Ok , so it was a Great Night to be a BIG DOG!!   I confess I wasn’t glued to the tv as I have been in years past.   One problem was that the Terrier Group was the last group to be judged this year.   That, of course, is MY group and I really think making it the final group was a programming error of the highest magnitude.   Herding, Schmerding, Working, Schmorking, Toy, Schmoy…whatever.   Seven groups of mostly BIG dogs loping around the Show Ring at Madison Square Garden for two nights.   Excuse moi for losing interest in Every Big Dog that’s so Strong and Good With Children but you better not put them in an apartment where there are any children.   Oh no, oh no, oh no!   Keep those Big Dogs out in the country, Peep Owners, so they can Herd Something or Run Some Little Furry Creature into the ground.  Yessiree, put all those Big Dogs out in the country after you finish combing their coat and spraying it with Magic Hold here in the Garden for the Super Show.   That’ll help with Herding, for sure.   Once the first sheep gets a whiff of Eau De Magic Hold, the whole flock will be gone!

 Nothing against my Toy Brothers and Sisters, either, but I have trouble seeing you and have to adjust my viewing position to Annie’s bed in front of the tv when we’re in the living room.   I’m worried about my eyesight.   It’s not what it used to be, and you’re so TINY.   And, well, once I get on a bed, I have a tendency to doze off.   Nothing personal, you understand, because I’m a huge fan of you little studs and bitches.   You’ve got SPUNK, and I like SPUNK a lot, but I promise you I’ll sneak a snooze during the chihuahuas in a heartbeat.

I always have a few favorites, and this year was no exception.   I fell in love several times, if you catch my drift!   Six new breeds made it to the hoi polloi of all Dog Events, and I must say the Redbone Coonhound was a personal preference for the Premier Pups.   Rufus was my guy’s name, and he hailed from Kentucky, the state that gave us Daniel Boone, coonskin hats  and Fess Parker.   Well, maybe not Fess Parker, but he played Danied Boone on tv so I count him from Kentucky.   Without the likes of Rufus we would never have known the fabulous fashion of coonskin hats.   Why in the world did it take so long to admit a Coonhound to the Big Show?   What’s that in the air?  Sniff.   Sniff.   Methinks I detect a touch of snobbery.   Oh, well.    Better late than never, I always say.

The old woman Slow watched faithfully both nights, and Pretty did as Pretty does so well.   She multi-tasks with her computer while she “watches” with us.   Pretty loved almost all the dogs and wanted to bring them home to live with us.   Pretty is dangerous that way, and she is also the Kiss of Death when she picks a favorite to win.   Anything.   If you want your team to win, for example, tell Pretty to pull against you.   It’s the same with the Big Westminster Show.   When Pretty picks the apple of her eye, cross that one off your list of potential winners.     It’s done for.   This year she picked Mr. Baggins, the beautiful Bearded Collie who won the Herding Group OR  Adam, the smooth-haired Fox Terrier who won the Terrier Group at the last minute.   Surprise!   Surprise!   Surprise!

The winner was Hickory, the Scottish deerhound.   Yep, Best in Show.   I can’t argue with the pick because I personally believe the Godfather chose him.   Paolo Dondina arrived in a sleek black limousine, or “leemo,” as Granny Selma calls them, and he had a complete entourage of guards and various hitmen surrounding him as he stepped out of the car.   The tv announcer said that he was  from Italy, and I’m sure he was.   The announcer also said that he had been in total seclusion during the previous two days while the judging had taken place, and I could totally believe that, too.   He had to be protected from the other Mafioso who would be out to get this large sweet man with hands kind enough to caress every dog thoughtfully and smile encouragement to them as they did their diva performances.   This was the Perfect Peep to judge the Penultimate, and he was flawless, even if he didn’t pick Pretty’s favorites.   “This animal is like in the heavens.   It’s not of this world,” he said after the Show, about Hickory.   You gotta love a Godfather who loves a dog.

And so we come to the end of another annual awards show.   It was the 135th. for the Westminster Show and I have to say I enjoyed it and can’t wait for the 136th.!   It’s always the HOTTEST of the HOTTIES!!   And speaking of HOT, here’s a shout-out to Rocky, the Parson Russell Terrier who was a loser in his group but a winner in The Red Man’s eyes and heart!   There’s always next year, Kid.

If Westminster is over, can the Oscars be far behind?

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