Westminter Dog Show Pictures: Best in Breeds

As spectators at the Westminster Dog Show, Chris and I were able to walk around the floor throughout the day, watching the individual breeds compete for Best In Breed. We were able to sit ringside during some of the competition, and enjoyed some time off our feet sitting in the bleachers, taking it all in. There were SO many people watching the individual breeds during the day and it was quite obvious when the most popular dog breeds were competing due to all the cheering! I can't say the Collies had a large crowd, but there was certainly one girl in the crowd cheering for them : )

Look for your favorite breeds, I tried to include many that we walk for BlueDog!

First day, first time onto the floor. I was so excited!

Saying there were a lot of people was an understatement. It was hard to find a good spot at times!

Borzois are up...Collies are next!

Rhodesian Ridgebacks

Waiting for his turn
Handlers were well prepared for everything in the show ring...they had treats, toys, brushes, and towels...the towels were often used to wipe up the dogs' drool!

Bull Mastiff strutting his stuff.

Black lab...it was no surprise that every lab we saw had it's tail wagging the entire time : )

Irish Setters about to step into the ring, keeping the hair on their ears tangle free until right before it was time to compete.

The Pugs were always having fun in the show ring because their handlers always had treats.

Australian Shepherds

Dachshund
Ibizan Hounds...they all look the same to me!

Chihuahuas

Ibizan Hound, one of the oldest dog breeds.

Smooth Collie watching his handler intently for treats. This was the number 1 Smooth Collie.

Smooth Collie

German Shepherd

The Best in Breed Rough Collie after his win, posing for pictures.

Posing for the judge.

The judge examined every dog very closely.

A quick glance into the audience.

Borzoi

Golden Retrievers and English Setters

Shetland Sheepdog


Best in Breed Shetland Sheepdog

A Shetland Sheepdog handled by Survivor's Jane...we got to meet and talk with her! More on that later : )

Getting Ready

The coolest part of the Westminster Dog Show is that it's one America's oldest, and one of it's only bench shows. A bench show means that while getting ready, every dog must be displayed for those attending the show to see. Owners, handlers, and groomers can then answer questions that people may have about their dog or breed. It's a wonderful way for people to learn about all of the different breeds, watch the hard work that's put into prepping each dog, and to research the breeds and breeders that they may be interested in. And of course, it makes for some excellent photo opps! Please enjoy a handful of the pictures I took.

The benching area was absolutely filled with crates, grooming tables, people and dogs! It was hard to even make your way through the isles, but the buzz was exciting and fascinating.
A crate covered by jackets looked even larger in person...it's meant to fit a mastiff!

Recognize this dog? A Dogue de Bordeaux, or French Mastiff is the breed of the dog in the movie Turner and Hooch.

A bit of comfort before heading off to the show ring.
This guy held his toy in his mouth the entire time he was groomed!
Keeping the ears clean before the show ring.
Can he see??
Norwegian Elkhound.
There is a dog under all that hair....an Afghan Hound.
One of the three Belgian breeds...a Belgian Turvuren.
A Yorkshire Terrier, after having all that hair blow dried.
Another Afghan Hound, they take hours to prep for the show.
A little Shetland Sheepdog taking a break from all that grooming.
Side part on an Afghan Hound.
Long day!
Sometimes it's easier to just lay down on the grooming table...
A Smooth Collie getting "colored" with chalk to help her color stand out.
Poodle with dreads!

Two More Days Until the Westminster Dog Show

From time immemorial, the dog - of all animals - has been most closely association with man. By his service and devotion, he has earned himself the sobriquet of 'man's best friend,' a title acquired by no other member of the animal kingdom. His loyalty, affection and heroism have been extolled in many tongues in prose and poetry, and scarcely a day passes that some example of his courage, sagacity and devotion to man is not in the press.

~ Dr. John E. DeMund, AKC President, 1923-1932

Westminster Dog Show Fun Facts!

In anticipation for the big show, I'd like to share some fun and interesting facts about the Westminster Dog Show:

• The first Westminster Dog show was held in 1877

• The Westminster Kennel Club was started by a group of hunting men who regularly met at the Westminster Hotel in New York City to promote interest in sporting (hunting) dogs, particularly setters and pointers. Prizes for these first shows were usually pearl-handled pistols!

• The Westminster Dog Show is the second oldest continuously held sporting event in the United States...second only to the Kentucky Derby, which was first held in 1875

• The show pre-dates the invention of the light bulb and the automobile, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and Washington Monument, as well as the invention of basketball and the establishment of the World Series

• Since the first show, there have been 25 men elected president
  

• The first telecast of the show was in 1948, three years before I Love Lucy was premiered

• In 1884 the Westminster Kennel Club became the first member of the America Kennel Club (AKC)

• There have been a total of 299,o24 dogs entered in the past 134 shows.

• 6 new breeds will be competing in the 2011 Westminster Dog Show: The Boykin Spaniel, Bluetick Coonhound, Redbone Coonhound, Cane Corso, Leonberger, and The Icelandic Sheepdog
  

To watch the show: The Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding group competition will be televised live Monday on USA Network from 8-9 PM ET and continuing on CNBC from 9-11 PM ET. The Sporting, Working, Terrier, and Best In Show competition will be televised live Tuesday on USA Network from 8-11 PM ET. Watch for me in the audience, I'll be cheering for the Collies!

Why Every Dog Should Have Interactive Toys

Let's start with a story. There was once a nice girl, who agreed to take her sister-in-law's two little dogs while she was on vacation. The two dogs were naturally high energy, and in addition, they weren't quite used to this new home that they were staying in. The girl worked at home during her mornings and needed a quiet, peaceful atmosphere. The dogs, however, found that the morning was the perfect time to play. Clearly, the girl had to do something about this. She did not want the dogs to become bored, that would only lead them into some sort of trouble. However, she just didn't have the time to play with them until she finished all of her work.

So the nice girl went to the pet store to see what she could find. She came home with two new toys for the dogs. But these weren't normal toys, they were extra fun for the dogs. Because, you see, the girl could put food in the toys! The dogs had a lovely time trying to get little bits of kibble out of their toys. They were very happy and had a lot of fun, spending nearly an hour playing, and then took a nap. And the girl was very happy too, because she could get her work done in peace, satisfied knowing that the two little dogs were busy and entertained.

I'm sure this story sounds all too familiar. You're trying to get work done, or even just relax for a bit, while your dog runs around the house trying to get you to play. Or perhaps when you leave for work in the morning, you dread the return home to see that Fido chewed another remote control or the pillows off the couch. Or you may just have that guilt that many of us loving dog owners have when we just can't satisfy those big brown eyes that are asking us to play. Well, my solution for you is as easy as driving down to the pet store and picking up one of those special toys! Interactive toys are essentially just that...they require that your dog engages with them to get a reward. And the reward is a treat.


There are quite a few options for interactive toys. My girls are lucky enough to have many! The traditional Kong can be used in multiple ways. They have a couple of different shapes and sizes to meet the needs of any dog, small softer Kongs for puppies and large, indestructible ones for tough chewers. Most are hollow in the middle, where a treat or food can be placed. A newer product is the Buddy Bone. Buddy Bones also come in a couple different shapes and sizes and have smaller places to put little treats. You can also determine how difficult you want to make it for your dog. And lastly, there's always a hollow bone. Some come already stuffed, but you can continue to use them long after and stuff them yourself. However, with bones, make sure to monitor your dog when you first give it to her to ensure the bone doesn't chip or splinter at all.


Most products come with "stuffing" however I like to be creative and fill them myself! And of course, the best thing to use is kibble! It's nutritious for your dog and not just a "filler" like dog treats. However, dog treats can work as well. You can also use peanut butter or canned dog food to stuff the toys. And to make it more difficult for your pup, you can stuff the toy with peanut butter or canned food (or I like to stuff peanut butter with kibble bits) and put it in the freezer! It's a nice treat for your pup in the summer time and it's also very convenient to have a couple toys in the freezer for when you don't have time to stuff a toy.

My girls absolutely love their interactive toys and it keeps them busy throughout the day when I'm trying to get work done, relax, or need to leave them at home by themselves. I will admit, I am filled with guilt every time I leave the house without them, but I'm pretty sure they could careless about me when they've got their toys filled with goodies! The stimulation is great for them too because they're learning, it's like a training session that I'm not needed for! Elsa has learned that the easiest way for her to get cookies is to roll her toys along the floor, whereas Reese has learned that if she drops the toy onto the floor (or even down the stairs!) the cookies will fall out. My smart girls stay busy, learn, and have fun every time I give them an interactive toy. It's convenient for me and great for them. And as a dog walker, it's wonderful to see when an owner has left their dog a stuffed toy to enjoy while they're away at work. Some clients even leave a toy in the freezer for me to give to their pup when we're finished with our walk!

So if you haven't tried it, I certainly recommend getting an interactive toy for your pup, you'll be happy you did! And I think the pictures speak for themselves...dogs really enjoy them!