pet connection

Folks always wonder how I can guess the Westminster winners year after year with such accuracy. Here’s the deal: Top show dogs are on the road every weekend with top professional show handlers, with some dogs attending more than 100 shows a year. At that level of competition, the dogs are close to perfect in conformation, and the handlers are incredibly skilled at presenting the dogs in ways that minimize whatever small flaws they have.

These top dog-handler teams are well-known to the judges, who see them most every weekend. They’re spot-on gorgeous dogs in top condition, and they win and win and win.

By the time Westminster comes around, there’s a buzz around these dozen or so top dogs — and a ranking (No. 1in breed, No. 5 working group, No. 3 all breed, etc.). I look at those rankings, and watch which teams are coming in on a hot streak. Sometimes I see something I like from an outsider who’s just coming into top form. That happened a few years ago, when I picked the English Springer Spaniel to win it all … and she did. No one saw that one coming.

Tonight, I see two dog-handler teams coming in with hot hands, which is why I still like the Dandie Dinmont for Best In Show, but I’m hedging with the Akita. I think one of those dogs will end up on top.

There are always some upsets. A couple years ago the great bloodhound Knotty barely got a look in the Hound Group. Today the Old English sheepdog didn’t win his breed and so won’t advance to the Herding Group final. In that group, I now like the Cardigan Welsh Corgi to snag the top spot and advance to Best In Show. In the Sporting Group, still liking the Springer (with the same handler who won it all with a Springer before). In the Hound Group … still not feeling anything strongly enough but maybe the PBGV (sorry, Christie). A breed like the PBGV has an easier time “sparkling” for the judge than a large Scottish deerhound does.

I won’t know how I did until it’s all over, since I can’t be home to watch tonight and will be TiVoing. Maybe Christie will come on here and gloat if I get it all wrong.

Update: I’m getting a vibe. I’m leaning more and more strongly towards the Akita.

Update No. 2: Yes, I make this all up as I go along. It’s fun.

Allow me to take a moment to flail and squee over the lovely Scottish Deerhound Ch. Thistleglen Margot, bred and co-owned by my friend Jeanne Frye, who is heading for the Hound Group at the Garden tonight, for the second year in a row.

Last year, Margot took the Group, becoming only the second deerhound ever to hit those heights (the first was Ch. Fernhill’s Phantom, CD, handled by his owner, Miranda Levin in 1991). She’s definitely a bit of a favorite to take the group again tonight, and is one of the most beautiful Scottish Deerhounds I’ve ever seen.

The first time I laid eyes on her, she was standing ringside with Jeanne at a National Specialty, about two years old. Her glory days of multiple Bests in Show (she’s the top winning deerhound of all time now) were still ahead of her. She took my breath away then, and she does it still, only more so.

I’m not quite able to retreat to my professional dog writer/experienced dog breeder place and get objective. A dog would have to be handled by an archangel and trot around the ring to the accompaniment of a heavenly choir to get me to take my eyes off Margot tonight.

Video of Margot winning the breed here.

Thanks to Barb Heidenreich of Fernhill Deerhounds and Jeanne Frye of Thistleglen for the photo!

One thing I learned from horse-racing: If you don’t know the form, don’t bet the race.

So … although I’m pretty confident that the springer spaniel will advance to Best In Show to represent the Sporting Group (assuming he wins his breed first), I’m just not getting any good vibes on the other two groups.

In the Hound Group, the insiders like the petit basset griffon vendeen (translation: Cute, barky short-legged wire-haired dog) and the Scottish deerhound. In herding, the Old English sheepdog are where the smart money’s at. I just don’t know.

We’ll see how the day goes. And if I get a chance today (lots of deadlines) I’ll write about what’s it’s like behind the scenes at Westminster. Hold your nose.

Well, not bad. I picked two of four. My non-sporting group pick, the Dalmatian, was third. Watching the group, I would have picked the Shar-pei. The standard poodle won. So … two white poodles out of seven in the running for Best In Show.

Tomorrow … the Sporting Group should go to the springer spaniel. I’ll pick my other winners in the morning. I still like the Dandie for Best in Show, but I’m hedging my bets with the Akita.

Posted in memory of Kirby the papillon, who should have won Westminster twice. David Frei, Westminster’s superb expert commentator, said Kirby died today at age 16. I was at Westminster both times Kirby won the Toy Group. He was best in show one of those times, and it should have been both.

Godspeed, little Kirby. You were the best.

I’m two-for-three, with the toy poodle winning the Toy Group.

But … more importantly, a big shout-out to Pedigree for making homeless dogs the focus of their Westminster advertising this year. Make a donation, and they’ll match it.

Better yet … make a donation, and visit a shelter for your next best friend.