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I hope everyone’s water bowls are filled to the brim cause it’s a big week in dogdom. Obviously we’re all counting down the days (three) until the biggest sporting event of the year: the Puppy Bowl on Sunday. But before the rough and tumble of major league mutts, we have the poise and discipline of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The 150th annual show, at that! From 2,500 candidates judges nitpicked down to seven finalists, and at long last with leashes wearing thin, the winner was announced Tuesday night: Penny, the four-year-old Doberman pinscher from Toronto! It was a monumental win for both Penny and her handler Andy Linton, who was doggedly determined to return to Westminster after some recent health issues. Tuesday marked Linton’s second Best in Show win, the first was in 1989 with Indy, also a Doberman. He was visibly moved as he and Penny received their ribbons and raucous cheering from the crowds.
In for a Penny: Penny “is as great a Doberman as I have ever seen,” Linton told a supportive crowd. Despite health problems, he guided the 4-year-old dog through an impeccably crisp performance. “I had some goals, and this was one of them,” Linton said, adding later in a conversation with reporters that as he’s winding down his career, winning at the milestone 150th annual Westminster show is “extra-special.”
Reserve best in show: Runner-up — and cheers just as loud — went to a Chesapeake Bay retriever named Cota. While Dobermans have won five times including Tuesday, no retriever has ever won, and their fans applaud every encouraging sign. Cota also seemed to enjoy the moment, particularly when his handler, Devon Kipp Levy, let him play with the ribbon.
The rest of the best: Other finalists included an Afghan hound named Zaida, a Lhasa apso called JJ, a Maltese named Cookie, an old English sheepdog dubbed Graham and a smooth fox terrier called Wager. The judge, two-time Westminster-winning handler David Fitzpatrick, called the lineup one “that will go down in history.” Each dog is assessed according to how closely it matches the ideal for its breed. The winner gets a trophy, ribbons and bragging rights.
Coloring in Penny’s character: Ringside afterward, Penny politely but pointedly nudged her nose into a visitor’s leg, looking for something — pets, as it turned out. She’s generally “very chill,” Linton said later, “but she can get pretty pumped up for a bad guy. Or a squirrel.” Co-owner Greg Chan of Toronto said Penny is “very demanding and very smart,” but she’s also “a pleaser — she’ll do anything for food.” (Her favorite snack? “Everything.”) Penny came out on top after 2,500 dogs, spanning more than 200 breeds, strutted their stuff at the show.
A doggone good time: Over two nights of semifinals, spectators cheered extra-loud for a Xoloitzcuintli named Calaco, a hairless dog who went around the ring like he had nothing to prove. A vizsla named Beamer charmed the audience by hopping into a box set out for his handler’s tools, and Storm the Newfoundland got laughs when he jumped up on his handler, standing as tall as she. Spectators cheered so loud for a golden retriever named Oliver that they drowned out the arena’s announcer, and chants of “Lumpy! Lumpy!” resounded as Lumpy the Pekingese strolled before a judge.
Watching the seven finalists make their last campaigns before judge David Fitzpatrick was among the most nerve-wracking 28 minutes of my life. But so worth it! Like Fitz said, it was an exceptional group. Still, there was a definite moment when you just knew Penny sealed the deal. During the final evaluations, each dog gets a closeup inspection and chance to prance around the stage. When it was Penny’s turn, there was a moment where she just stood in all her glory, like she was gifting us with the magic of beholding the marvelous specimen she is. Michelangelo couldn’t have carved such a beauty. Truly, her stillness and presence made everyone take notice. I had chills. She flexed her power and her handler knew it, the judge knew it, and the audience knew it. Similarly, after she’d been named, Penny maintained her regal aura. Runner-up Cota, the Chesapeake Bay retriever, was an adorable floof treating the ribbon like a frisbee. As a dog should! But Penny took her win like a serene goddess. She knew she was the winner all along. I’m sure you can tell this was a very spiritually powerful experience for me just watching!
Finally, I have to bring up Cookie the “Maltese.” The quotations are there to convey my disbelief that Cookie is in fact a dog. You can’t fool me, that’s a toddler covered in a white sheet to go as a ghost for Halloween. PROVE ME WRONG.
Final finally, and grab your tissues: the show did a lovely tribute to Best in Show star Catherine O’Hara. I hope she and Winky enjoyed it together.
Photos credit: Getty Images and via YouTube and Instagram
Penny looks more regal than Camilla and Kate ever could.
I love this write-up so much! Thank you Kismet, you brought the grand finale to life for me 🙂 . I love German Shepherds as a rule, but Penny is one sleek, beautiful dog. I’ll have to put Doberman Pinschers on my shortlist now.
What a beautiful dog, but I do wish they would change the breed standard to not require cutting their ears.
Same! Penny is incredible (the 2nd to last photo is better than any picture of me out there hahaha) but I really wish they would stop with docking tails, ears, and all of that stuff. I’m sure Penny would be just as awesome with her ‘natural’ ears.
At the risk of starting a Crop/Dock war, I offer this for you. (Please be advised, I am coming off an 16 hour shift in the ED … and running on 0 caffeine ATM, this may be a jumbled mess 😛 ) I have been involved in dogs for more than 30 years. In Boxers to be precise, so I have a small familiarity with this issue.
The AKC Doberman breed standard states “Ears normally cropped and carried erect.” the word normally is doing a lot of work here. It is not required, BUT that being said, the dog would have to be exceptional in structure, movement, etc., or have an accomplished well known handler to be considered for placement (which is another story in itself). There have been uncropped dogs who have finished in the US, but I believe (not 100% certain) that they number less than a dozen or so. If you do see an uncropped dog shown, you can be certain it is from another country (where cropping/docking is not allowed) and was/or will be presented there. Unfortunately, you have to also consider the financial aspect of it as well. Without getting deep in the weeds, showing a dog is not cheap and a cropped dog will “normally” be looked at first over uncropped. Is it fair, no. I see both sides of this issue, Boxers seem to have a bit more wiggle room than Dobies on this, but it is still a rough go. If it makes you all feel better, I do sense a shift in the wind if you will. Hopefully changes will come, but as with everything it takes time. Unfortunately.
My grandparents had a doberman pinscher called Ina. She looked ferocious and she was fierce when protecting her people – but she was so gentle with us small children. I was never ever afraid of her – and she was rather big to me since I was very young. She would patiently endure my hugs and she looked after us, alerting my grandmother if we fell down.
A few weeks ago I was on the streetcar in Toronto and an older man had the most beautiful terrier I had ever seen. After a few minutes of chatting, I learned that she was, in fact, the granddaughter of a ‘movie star’. Yes, her grandmother was Winkie herself. It was a beautiful day.
Penny is a beauty, but oh my God, I am so tickled by the fact that there’s an old English sheepdog named GRAHAM. I always love dogs with human names, but I think that may be the most charming example I’ve ever heard, and I wanted him to win based on that alone! Also, we are a big dogs family (I grew up with Irish Wolfhounds, my husband’s family bred Dobermans, and we currently have 2 large adopted mutts), but I make an exception for Pekingese. Those little dustmops are my spirit animal, and seeing them run will always instantly improve my mood.
A former room mate of mine has a chihauha named Helmuth.
I know that a Dobie would be way too much dog for me, but man are they gorgeous.
See, I love that you know that! Knowing our own limitations when choosing a companion is a vital aspect of a successful relationship. So thank you, Meri, for pointing that out.
Anyone know where to stream/watch this show in Canada? I always miss it!
Who knew a dog could serve face like that? Agreed that Penny is much more regal than fellow b***hes Camilla and Kate.
Penny is beautiful! My favourite winner of all time is Uno, the Beagle.
Uno was spectacular and he knew it!
Yeah! I used to have a dobe mix and she was just the best dog. It is beyond time to stop the ear and tail butchering. How is that still going on?
Not to thread jack, but if you love both dobermans and cheesy 70’s movies, give The Doberman Gang a whirl. A group of crooks train a pack of dobermans to rob a bank. It’s just so funny.
Not one report on her name, some applause please — Penny Pinscher!
That is one gorgeous dog!
I was rooting for the Lhasa apso, since my fur baby is one. Dobermans scare me, since I saw that movie The Dobermans Gang. Nevertheless, congrats to the winner!