2009 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Drawings, pencil on paper, 8 1/2 " x 5"-7", 2009

The 133rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will be taking place at Madison Square Garden on Monday and Tuesday, February 9-10. My friend Jessie P got me thinking about the competition because she'll be attending as a reporter. 

For this year's event, I decided to throw all my chips in with three special dogs: the Komondor, the Pekingese, and the Wirehaired Dachshund. I've drawn a picture of each breed.

Longest Hair: The Komondor

The Komondor is a large livestock guardian whose homeland for centuries has been Hungary. The breed is thought to have descended from the Russian Owtcharka and was introduced in Hungary by the invading Magyars. The dog looks like this in order to fool sheep. 

You might expect the Komondor to have a chip on its shoulder about overzealous breeders who subject it to almost total blindness by growing hair over its face. This couldn't be farther from the truth. The Komondor enjoys having its eyes covered because it is very shy. 

Fun fact: No one knows what the Komondor looks like under its hair. 

Thickest Hair: The Pekingese 

The Pekingese is an ancient toy breed originating in China dating back to 800 A.D. In 1982, two Pekingese were discovered in the tomb of a mysterious Emperor where they had been living for a thousand years. Once released from captivity, the dogs began reproducing rapidly. Today the breed is a popular pet throughout the world. Legend attributes their origin to a mythical cross between a lion and a snake. The Pekingese are an ideal dog for rich people.  

Fun fact: The Pekingese is bred to be wall-eyed. That's the opposite of cross-eyed!

Oldest Looking: The Dachsund (Wirehaired)

The long, low sturdy body of the Dachshund is a perfect example of form following function. With a prominent forechest and front legs that can dig, the Dachshund tenaciously and efficiently goes underground to hunt worms. While the Dachshund was originally bred in Germany centuries ago, it has absolutely no affiliation with the Nazis.

Fun fact: Why did the cowboy buy a dachshund? Because he wanted to get a long little doggie. 

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If one of these three dogs doesn't win a medal in the all-around competition I am going to be super mad. I'll be posting updates over the next two days as the official results are tabulated. Stay tuned!

Update: Here are some YouTube movies about these incredible breeds to get you in the mood:

Komondor

"I can't see shit. My eyes are covered in hair."

Pekingese

Ghost Rider is the name of the world's greatest Pekingese. This dog is a hero. 

Wirehaired Dachshund

This is footage from the 2008 Dachsund National Championships where the Wirehair slayed the competition. Skip ahead to the middle to see the awesome victory lap.

Update 2/9/09 11:32 am PST: According to Jessie P, all the early buzz is swirling around a new dog to the competition, the French Mastiff. Jessie reports that this is the same breed as Hooch in the Tom Hanks movie "Turner and Hooch".

Update 2/9/09 9:27 pm PST: Things didn't turn out so well in the first round. The day started off positively when Daybreak's Awesome Blossom was awarded the gold medal for Wirehaired Dachsunds and advanced to the Hound Finals. Things got ugly in the finals, however, when terrible rumors started  floating around that Awesome Blossom had rabies. These dirty tactics clearly influenced the judges. Awesome Blossom failed to medal, earning fourth. The winner was a Deerhound named Tiger Woods. Are you kidding me? 

There is another full day of competition and I still have two dogs in this fight, literally. The Komondor and Pekingese will duke it out in the Toy and Working dog heats tomorrow. 

Update 2/10/09 12:02 pm PST: Breaking News from the AP - "There was an hour-long protest outside the Garden by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, with two members dressed up as Ku Klux Klan members. PETA claims the American Kennel Club's promotion of purebred dogs is harmful to their health."

Don't PETA members feed their mutts vegan dog chow?  Who are the real oppressors?

Update 2/10/09 8:35 pm PST: Not a good day for the Komondors. Slew 'Em bested Szerelem Rabja in the Breed Battle. That was all there was to celebrate today. Slew 'Em was trounced in the hyper-competitive Working Dog finals. Today was all about size and no one could touch the Giant Schnauzer. 

Update 2/10/09 9:51 pm PST: Finally some good news! The lovely Match Point crushed the homely second place finisher Perchance a Dream to take the Pekingese Crown. Match Point went on to win the bronze medal for Toy Dogs! There is no shame in losing to Masquerade the shrunken-head gremlin dog. 

Update 2/10/09 10:05 pm PST: Next year I'm pulling for the Affenpinscher. What a crazy couple of days. Thank you, Westminster family. 

Comments

[Carl W]

Terrific work! Jessie P has the assignment of her life in front of her.

[kevin r]

I heard on NPR that attendance may be a little down but I'm guessing the blogs are sizzling right about now!

Wonderful Pictures.

I will self-promote my dog because I am a new proud parent and she is just adorable.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kinbote

She likes to rummage through garbage.

[Carl W]

The French Bulldog was robbed in non-sporting.

[John U]

I'm trying to catch up online.

Carl, I agree. It looks like there was a miscarriage of justice in the Non-Sporting group final.

#1: Low self-esteem
http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/2009/photos/group/PP67215501.html

#2: Cool, confident
http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/2009/photos/group/NP11631005.html

Kevin, your dog would put the fear in some of these young pups. What breed is she? Do you have all the papers?

[Carl W]

Link:

http://newyork.metromix.com/events/photogallery/westminister-dog-show-2009/951769/content

[Carl W]

Also: http://newyork.metromix.com/events/photogallery/westminister-dog-show-2009/951769/content

[Seth L.]

I am a big fan of those drawings. I will pay cash money for the original of the Daschund. Bring it to 'the spot.'

[kevin r]

My dog is part whippet I believe and part terrier. I was looking up details on Whippets and I came across the "Bully Whippet" a genetic mutation that occurs in Whippets and makes them very strong. They use them in the Russian Army

http://www.cobankopegi.com/b/fasterwhippetbully.jpg