The Dog Show a Big Deal....Really?

Every year, USA network proudly televises the Westminster Dog Show that takes place at Madison Square Garden. I could have sworn that in years past, it was like a one week televised event, but apparently, they cut it down to two nights and due to lack of original programming, I caught the last night of the Dog Show.

Unfortunately I only got to see the Toy Group, Working Dogs and Best in Show...the Best in Show is where the winner from each of the seven categories of dogs compete for the top prize - to be the Grand Banana of the Westminster Dog Show.

So many things running through my head as I was watching....first of all, the photographers. They were all lined up with their wide angle, zoom lenses ready to shoot each dog as they were examined by the judge. I had to wonder if these photographers really enjoyed being there? I would imagine those shooting for trade magazines and other Dog-related media were very excited (maybe not) but how about those from local newspapers? I can just hear the news chief now...'Carter, you're covering the dog show.' Carter's reaction? "Crap!" Seriously, with all the photographers piled on top of each other in their "holding pen," it looked like paparazzi for your pet.

Why would anyone shave a poodle the way they shaved the regular and toy poodles for the show? As my husband said, they look like 'rats with cotton balls glued to their butt.' Nice. Poor poodles with their afro fur and snowball legwarmers.


The toy group was fun to watch because the dogs were so small and 'toy'-like. For those dogs with the long, silky hair, their handlers kept a brush handy to brush out their hair before they had to walk and prance for the judge and the crowd...but there must've been something in the air because more than once, I saw several dogs immediately shake out the brush-down, possibly in an act of defiance. Almost like 'Get this damn bow out of my hair...my name is Chandler Bing!' (no joke!) But the best was how the handlers were so careful with each dog until the winner was named and then the handlers all rushed to the winning dog/handler to congratulate them and carelessly picked up their toy-dog to bring them back stage....I guess at that point, who cares, they didn't win.

I was trying to figure out, through the course of the whole show, what the handlers were doing when they would have their fingers to their mouths and immediately put it to the dog's mouth? My initial thought was that they were feeding the dogs treats to keep them calm and use as reinforcements should the dog get 'out of hand.' Then I thought, 'Gross - are these handlers nibbling on Kibbles and feeding them to their dogs?!' Nasty. These dogs are so pampered as it is, do they really need the handlers to process their food too....like a baby without teeth?

Anyways, I missed the first night of the show and along with that, my favorite group - the herding group - because my most favorite dog is in that group - the Old English Sheepdog. I remember growing up, one of my Mom's best friends had an Old English Sheepdog named Muffin. He was big and cute. Unfortunately, Muffin met with an untimely death with a car. One of my school friends also had an Old English Sheepdog, Chadwick. I remember being over her house for a sleepover and we were playing in the basement with the lights out and I fell over Chadwick - so cute. But a few years ago, the Old English Sheepdog won his breed and his name was Yoshii. I thought this was the coolest name for this dog - so now every time I see an Old English Sheepdog, I call it 'Yoshii.' If they didn't shed so much, I would consider getting a Yoshii of my own - but between me and the dog, our hardwood floors would be carpeted in dog and human hair! Maybe...one day...when I'm bald.