Yes Wins Non-Sporting, Tiger Woods Tops Hound Group

When Yes — yes, that's her name — won the Non-Sporting Group at the 133rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Monday, somewhere her father must have been smiling. The 5-year-old black Standard Poodle will compete Tuesday for Best in Show at Madison Square Garden (8 ET, USA). Too bad Marv Albert isn't calling the show.

Yes' father, or sire in dog talk, was Ch. Eaton Affirmed, known as Snapper. Though Snapper died in 1990, his owner, Timothy Brazier, froze the dog's semen a quarter century ago, which was very rare for that time.

Snapper is one of the legendary producers of champions, and now his spirit and his genes live on in his daughter, officially known as Ch. Randenn Tristar Affirmation, the No. 4 dog in the country last year. She is the top winning black poodle (all varieties) of all time with 94 Best in Shows and is the mother, or dam, of four champions, and even a grand dam.

It wasn't The Masters, but Tiger Woods won again. This time in the Hound Group. Ch. Gayleward's Tiger Woods, a 6-year-old Scottish Deerhound, will compete tonight for Best in Show. His owner, Gayle Bontecou, is a golfer, and since "there's nothing better than Tiger Woods, we named him Tiger Woods," she says. The original Tiger should be proud of his namesake, Bontecou says. "He should love him because he's really good. They both are total athletes."

[Source: USA Today]

Westminster Best in Show Preview

Catching Some Vitamin C

Who needs tennis balls when you've got oranges?



[Source: Examiner.com]

Hooch Hits Westminster

A newly recognized American Kennel Club breed will compete at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show for the very first time at approximately 9:30 am in Ring 3 on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009.

The Dogue de Bordeaux is an ancient French member of the mastiff family that bears a close resemblance to the popular Bullmastiff. Since the breed gained full recognition into the Working Group on July 1, 2008, there has been time for owners to finish their dogs’ championships and enter the show by the fall deadline. Fifteen of the behemoths are expected to wow spectators.

Most Americans of a certain age will remember the breed’s muscular body, massive head, and stocky build – not to mention gallons of drool – from the popular 1989 movie “Turner and Hooch” that partnered mega-star Tom Hanks with a loose-lipped sidekick of the DDB persuasion.

Happily DDBs don’t produce drool in the quantity that the movie suggested, but by the same token fastidious housekeepers may not see this breed as the perfect canine fit.

To read more about these wrinkly cuties, check out Dogchannel.com

Dog Survives Winter in Montana Wild

NYC's Gone to the Dogs

February is dog month in New York City, with a host of events that revolve around the famous Westminster Dog Show.

The Empire State Building gets dressed up in Westminster’s official colors of purple and gold. Stores such as Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue get creative with dog-related window displays. Pet-friendly restaurants introduce special canine menus, and hotels offer welcoming pet packages. Banners and flags go up around Madison Square Garden, the home to the dog show since the 1800s. And everyone in the city braces for the event that’s become such a major draw, billed as one of the top 10 annual attractions that bring people to the Big Apple.

This year marks the 133rd dog show. It’s still not too late to purchase tickets for the two-day event February 9 - 10. Because it’s a benched show — which means all the dogs have to remain backstage for the entire day — the public has a wonderful opportunity to get up close and personal with the different breeds.

For more info, read the full article at msn.com

In Case You Missed the Puppy Bowl...

Secret Service Dog Takes A Snow Break

While President Obama was busy meeting with Republican congressmen on the economic stimulus plan Tuesday, a Secret Service emergency response team officer let his security dog have a much-deserved break. The dog was observed playing in the snow on the White House grounds.

Hey, you know what they say about all work and no play...

[Source: LaTimes.com]