CHAN: Some of the furriest and feistiest pure-breds compete for top dog at the 132nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this week in New York City. Let's take a look.
STORY: Close to three thousand dogs, and about 170 breeds, descended on New York City to compete for Best in Show.
The Plott, the Tibetan Mastiff, the Beauceron, and the Swedish
Vallhund are all competing for the first time in 2008.
[Arvind deBraganca, owner of Swedish Vallhund]: "There's a lot of very good dogs here, so
the competition is high, expectations are high."
It takes all kinds at the Westminster Dog Show. There are eight
categories in the competition: sporting, hound, working, terriers, toy,
non-sporting and herding breeds and then there's the junior showmanship.
Now let's take a look at the contestants.
Anna Gracie says no matter what happens, her bearded collie,
Christopher, is already a champion. The owner, and her family, say she and her dog share certain characteristics.
[Lucy Campbell Gracie, Gracie's mother]: "He's a lot like her
in disposition; full of himself. She acts silly, he acts silly. They are very
linked."
Junior, an American Foxhound is competing in the Hound category. Junior's father and grandfather have all shown at Westminster. Junior was born to show.
[Kelly Leonard, owner of Junior]: "He likes it. He likes getting out, he likes the crowd, he likes the attention, so he's pretty good about it. There are some dogs that just hate showing and then there are other dogs who just like to get out and do it, and luckily, he's one of those."
So what makes a champion dog? Doug Johnson thinks his dog is the perfect example. Bugaboo's Big
Resolution, or Smokin', was Best In Show winner at the American Kennel Club's Eukanuba National Championship last
year.
[Doug Johnson, owner of Smokin']: "He's very short back, he has a nice rise over the top line, and a
big bum, a wonderful headpiece on to him, proper proportions. The
construction of this dog is exquisite."
Established in 1877, The Westminster Kennel Club says it is America's
oldest organization dedicated to the sport of pure-bred dogs. The Westminster
Dog Show is the second longest continuously held sporting event, just one year
behind only the Kentucky Derby.
Tags: Dogs Compete for Best in Show Westminster Kennel Club show dog
