The 143rd annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show begins next weekend. Breed judging will be held on Monday and Tuesday, February 11th and 12th.
There are 2879 dogs entered and 203 different breeds represented this year.
In last week’s post (2019 Westminster Dog Show – A Closer Look), I wrote about how the competition works and the list of breeds participating. And before that, I presented a Dog Show Primer with a look back at past winners and a complete schedule of this year’s events.
This year marks 20 years that I have been attending the show with my family. It has become a tradition for us and we look forward to it every year. We love the excitement at the show, we love to see the magnificent dogs and it is thrilling to be there for Best in Show. It never gets old! We also love to go to our favorite restaurants, especially Keen’s Steakhouse, a place filled with history and the best filet mignon I’ve ever had. We also enjoy Gramercy Tavern, one of the very best places to eat in the city.
Up until a few years ago, I was just a spectator.
I started showing dogs at Westminster in 2011. I showed my beloved Rocky and Bill until 2015. They are now retired and living the good life as pampered pooches with me and my husband.
In 2017 I met a little dog that changed our lives. He was just a pup, but boy what a personality! His name is Slugger.
Slugger chose me and I chose him, It was love at first sight. I did something I had not tried before, I placed him with a professional handler so that he could really live up to his potential.
Well he certainly has!
Slugger, is only two years old, but has managed to win a Best in Show, multiple Reserve Best in Shows and multiple Best in Specialty shows.
He has achieved his Gold Grand Champion status as well.
Mostly Slugger is a little dog full of joy. He loves the show ring and he loves his handlers, Jessy and Roxanne Sutton. Actually he loves everyone and is an excellent ambassador for the Smooth Coat Chihuahua breed.
Slugger, who’s kennel name is GCHG Hallmark’s Sandbox Slugger at Markenhaus was ranked the #3 Smooth Coat Chihuahua in the country in 2018.
We are very exited to see him compete this year. We are hoping for good things!
Mostly we love this little guy and eventually he will join Rocky and Bill and become a lazy lap dog too.
Best of luck to everyone at Westminster 2019. See you at the show!
ABOUT THE CHIHUAHUA
AKC Group: Toy
Best in Show Wins: 0
Breed Club: Chihuahua Club of America
Life Expectancy: 14-16 years
AKC History: first registered in 1908 (Beppie)
Body Type: A sturdy breed but exceedingly tiny wit ha height of 6-9 inches at shoulder and a weight of 2-6 pounds. Anything over 6 pounds is disqualified. The breed has erect, wide-set ears that are not altered with a gently curved tail held erect but not over back (called a sickle tail), which also not altered.
The Chihuahua is the smallest breed of dog and is named after the state of Chihuahua in Mexico, where it was discovered in 1850. One full grown specimen weighed in at ten ounces. “Most of today’s dogs are descended from the original 50 taken to the USA. Evidence in stone carvings of the Toltec people firmly establishes that the Chihuahua was in Mexico in the ninth or tenth century. Written records also indicate that the dog was important in the religious and mythological life of the later Aztecs. Chihuahuas may be longhaired or smooth-coated. The smooth coat is considered to be the original variety. The longhaired dogs were created in the early 20th century possibly by crossing with longhaired toy breeds such as the Papillon and Pomeranian.” [source]
Chihuahuas are said to prefer their own kind but do get along well with other breeds as well as with cats.
For more information about this breed…
Chihuahua (dog) (wikipedia)
Chihuahua (smooth coated) (dog.com)
Chihuahua (American Kennel Club)
Chihuahua Club of America Official Website
Chihuahua Breed Standard (chihuahuaclubofamerica)
The Genetics of Chihuahua Coat Length (chihuahuaclubofamerica)
Illustrated Standard for the Chihuahua (chihuahuaclubofamerica)