and "treat" in 5 languages. LOL

[IRescue452]

Great dogs. So many I loved, so few I didn't. That little sheltie female in the group stole my heart.

No surprise for a terrier to take the show.

What an upset the whippet didn't win though. I think this was a great show for all of the hounds. Its the first time ever that I sat through a group and didn't find a single fault in any of the dogs. Every hound was the most impressive dog in the world for its brief moment in the spotlight.

[cassiesmom]

Gosh, that last round, I found myself routing for -- ALL OF THEM! What spectacular dogs.



Me too! I wanted the judge to award 7 BIS's!

[boomersooner]

I just love how they KNOW they've won!! They get so excited!!!