The Westminster Kennel Club Dog show, the largest and oldest (1877) benched all-breed show in North America, was held last week on Monday, February 16th, and Tuesday, February 17th. Over 3,000 dogs of all shapes and sizes competed for best in breed, best in group, and best in show.

This year’s show sawthe addition of two breeds recently recognized by the Amnerican Kennel Club: the Coton du Tulear and the Wire-haired Viszla. The breed with the most entries is one that’s near and dear to me–the Golden Retriever, the quintessential family dog. Goldens are big, furry, outgoing, friendly teddy bears who are sturdy enough to calmly withstand the attentions of the most exuberant toddler and also intelligent and trainable enough to make fabulout therapy and assistance dogs. They are happy-go-lucky and are always ready to play.

I must admit I’m more than a little biased since I have the fortune of being a Golden Retriever ‘parent’, but the fact is that this breed is one of the most popular throughout the world. Probably the oddest-looking breed is the Chinese Crested. This little dog is part of the Toy Group, with two variations: the Hairless, which only has hair on its head, feet, and tail; and Powderpuff, which has a complete coat. The Hairless version is very susceptible to temperature fluctuations as well as sun exposure, so these dogs are often seen wearing a sweater or coat. Sunscreen must also be applied to protect the skin from burning. Like many Toy breeds with narrow jaws (such as the Chihuahua), this dog is prone to dental problems and will often lose teeth as it matures. (This is why you may see one of these dogs with its tongue hanging out of the side of its mouth–no teeth there to keep the tongue in its place.)

The largest breed to be entered is the Irish Wolfhound. There are eight of these behemoths entered in the Hound Group in this year’s competition. Although gentle in nature, this dog’s size can be very intimidating to a would-be intruder. Male Wolfhounds can be over seven feet tall when standing on their hind legs (although standing on hind legs should not be encouraged due to possible bone damage). The breed standard indicates that male Wolfies should be at least 32 inches at the shoulders and weigh at least 120 lbs., with the average being 35 inches at the shoulders and 150-180 lbs. (There’s another reason for discouraging a Wolfie from standing on its hind legs–nobody wants a gigantic dog jumping on them.) I would LOVE to have an Irish Wolfhound, but don’t have the yard space or a house big enough. Wolfies need to run and a dog that size in my house would be akin to living with a pony.

Incidentally, this year’s competition saw 3,000 dogs representing over 190 breeds. Miss P, a 15-inch beagle, took the coveted prize of “Best in Show.” She is only the second beagle in Westminster history to win that title.