Westminster and other dog matters

Ah, I’m tired. I’ve been up all night working on dog legislation things. But I had to write something about Stump. Did you get to see the Westminster KC show tonight? What a great story! Little Stump, a Sussex Spaniel, is 10 years old. He’s been retired since 2004. Five days ago his handler decides it would be nice to bring him out of retirement and show him at Westminster one more time. So the short, slow little guy parades around the ring tonight and wins the Sporting Group. I was amazed. Then he goes on to win Best In Show. Absolutely incredible. He’s the oldest dog to ever win the show.



For those of you doing the math, Stump is about 70 in dog years. LOL So he’s an old man. I don’t know if he will be out doing all of the dog publicity and charity work that last year’s winner, the popular Beagle Uno was able to do. Uno was only 2-3 years old and very active. They may have to make some allowances for Stump’s age.

The show is fun to watch. I often watch the dog shows on TV but I usually only watch the Sporting Group since I have English Setters. The Westminster show is one of the rare times when I will watch a show from beginning to end and really look at all the dogs. Even after all these years in dogs I’m embarrassed to admit that I can look at some breeds and not know what I’m supposed to be looking for. I don’t know how they’re supposed to move or whether I’m looking at a good example of the breed or not. Some whole groups are a mystery to me. I can watch the Sporting Group and pick out the best dogs but if you tell me to find the best dogs in the Toy Group I would have a hard time. I don’t know what a lot of those dogs are supposed to look like under their hair. I don’t know how they’re supposed to move or even how a judge can tell when they have hair to the floor. That’s why you can't use the same criteria to judge one breed with another. You can’t really compare a Golden Retriever to a Pug. You just don’t have enough points of comparison. So when judges are judging dogs they have to know the breed standard for each breed. They are mentally comparing a Golden Retriever to the description given for the ideal Golden Retriever, and the same with the Pug and their breed standard.

Of course, it’s not enough to just memorize breed standards. You have to have actual experience with dogs in a breed to understand how all the parts fit together and everything works. It’s a lengthy process to become a dog show judge, especially when you’re just starting out. You have to have been a breeder or handler for so many years and have bred, I think, at least four champions in ten years. Then you are also required to work with a mentor in the breed you’re applying to become a judge in. You have to pass written and hands-on judging tests. You have to do some practice judging at “matches” which are like practice shows for puppies and less experienced dogs. Some judges only pick up that one breed to judge, usually their own breed. Other judges study and add more breeds, then a whole Group. A few judges become qualified to judge all breeds and Best In Show. That achievement represents a lot of dog knowledge. That’s how you end up with judges who have been in dogs for 50 years or more. It takes a long time to work your way up to that level.

Me? I’m happy showing and breeding my dogs. I can’t think of a higher calling than trying to improve each generation or breed the healthiest, happiest, best puppies humanly possible. I don’t breed very often since my dogs live in the house with me and they’re family members, but I am dedicated to it.