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New Dog Breeds at 2010 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

The 2010 WKC Dog Show welcomes 3 new breeds to its lineup:

IRISH RED AND WHITE SETTER - Sporting Group

Despite its name, the Irish Red and White Setter is a distinct breed, not just a different colored version of the Irish Setter. Bred primarily for the field, they should be strong, powerful and athletic, with a keen and intelligent attitude. The coat's base color is white with solid red patches. Known in Ireland since the 17th century, the Red and White is thought to be the older of the two Irish Setters. However, it was nearly extinct by the end of the 19th century. During the 1920s, efforts were made to revive the Irish Red and White Setter and by the 1940s, the breed began to reemerge in Ireland.
Visit Official Site

NORWEGIAN BUHUND - Herding Group

Once the cherished companion of Vikings, the Norwegian Buhund is a versatile farm dog from Norway that herds livestock, guards property, and has been used for hunting game. The name means farm-dog --"Bu" in Norwegian means homestead or farm and "hund" means dog. The Buhund is a double-coated, squarely-built spitz, a little under medium size, with mobile prick ears, a tightly-curled tail carried over the center of its back, and dark, almond-shaped eyes with an intelligent, friendly expression. This working breed has a lot of energy, strength, and stamina, but is also known to be independent.
Visit Official Site

PYRENEAN SHEPHERD - Herding Group

The Pyrenean Shepherd is also known by its French name, Berger des Pyrénées, but fanciers of the breed in America often shorten his name to "pyr shep." Herding has been and remains the mainstay of the economy of the High Pyrenees, and the Pyrenean Shepherd is the traditional working companion of the larger dog, the Great Pyrenees. Together they aid the shepherd in his everyday workings with his herd of sheep or other livestock. Outside his homeland of France the breed is rare, but in France his popularity as a wonderfully devoted family companion has grown considerably since the early 1970s. Although small in stature and weight, it is said, "pound for pound, he has few equals in both herding or guarding."
Visit Official Site

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show: Hotels That Permit Dogs

2010 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show 

Going to the show? Need a place to stay in New York City? Here's a list of pet-friendly hotels:

Get special WKC hotel rates at pet friendly hotels here – Over 30 hotels listed with special rates

We look forward to seeing you at the show! The staff at Petville.com

via thepoop.com

The History of The Westminster Kennel Club

Did you know... Over one hundred twenty years ago, the Westminster Kennel Club was initiated by a group of gentlemen who enjoyed sporting dogs, primarily Pointers and Setters. The group's frequent meeting place was held at the Westminster Hotel in New York City. The Westminster Kennel Club was established with a view to increase an interest in dogs, and thus improve the breeds, and to hold an Annual Dog Show in the City of New York.

The Club's first Best in Show award was made in 1907 to a Smooth Fox Terrier, Ch. Warren Remedy. She also won the top award in 1908 and 1909, making her the only dog to have won three Best in Shows at Westminster.

Click here to read more on history of The Westminster Kennel Club

Westminster Dog Show 2010: Save the Date!

For those of you making travel plans to New York for the big Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show event, here's the dates for you to plan for:

Monday and Tuesday, February 15-16, 2010

Madison Square Garden
Pennsylvania Plaza
Seventh to Eighth Avenues and 31st to 33rd Streets
New York, New York

America's First and Only
Champions Only Dog Show
Entry limited to 2,500 dogs

170 Breeds and Varieties will be judged in seven different groups.
Debut for 3 Breeds: IRISH RED AND WHITE SETTER (Sporting Group), NORWEGIAN BUHUND (Herding Group) and the PYRENEAN SHEPHERD (Herding Group)

Individual breed judging will take place each day between the hours of 8:00AM and 6PM.

The Group and Best In Show competition will be televised
live on USA Network from 8-11PM Monday and Tuesday.

Full information at http://www.thepoop.com/westminster/westminster_dog_show.asp

2009 Winner Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Best In Show Goes To...

The 2009 Best In Show Trophy was awarded to "Ch Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee," a.k.a. "Stump," a Sussex Spaniel

 

The golden-liver colored Sussex Spaniel, named for its place of origin in England, is the longest and lowest of the Spaniel breeds. Its striking characteristics include its massive head and bone, long body, strong, short legs, a rolling gait and a happy tail. These traits made the Sussex ideal for its original purpose as a gentleman's flushing spaniel operating in heavy undergrowth. Among the first nine breeds recognized by the AKC, today the Sussex is one of the most rare, with only about 600 in the USA.

Visit the official website for the Sussex Spaniel Club of America

Westminster Dog Show Debut: Dogue de Bordeaux

Dogue De Bordeaux Eligible For First Time
pictured: Ch. Mount Sinai Stiletto Skye, courtesy Dogue de Bordeaux Society of America (www.ddbs.org)

The Dogue de Bordeaux is the only newly-recognized breed eligible for competition at Westminster in 2009 and will compete in the Working Group. 

Believed to have originated in France more than 600 years ago, the Dogue de Bordeaux is highly regarded for his balanced temperament and imposing presence. The Dogue de Bordeaux, also known as the French Mastiff, Bordeaux dog, Bulldogue Francais, or most commonly among fanciers, as the DDB, is a fearless, powerful dog who excels at both guard dog work and companionship to his family. With a head that may well be the largest in the canine world, the Bordeaux is unmistakable in appearance.

Though the breed did not gain significant notoriety until 1989 with the release of the Tom Hanks movie, Turner and Hooch, the DDB has always had a fiercely loyal following here in the United States, since it's import in the 1960s by Dr. Phillip Todd and Steve and Wendy Norris. The Norris Place lines can still be found in a large number of modern pedigrees today.

The Dogue de Bordeaux is an astonishingly versatile breed. Athletic and quick with a keen sense of smell and hearing, the Bordeaux was custom built for guard work and shows an outstanding aptitude with minimal training. Surprisingly fond of water, though not generally great swimmers, the DDB is limitless in it's ability to accompany his owner in any activity on land or sea. Currently the DDB is able to compete in a variety of performance events including Carting, Obedience, Conformation, Weight Pulling, Water Rescue, Tracking, and Search and Rescue. Dogues make excellent Therapy dogs and thrive on the extra attention that comes with this work.

Information for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Four breeds debut at 2008 Westminster dog show

Tibetan Mastiff, Beauceron, Plott Hound, Swedish Valhund.
These four breeds will make their debut at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show this year, the most to be admitted at once since 1991.

nytimes.com has a wonderful interactive piece that will introduce you to these breeds.

Westminster top dog lives on

Meet Mick, the most influential Kerry blue terrier alive. He's the producer of 61 champions and maybe more in the future, if his sperm, frozen for artificial insemination, yields puppies that meet the standards of the breed as closely as he does.

When the two-day Westminster extravaganza begins Monday at Madison Square Garden, more than 2,500 purebred dogs will compete to win their breed competitions, which will enable them to vie for supremacy in each of seven groups, from which the Best in Show champion will be chosen Tuesday.

Read his story here

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show 2008 Ticket Info

Westminster Dog Show Dates

Monday and Tuesday, February 11-12, 2008
Madison Square Garden Center
7th to 8th Avenues and 31st to 33rd Streets
New York City
Show Hours: 8:30 AM to 11:00 PM ET each day

A limited number of Reserved Seats may be purchased through Ticketmaster and Madison Square Garden. www.ticketmaster.com or 212-307-7171; www.thegarden.com.

General admission tickets can only be purchased through Ticketmaster and MSG.

Ticket description and prices:

ALL TICKETS WILL ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO THE BENCHING AREA.
Reserved Seating-in sections 40-299. Good for both day and night events. They can be purchased through the WKC office, as well as, Ticketmaster and MSG. Ticketmaster and MSG offer single day purchases. The price for these tickets through the WKC office is $125 including S&H. Ticketmaster and MSG offer single day tickets. The price is $60 plus applicable fees.

General Admission tickets are also good for both day and night events but DO NOT HAVE AN ASSIGNED SEAT NUMBER. The seating is on a first come first served basis and can only be purchased through Ticketmaster and the MSG box office. These seats are in sections 300 and 400. You may purchase a ticket for one day @ $40, or a two day ticket for $75. There is a children's ticket (up to age 12) price of $20 for each day, plus applicable fees.

Ticket prices include a $4.50 MSG facility charge. Tickets purchased through Ticketmaster will incur a service fee. Tickets purchased through WKC include a $5 S&H fee.

A limited number of General Admission tickets will be available for purchase at the Garden on each morning of the show.

Westminster finalists at Iditarod

Just when you thought it was over... The satirical and hysterical online parody publication, The Onion, has brought us "Westminster Dog Show Finalists Form Elite Iditarod Team."  I needed this laugh today.