2013 Westminster Dog Show - Feb. 11 & 12

[Scrufflet]

^^^Aw come on! He looks like a furry Tazmanian Devil! Kind of cute for a little guy!
Personally, I like the big dogs like Bernies, Great Pyrenees, Border Collies and Newfs. And I adore Springer Spaniels.

[Lacey]

I told you, he's square, look at his shape.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/sp...show.html?_r=0

[Sparks]

Banana Joe was on all the morning shows. I like him better. I don't understand why people are finding him so unique...haven't they seen "As Good as it Gets"? The monkey dog is the star! Not the same, but THE SAME.

[my little pony]

to be fair, i had to block out as good as it gets the second i left the theater

[Sparks]

To be fair, that's fair.

[sk8er1964]

Another mini-dog.

Real dogs wuzrobbed! Blame the judges!

[suep1963]

I just googled a picture of the affenpinscher. What a hideous dog.

awwww--he's cute!

^^^Aw come on! He looks like a furry Tazmanian Devil! Kind of cute for a little guy!
Personally, I like the big dogs like Bernies, Great Pyrenees, Border Collies and Newfs. And I adore Springer Spaniels.

see? Cute

[IceAlisa]

There is only one small dog for me and that is a short haired daschund.

[Cloudy_Gumdrops]

Meh, call me when a Labrador or Bernese or something is actually given the chance to win.

[halffull]

Another mini-dog.

Real dogs wuzrobbed! Blame the judges!

^ this

[Japanfan]

Another mini-dog.

Real dogs wuzrobbed! Blame the judges!

I said the same a few posts prior.

I've gotten so used to it that this year, I didn't even watch. I was really disheartened last year when the Peke one, especially since I don't care for the breed. The dialogue about that and small dogs being in general indicated that the reason for this is that it is easier to breed those dogs pure to standard. I'm not sure why this is, perhaps because they are smaller and therefore easier to control genetically? Or, perhaps because so many of the bigger dogs are bred for other purposes - guiding, hunting, policing, therapy, etc. - there is a less a focus on breeding pure to standard and less breeders who breed the dogs for show?

Add to this the horrid, heartbreaking documentary that came about what breeders were doing to dogs to make them more suitable for show. Things like weakening the hips of the German Shepherd dog and spreading cancer in the Cavalier. Turned me off Westminister a bit, though I admit I couldn't avoid watching if a real dog like Josh the Newfoundland won again.

[ks777]

I wanted Labrador to finally win this year. I hate small dogs.

[ks777]

Maybe it's time to have 7-9 judges instead of one. Also I don't know how he can compare a breed to another breed and put one over the other.. The judging is 1000 times worse than figure skating. Very questionable judging over all. Time for a new judging system.

[Scrufflet]

Meh, call me when a Labrador or Bernese or something is actually given the chance to win.

I love Bernies. It has always saddened me that theyhave such short life spans and that about 70% die from cancer; I've been told this by several people, a breeder and a vet among them. I know that big dogs tend to go sooner but I have never been able to figure out why Bernies have such a rough time. Anyone got any theories? The lovely dog next door died at age 4!

[reckless]

I love Bernies. It has always saddened me that theyhave such short life spans and that about 70% die from cancer; I've been told this by several people, a breeder and a vet among them. I know that big dogs tend to go sooner but I have never been able to figure out why Bernies have such a rough time. Anyone got any theories? The lovely dog next door died at age 4!

I love Berners too, but the health issues would prevent me from ever getting a purebred. The general speculation is that their size places more stress on big dogs' organs, which causes them to die more quickly. But as for why Berners have more issues, particularly with cancer, I don't know if anyone really has an idea. Probably it just has to do with something connected to the dominant genes in the breed.

I'm just thankful that I have been very lucky with my Berner mix (with Border Collie). She's 10-and-a-half, and in great health. Saturday actually will be 10 years to the day from when I first found her at a rescue event.

[BlueRidge]

@ the hostility towards small dogs.

Its not only small dogs that win. Its not that long ago that a German Shorthaired Pointer won.

[Artemis@BC]

Its not only small dogs that win. Its not that long ago that a German Shorthaired Pointer won.

And Hickory the Scottish Deerhound just a couple of years ago. She was my favourite win!

Of course much of the "hostility" (or sterotypes against) small dogs has less to do with the dogs and more to do with some of the people who gravitate toward those breeds. Esp. the toys. Y'know, the folks who think of them as fashion accessories. Not a nice thing to do to a little wolf.)

I myself don't discriminate by size. Some of my favourite breeds include little dogs (Westies, Wired Dachshunds), medium (CBGBs, Boxers), and big dogs (Goldens, Berners, German Shepherds, Irish Wolfhounds).

[emason]

Maybe it's time to have 7-9 judges instead of one. Also I don't know how he can compare a breed to another breed and put one over the other.. The judging is 1000 times worse than figure skating. Very questionable judging over all. Time for a new judging system.

The judge (in theory, at least) is not comparing one breed to another. He is comparing each individual dog to the ideal standard of its breed, looking for the BIS, the dog that best exemplifies the standard of its breed.

[Scrufflet]

I love Berners too, but the health issues would prevent me from ever getting a purebred. The general speculation is that their size places more stress on big dogs' organs, which causes them to die more quickly. But as for why Berners have more issues, particularly with cancer, I don't know if anyone really has an idea. Probably it just has to do with something connected to the dominant genes in the breed.

I'm just thankful that I have been very lucky with my Berner mix (with Border Collie). She's 10-and-a-half, and in great health. Saturday actually will be 10 years to the day from when I first found her at a rescue event.

She sounds gorgeous! Lucky you! I wish you both many years ahead.

[danceronice]

The judge (in theory, at least) is not comparing one breed to another. He is comparing each individual dog to the ideal standard of its breed, looking for the BIS, the dog that best exemplifies the standard of its breed.

Exactly. The Affenpinscher was apparently closer to the ideal Affenpinscher than the other dogs were to the ideal of their breed. Which is why I was surprised by the relative youth of the BiS judge as it's usually someone who has been around long enough to have a REALLY broad experience of judging breeds.

That actually tends to put the rarer breeds at a disadvantage, and the newer ones--the judges don't see them as much so it's a harder call. OTOH I think the Labs and Goldens have the opposite problem--there's too many of them, they're common as crabgrass, and they either kind of blend, or it's a little harder to have that one ideal dog. I know I'm just never especially grabbed by a Lab when I see one. That was one reason I think Uno surprised people--beagles are another really common breed that kind of blend in.

The giant breeds just don't live as long. Some of the toys and smaller dogs tend to live a lot longer. (I knew a Bichon who lived to age 20, and a smooth Dachs who was 17.)

And no kidding bigger dogs win...forget Hickory and the Pointer, how about Josh the Newfie? That would be like owning a small bear.