What a dog

Over the last couple of weekends I've caught myself watching bits and pieces of the Westminster Dog Show. Apparently this is what happens after the NFL's Super Bowl is played. As many of you know, I love the real football and watch as much Premier League action as I can - but since most of that takes place in the early morning (games are played in England and I'm in the USA), there is a gaping hole in the sporting television landscape on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Basketball? Don't even go there.

So it was with interest this morning that I noted a champion had been crowned in the 136th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. I give you Ch Palacegarden Malachy:

                                       What on earth?

Seriously?

I'm a dog person. I love dogs! Really, I do. I bet if I visited Malachy's house, we'd be buddies. But best in show? Out of more than 2,000 purebred dogs, this little rascal smoked the pack?

I know a lot of folks out there love small dogs. I've got great friends who live and breath chihuahuas (fortunately they can't see me grinding my teeth as their little snookums incessantly barks like some sort of canine Ewok gone mad).

I will admit that I'm a large dog fan; I suppose it's what you're brought up to like. Growing up, my first dog - he was actually my grandmother's - was a Dachshund. I was in first grade when he bit me on the leg. I still have the scar.

Moving over to England to live with my Dad after 5th grade, saw a succession of big dogs including Afghan Hounds and Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Brett, our first Ridgeback was my partner in crime. I loved him like a brother even when I had to bathe the cow dung off of him. You see, he liked to get out of our yard and run across the lane to the pasture. Rolling in cow poo must be something really special in canine-land.

Suffice it to say I was hooked on big dogs.

Long-time followers of this blog will remember that we lost Dale, our German Shepherd in January of 2010. She lived to the ripe old age of 15 - old for her breed - and was the very best dog ever. Ever.

And there was a Shepherd in the mix at Westminster; GCH Babheim's Captain Crunch won best of group in the herding category.

                                  Now THAT'S a dog!

My lovely wife and I are still pondering a new dog for our new home. She loved Dale with all her heart but wasn't in love with the hair; so the jury is still out.

For me, there is no competition. Putting the quirky young Malachy up against Captain Crunch is no contest. Unless you're at Westminster.

What do you think?

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