PAWPRINTS

Archive for March, 2009

A Sealyham Terrier, Charmin, owned by Marjorie Good, from Chester County, Pennsylvania, won Best in Show at Crufts 2009, in Birmingham, England.

Four-year old Charmin, (Am/Can/Su Ch Efbe’s Hidalgo at Goodspice) was selected from seven group winners at the show, held in Birmingham, England on March 8th. This was the first time that a Sealyham has ever won Best in Show at Crufts.

The terrier breed is native to the United Kingdom but only 43 Sealyham Terriers were registered last year in Great Britain, according to the Kennel Club, which registers dogs in the country and organizes Crufts. This will hopefully help boost its situation as a vulnerable native breed in the UK.

From over 22,500 dogs which were entered into Crufts 2009,  seven wonderful dogs made it into the final stage of the ultimate competition, Best in Show. Those seven dogs were a Sealyham Terrier, a Pharaoh Hound, a Standard Poodle, a Papillon, a Hungarian Vizsla and the Boxer and Old English Sheepdog .

Crufts is an annual international Championship conformation show for dogs organised and hosted by the Kennel Club (UK), currently held every March at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, England. It is the largest annual dog show in the world, as declared by the Guinness Book of Records, and lasts four days.

Crufts 2010 dates are 11 – 14 March 2010 at the NEC, Birmingham.

On Thursday, February 26, The View held its First Annual Mutt Show, in which ten mixed-breed dogs participated in a little friendly competition. Five of the contestants were dogs owned by viewers, and the other five were available for adoption rightat the ASPCA! David Frei, longtime commentator for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, judged the dogs on appearance and temperament, and eventually selected the ASPCA’s energetic Eggy as “best in show” of the adoptable group.

Eggy and three other dogs featured on the show have already found their forever homes! Larry and Sheila Alberg of Bakersville, CA, were so taken by Mia, a German shepherd mix, they decided to drive across the country to our New York City shelter to adopt her! “I burst into tears when I saw her on the show. It was an instant connection,” says Mrs. Alberg, who was impressed by how well-behaved Mia was on The View.

Little Michael, an 11-year-old Maltese mix, who wowed the judge with his loving temperament, found his soulmate in Tracy Keenan of Brooklyn. Keenan adores her new companion and even makes him homemade food—lucky pooch!

Thanks to The View, we have another reason to trumpet the many joys of adopting a mixed-breed dog, but if you have your heart set on a purebred, don’t give up on finding one at a shelter! Purebreds are also available at shelters and rescue groups; to find one near you, visit the All About Dogs and Cats Breed Rescue Directoy