The Annual Westminster Dog Show - General Discussion

[BW Manilowe]

5 hours ago, rcc said:

I don't have FS1 so I couldn't watch this year. USA Network really did a great job with it. I wonder why they moved to FS1.

Regarding the bolded: The broadcast contract was apparently up with USA Network/the NBC Comcast Universal (whatever they call themselves now) stations with the airing of last year's Westminster show. Then Fox Sports got the rights somehow--I suppose by bidding against other interested media outlets &/or simply negotiating with Westminster Kennel Club. Nat Geo Wild also aired other parts of the competition from this past week besides the main Westminster show held on Monday & Tuesday nights; so did some online-only outlet of Fox Sports.

[FlyingEgret]

13 hours ago, BitterApple said:

I love German Shepherds but I hate the severe angulation on the American version. 

All the dogs are wonderful, but my favorite part of this year's show was the little beagle that got distracted during the agility competition.

I too loved that little beagle - too cute and funny!

[EyewatchTV211]

On 2/15/2017 at 4:21 PM, Lantern7 said:

Is it that bad? I follow Bulldogs English and French, breeds can be described as "a huge pile of recessive genes covered in fur."

Daytona 500 is next weekend? Arrrrrgh. What's the A-level promotion: kid playing the pseudo-Joker on Gotham doing a few laps in a Jokermobile?

Sadly, yes http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2015/04/02/dog-breeds-1915-vs-2015.aspx

I think someone originally posted this same link after last year's event. 

[Lantern7]

Heads up: the show returns to Fox Sports 1 on Monday and Tuesday nights. Here’s hoping FS1 got their shit together! Oh, and the agility competition airs on Fox tomorrow from 2-4:30.

Edited February 11, 2018 by Lantern7

[Lantern7]

Agility competition is on Fox now. Ever see a dachshund run an obstacle course? So cute. They're doing the smaller dogs as I type this.

[Tanichka]

Agility competition:  Wow!  Can those dogs move!

[CherryMalotte]

I have no idea how they keep them on course - they must run them thru it a zillion times prior.  

[Lantern7]

Wanna have fun? Search "agility course" on YouTube, then put in a breed that's the polar opposite of Border Collie in that competition. Basset Hounds are perfect  . . they're low to the ground, low energy, and always look hungover (though that's more coincidence). I typed in "English Bulldog," and I got to see an actual agility dog in Apricot.

Edited February 11, 2018 by Lantern7

[pally]

Nat Geo Wild will have the breed competitions on from 1-4

[candall]

I finally remembered to search for and record the agility competition.  That was thrilling!  Sweet cancer dog almost pulled off the win.  So much concentration needed for the little ones to freeze while the teeter totter goes down.  Yay for the "All American" dogs! 

Gotta hand it to the border collies, though--that's their world and the rest of us just visit.

Honestly, watching those dogs made me a notch less enthusiastic for the regular Westminster competition, with the focus on breed standards. 

Can't they stick one tiny little weave pole element into the show ring?  Right left right left zoom zoom zoom zoom....

18 hours ago, CherryMalotte said:

I have no idea how they keep them on course - they must run them thru it a zillion times prior.  

I was curious about that, too.  The announcer said the handlers hadn't seen the course until 45 minutes before the competition and there was a clip of them all milling around figuring out their strategy.  I guess there must've been a different course used for the qualifier rounds?

It was interesting what they said about the handlers who were running two dogs--that one dog would respond best if (s)he stood at one spot but he'd need to be in a different place to cue the other dog.

I laughed when there was one dog who would get sulky and walk off the course if you were too energetic with your commands.  Ha, that would be me.

[CherryMalotte]

I'm catching via Fox Stream some of the best in breeds judging - it's pretty interesting watching some of the judges really go all in, as the bulldog judge did getting down on the the floor, or some of them that just are so blase about it, oh yes looks nice, feel 'em up once and next!

[Lantern7]

Dang, I wanted to see the bullies. Poorly-bred, but they are such characters.

[CherryMalotte]

32 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

Dang, I wanted to see the bullies. Poorly-bred, but they are such characters.

Ohhhh I find them adorable, and one was white with gray or very diluted brown speckles.  Gorgeous!  I missed the Xolo's this morning, and I would really like to see one of the white ones show up.  Really I suppose they aren't a true white, more of a coffee with a lot of cream. 

[Linderhill]

so far FS1 is doing alright, especially compared to last year.  There's still some annoying stuff like the twitty girls pushing twitter and the one pushing the brackets.  Its definitely running overlong with all of the little "color" breaks they're inserting.  Somehow I don't think Shannon Sharpe is very thrilled to be there.  

So far my favorite was Biggie the Pug. 

Edited February 14, 2018 by Linderhill
because Sterling and Shannon are not interchangeable brothers

[candall]

5 hours ago, Linderhill said:

so far FS1 is doing alright, especially compared to last year.  There's still some annoying stuff like the twitty girls pushing twitter and the one pushing the brackets.  Its definitely running overlong with all of the little "color" breaks they're inserting.  Somehow I don't think Sterling Sharpe is very thrilled to be there.  

So far my favorite was Biggie the Pug. 

I'm not loving the FS1 team, particularly the blonde woman with the scraggly extensions:  "Judge, what's the difference between sight-hounds and scent-hounds?" 

I miss Mary Carillo.  Is she off in South Korea doing something Olympian, or is the on-air talent purely determined by the broadcast network?  And what's the inside scoop on USA taking a pass this year?  (One year I was live-chatting with people and WWE fans kept chiming in, OUTRAGED that their wrestling show had been pre-empted by a bunch of bitches.  I guess, this year, they won.)

The dogs are all fabulous, as usual.  I'm partial to the graceful Borzoi, so far, but the Border Collie is personality+. 

Did anyone see the Afghan taking a nap in the show ring, head on pillow?  I had to rewind.  What a very relaxed dog.

[Day2Day]

As usual... wondering WHY, after covering this great event every year, there isn't better camera work !!!! Sooooooo very tired of seeing judge & handler butts instead of the close-ups of the dog being presented/judged.  It would be nice if they allowed 3-5 seconds of a dog only view.  All four contenders are awesome. Elegant Borzoi, fluffy Bichon, precious Pug, and energy-packed Border.   Morning commentator stated there is a giant schnauzer to watch for... can't wait !!

[Lantern7]

Watching breeds on NGW. Right now? Great Danes. Huge guys. I like the idea of general coverage during the day. Meanwhile, Fox Sports is still running past 11. Once again, the NBC/Universal coverage was on point, but Fox got the rights, and the wrestleheads were happy their obsession didn’t get moved for one night. If the rights were given back, I could live with both days getting boiled down to three hours and broadcast on NBC on a Saturday night.

Edit because I don't look at my stuff before posting. Also, maybe my Saturday night idea isn't that great. I'm basing it off how NBC compresses the National Dog Show to two hours following the Thanksgiving Parade.

Edited February 13, 2018 by Lantern7

[CherryMalotte]

I was watching some of the daytime streaming judging as well - the St Bernard that won best in breed has tons of personality.  If he gets best in working I'd bet it'll be between him and the Borzoi, who is truly beautiful.

 

[Linderhill]

6 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Watching breeds on NGW. Right now? Great Danes. Huge guys. I like the idea of general coverage during the day. Meanwhile, Fox Sports is still running past 11. Once again, the NBC/Universal coverage was on point, but Fox got the rights, and the wrestleheads were happy their obsession didn’t get moved for one night. If the rights were given back, I could live with both days getting boiled down to three hours and broadcast on NBC on a Saturday night.

Edit because I don't look at my stuff before posting. Also, maybe my Saturday night idea isn't that great. I'm basing it off how NBC compresses the National Dog Show to two hours following the Thanksgiving Parade.

The problem with the NBC broadcast of the National Dog Show is that they don't show all of the breeds.  There is no pausing for commercials and breeds and are skipped.  You can almost guess what dogs will win because those breeds aren't skipped over in the judging broadcast.  So if the Rough Collie is only seen in the background but the viewer doesn't see the judging, you can bet that breed won't place at all.  I gave up trying to watch the National Dog Show because I want to see all of the dogs.  Somehow the NBC/Universal affiliates managed to keep the broadcast of Westminster in those three hours.  I think FS1 tries to fit too much cutesy stuff in and therefore they keep running over past 11:00.  

I have to admit, as I mentioned in an earlier post that they've gotten better compared to the crappy broadcast they had last year on the first night.  I remember they weren't showing the breed names, skipping the kennel and registered names, etc.  I still wish the woman color commentator would shut up sometimes.  She's a little bit better than last year but not by much.  

[Lantern7]

Overtime again. At least the finalists look like dogs.

[Linderhill]

seriously, USA/etc. always seemed to manage to finish on time, Fox, you have too much fluff -- and that's not referring to the dogs.

[SimoneS]

I was rooting for the Giant Schnauzer to win. I am ambivalent about the Bichon Frise.

[Lantern7]

Bichon for the win. I think Flynn ends the Non-Sporting Group's long drought, and he is cute. Problem is, he wasn't the crowd favorite. Holy cow, I'm thinking Bean begs all the time, no matter where he is.  Paws out, on the back legs, like a fuzzy groundhog, and the audience loved it. I also dug Biggie the Pug, who wasn't a breeded mess of a Pug.

2 hours ago, Linderhill said:

The problem with the NBC broadcast of the National Dog Show is that they don't show all of the breeds.  There is no pausing for commercials and breeds and are skipped.  You can almost guess what dogs will win because those breeds aren't skipped over in the judging broadcast.  So if the Rough Collie is only seen in the background but the viewer doesn't see the judging, you can bet that breed won't place at all.  I gave up trying to watch the National Dog Show because I want to see all of the dogs.  Somehow the NBC/Universal affiliates managed to keep the broadcast of Westminster in those three hours.  I think FS1 tries to fit too much cutesy stuff in and therefore they keep running over past 11:00.

 

41 minutes ago, Linderhill said:

seriously, USA/etc. always seemed to manage to finish on time, Fox, you have too much fluff -- and that's not referring to the dogs.

That's why I brought up the idea of a taped Westminster Show from NBC. What would be better . . . three hours of highlights from NBC/Universal, or six live hours from Fox Sports, a place that doesn't quite have the hang of things?

[Sarah 103]

19 hours ago, candall said:

Did anyone see the Afghan taking a nap in the show ring, head on pillow?  I had to rewind.  What a very relaxed dog.

That was one of my favorite parts of the show this year. I also liked Bean begging. When it came to Best in Show, I was rooting for the Boarder Collie. 

[Moose135]

9 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

When it came to Best in Show, I was rooting for the Boarder Collie.

Same here - the girlfriend has an Australian Shepherd, so we are partial to the herding class.

[JudyObscure]

On ‎2‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 5:28 AM, candall said:

I'm partial to the graceful Borzoi, so far, but the Border Collie is personality+. 

Good betting, Candall.  You called it,  Lantern.

I missed Best of Show, but I did say  the Sporting group would come down to the gray/brown Cocker Spaniel and the Sussex (adorable little cheat.)  My favorite dogs are the Setters, but I'll never have a big enough yard for one.  I grew up with an Irish setter, but my parents had five acres -- he still got in trouble with the neighbors.  So I'm thinking I might just have to have a Sussex Spaniels some day.  At least I'd have that big soft head to cuddle.  Right now I have a Dachshund who I adore of course.  I'm not kidding when I say she is much prettier than any of the three Dachshunds last night.  I was not impressed.

[candall]

Ouch, poor little Bichon was not a popular choice.  The whole arena had a moment of dismay, some courtesy applause and everyone got up and went home.  I HOPE I wasn't really hearing booing--surely not.  (Don't even tell me if it's true; I don't want to know if dog people are such assholes.)

Bean was a total charmer with that begging schtick.  Okay, I'll take a tummy pat instead of a treat; it's all good!  One of my dog stands up on her hind legs to beg and then settles back down so she can hold the pose until I'm overwhelmed by how adorable she is and give her a treat, but even Cupcake doesn't manage to stick her feet out in front like a live-action Winnie the Pooh.

I thought the Border Collie showed best at the end, and had to keep reminding my

. . .self it was supposed to come down to "closest proximity to breed standards."

[My PTV access has been a celebration of freezing and crashing.  This post is several hours of effort, so you know I REALLY wanted to talk dog show.  Anyone else having glitches?]

[Tanichka]

Darn. I missed It!  The Bichon was a cutie, though.  Don’t tell me the poor doggie was booed!  My fav breed is usually on for 2 seconds, so I have to keep on the alert.  Love the Pembroke Corgi.  I guess they figure the Queen’s dogs get enough exposure.

Those border collies are driven.  I watched a herding competition once & there was no doubt who the winner would be.  I’ve never seen such focus!

[roamyn]

As long time owners of several Bichons throughout the years, we LOVE the win.  (Note my picture of Daisy & Lily - our last one who we just lost over the summer)

Though ‘Flynn doesn’t seem to have half the personality of JR (2001 winner).  

I would’ve been happy with the pug, tho.  He was adorable!

on The View, a judging member in the audience said that Flynn was extremely well behaved and exemplified a Bichon to perfection, and she suspects that mostly why Flynn won.

[bosawks]

For the 142nd year in a row the Chessie was robbed.  Robbed I tell you!

[candall]

Maybe the Best in Show judging will be on YouTube, Tanichka--everything else is!

 

Tech talk:

I wasn't as pissy about the FS1 team tonight, but wow, whose bright idea was it to interview the winning handler as he/she exited the arena?  The handler who tried to keep it together for the inane questions and then burst into overwhelmed tears should have been a clue they might need a moment to wind down.  

I had to laugh at the anchorwoman who kept saying "Thank you!" into her mic to someone we couldn't see.  But no one talked over the arena announcer, so points for that.

**************

Loved little Piggy Pug spotting that treat on the floor, getting denied, then carefully scanning the floor while trotting along in case lightning should strike twice.  Smarty!

My friend owns/breeds/shows/rescues Goldens; she's not really aware other breeds exist.  I can't believe a Golden has never won--Westminster gnashing of teeth must be an annual event for the Golden folk.

 

Okay, I'm done.  I wasn't going to spend seven or eight hours on Westminster this year, but the dogs immediately

dre-e-e-w me in.  No regrets.

[BW Manilowe]

On 2/13/2018 at 5:28 AM, candall said:

I'm not loving the FS1 team, particularly the blonde woman with the scraggly extensions:  "Judge, what's the difference between sight-hounds and scent-hounds?" 

I miss Mary Carillo.  Is she off in South Korea doing something Olympian, or is the on-air talent purely determined by the broadcast network?  And what's the inside scoop on USA taking a pass this year?  (One year I was live-chatting with people and WWE fans kept chiming in, OUTRAGED that their wrestling show had been pre-empted by a bunch of bitches.  I guess, this year, they won.)

The dogs are all fabulous, as usual.  I'm partial to the graceful Borzoi, so far, but the Border Collie is personality+. 

Did anyone see the Afghan taking a nap in the show ring, head on pillow?  I had to rewind.  What a very relaxed dog.

As far as I know, Mary Carillo's absence was probably, solely, due to the scheduling conflict between this year's WKC Dog Show & the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang though her Wikipedia page says she's a Sportscaster with NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. I'd swear they showed some story she did on the overnight Olympics coverage that ran starting after the late local news on Tuesday night & going almost to the pre-dawn local news on Wednesday. 

Also as far as I know, Mary's other contracts are/were more like by the individual event (Wimbledon, French Open, US Open, Australian Open--she does the 4 major, "grand slam" tennis championships each year--plus the Olympics when they're held, & other things I don't remember). She, like, freelances/freelanced. She's hosted/done analysis for different sports on different networks--cable & commercial TV alike (though she seems to stick with tennis tournaments & the Olympics).

There is this, though: David Frei hosted the WKC Dog Show from 1990-2016; with Mary Carillo in 2009, then again from 2011-2016. Frei also was Director of Communications for the WKC/the Dog Show from 2003-2015.

Frei & Carillo also do analysis & commentary on the National Dog Show, hosted by actor/TV personality/author John O'Hurley, put on by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia & sponsored by Purina; which airs on NBC on Thanksgiving, after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Frei has been doing that show since it started in 2002; Carillo joined the broadcast team in 2010.

The 2016 WKC Dog Show was Frei's last as commentator. That year was the last USA Network/NBC-Universal had the rights to the television broadcast; they didn't just arbitrarily "take a pass" on covering the show, as you commented.

And USA did go back to airing the Monday Night Wrestling after a few years of it being on what was then TNN. People bitched about the pre-emption of the Monday Night WWE Raw programming for the WKC Dog Show's first night of group judging; when the WWE broadcast rights ended, for USA, during this period, what was then TNN got the TV rights by promising not to pre-empt WWE for anything. The WWE TV rights later went back to USA, with them agreeing not to pre-empt WWE Raw for anything (see last comment on the linked page). When USA got the WWE rights back, the Monday night WKC coverage ONLY was moved to CNBC, to fulfill USA's no pre-emption promise with the WWE. 

When NBC Universal's broadcast rights ended in 2016, Fox Sports 1 then picked up the TV broadcast rights for 10 years, starting with the 2017 WKC Dog Show (last year's show). They air preliminary judging (Best in Breed competitions) on NatGeo WILD, & the group & Best in Show competition on Fox Sports 1. I think there's also a related "agility" competition, from before the main WKC Show, on Fox Sports 1.

When the WKC Dog Show broadcasts moved from USA Network to the Fox Sports 1 Network, The WKC Dog Show management apparently decided it didn't want Frei doing both the WKC Dog Show & the National Dog Show. That was actually weird because, up until that point, he had been doing both shows since the National Dog Show started in 2002 with no problem--but maybe the 2016/2017 change of heart was because, before 2017, both dog shows had been telecast on networks that were part of the NBC Universal corporate family; but they wouldn't be after 2016, which was probably what turned Frei into "competition" in the WKC's eyes & had him "retired" from the WKC Dog Show.

So maybe, given that Frei & Carillo also both do the National Dog Show, If the Winter Olympics hadn't perhaps intervened this year, Mary may not have been on the WKC Dog Show this year either, for the same reason as David Frei was apparently replaced: the shows air on networks with different corporate owners & they decided they didn't wanna share host talent all of a sudden. (Shrugs) Guess we'll have to see if Mary shows up on the WKC Show next year or not.

If she doesn't, maybe we can surmise that she was "retired" from the show because they didn't let David Frei continue doing WKC & the National Dog Show simultaneously, so they couldn't let her either. And if she's back on the WKC Show next year, then there's a big, fat double standard going on if they kept her, despite her also doing the National Dog Show, & they let David Frei go because he was doing both shows.

Long answer is long. Sorry, but I felt the wordiness was needed to explain properly. And the Yorkshire Terrier, as usual, was robbed. 

[Sarah 103]

22 hours ago, Tanichka said:

Those border collies are driven.  I watched a herding competition once & there was no doubt who the winner would be.  I’ve never seen such focus!

Watching the border collie on Tuesday I thought, "He looks like he's plotting global domination. Not that he'd do it, but he's thinking about it and creating a plan." 

[Lantern7]

Aren't all border collies that intense? If they don't have something to herd, they go nuts.

I like Flynn. He's cute, and not in a gross way like with some breed standards. That said, I bet Bichons mating looks like two cotton swabs writing on each other.

[Tanichka]

1 hour ago, Sarah 103 said:

I thought, "He looks like he's plotting global domination. Not that he'd do it, but he's thinking about it and creating a plan." 

Ha, ha, ha - that's the look.

I saw pictures of the pug - he was a good looking dog, also.  My friend had a pug years ago, & he was a real sweetie.

[Lantern7]

It's that time of year again. Monday and Tuesday on Fox Sports 1, now starting at 7:30 p.m. Also, agility coverage tomorrow on Fox from 2:30-4:30 p.m.

ETA: It actually started at 2. They just showed the 20” category, featuring those loveable psycho Border Collies.

Edited February 10, 2019 by Lantern7

[FlyingEgret]

Calling all hounds!

[bosawks]

C’mon, say it with me people!

Chessie! Chessie! Chessie!

No?  Sigh......

[bosawks]

I could watch a Borzoi strut all day.

[FlyingEgret]

Bella is not impressed...

[Happy Belly]

My nephew, who is watching this for the first time, selected the long haired dachshund from the get go.  smart kid..lol

[Linderhill]

What's his face, the Fox guy was obviously lost with his color commentating.  The two show dog experts were okay but the woman needed to shut up sometimes.  How many times did we hear her say she used to show Beardies?  Other guy, the poodle guy seemed to have more interesting information to share with us viewers.  

I find it interesting that of the repeat Best In Breeds (Biggie, Flick, etc) none of them got best in group.  Since the Smooth Collie and Biggie the pug didn't win, I'm backing the Schipperke.  

[Day2Day]

I wonder why, year after year of watching, the camera work can't be improved ! Countless times the narrator is describing something special about a particular dog, eg. facial features, expression, markings, and what we see is the backside of either the judge or handler.  Why can't they do a 3 -5 seconds shot of each dog's face? Glad the show starts an hour earlier tonight.  Waiting for the terriers !!!!

[Evenshorter]

Are the announcers different this year? I found it interesting that they were giving more info about the handlers, what the judges were looking for, and different aspects of different breeds that you don't usually hear. I actually thought it was better than usual. Agree with the camera work though, and thought the sound was wonky a couple of times. So far I'm enjoying the winners - not the same old, same old!

[Happy Belly]

My favorite group goes tonight, so i stand with you Day2Day with the terriers. However, year after year, i always and unabashedly root for my Komondor. One year he actually  won the Working Group but went no further. But, theres always this year, right?

[LGraves65]

I haven't watched the last couple of years because Fox but did last night, and I was pleasantly surprised at the coverage.  The camera angles were awful, and the blonde sideline chick is superfluous (Why have two? The other girl is better anyway), but the commentators are instructive and pleasant. It's not USA and David Frei and never will be, but it's fine.

[ChicksDigScars]

2 minutes ago, LGraves65 said:

I haven't watched the last couple of years because Fox but did last night, and I was pleasantly surprised at the coverage.  The camera angles were awful, and the blonde sideline chick is superfluous (Why have two? The other girl is better anyway), but the commentators are instructive and pleasant. It's not USA and David Frei and never will be, but it's fine.

I miss David Frei SO DAMN MUCH!!! 

[LGraves65]

Another thing:  In the Hound Group, there was a box/sign for the Sloughi, but no dog. Does that mean there weren't any entered, or the BoB dropped out or something? 

[Lantern7]

Pugdashians sleep through Biggie's run. They were at the "Meet the Breeds" event on Saturday. I kinda regret not going, mostly because I like dogs.

[bosawks]

I’m all settled in for the coronation of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever!

Only the best dog breed on earth!

ETA: Schipperke owner drama, it feels like a SNL sketch.....

Edited February 13, 2019 by bosawks