It's Time for THE Dog Show!

I wait all year for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. I love watching all the dogs parade around vying for best in class and then competing for the ultimate prize - best in show. This year is sure to be just as exciting as past years. Uno the beagle was best in show last year and he has been a star ever since.

The pugs will be competing on Tuesday at 8:00am in ring one. 24 pugs will be competing for best in breed, 12 boys and 12 girls. They will be judged by Mr. W. Everett Dean Jr. I hope he likes pugs. That same night, the winning pug will compete against all the other toy breed winners for best in class. A pug has not won best in show since 1981. That was a long time ago. Mom was in high school back then. Last years best in breed pug was a little boy named Ch Tupelo Shoboat Tu China Tu. What a name! We even share the same birthday, though I am 9 years older. He was beat in best of group by a toy poodle, but he did place 4th.

This is what the Westminster website says about pugs:

The Pug is one of the oldest breeds of dog, originating in China some 700 years B.C. Their presence was noted in Holland, England, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Russia as early as the 15th & 16th centuries. Their primary purpose has always been exclusively for the companionship and amusement of their people. Pugs combine a cocky confidence with a friendly, sensitive nature. They are great with children and thoroughly relish playtime. They are small yet sturdy, rough and yet sensitive and sincere. Pugs are extremely friendly, uninhibited, delightful, comical little characters. Pugs come in two colors, fawn and black.

Yep, that's me in a nutshell. Bred for nothing, great with children, loves playtime, friendly, and delightful. I think they forget the part about liking to eat, but maybe that is just a Stubby thing.

As cute as I am, I am not show quality. I know, I know - how can that be? If this were a personality contest, I would win, paws down, but it's not. It's sort of like a beauty contest. The judges are looking for the best markings on dogs. Let's face it - I have some flaws, albeit them small.

First off, my tail is broken. I broke it when I was young because I chased it too much. It bothered me so much that I couldn't help but chase it and bite it. Now it is broken and most of the time it doesn't even curl unless I am really excited.

My nails are not black like most pugs. I am not sure why this is - sometimes Mom kids me that I am not a real pug. I will not tell you my response to her comment because it is not fit to print. Regardless of the color of my nails, they are for the most part neatly trimmed. Okay, somewhat trimmed.

I don't consider my age to be a flaw, but it defintely prohibits me from competing in shows. I have a lot of gray in my mask because I am old. There I said it. Only young dogs can compete in shows because they haven't aged to perfection yet.

I don't think I would make a good show dog anyway. I like to eat and it shows, doesn't it? A strict diet is not my idea of a good time. I also like my down time. If I were competing, Mom would be driving me from show to show and I would never get my naps in. If I were out with Mom all day long, who would guard the house? I belong at home, in my bed, guarding my people, and eating Popeye's.

If you think the puppy bowl had me glued to the tube, wait until the dog show starts. Tune in tonight at 7:00 pm (CT) on USA Network to see all the action and make sure you watch tomorrow night too. You can root for your dog of choice, like Mom does, but I don't pick favorites. I like all the dogs and I will be happy for the winning dog even if it isn't the pug.