If you were watching USA network last night — or the rebroadcast this morning — you saw Beckham, the locally owned black cocker spaniel, win the best in sporting group award at the Westminster Dog Show. That qualified him for a 1-in-7 shot at the best in show title. Alas, it was not meant to be: The favorite, a Scottish deerhound, took the prize. They don’t present second or third place finishes, but Beckham was clearly a star, as was, to me, the Shar-pei and the foxhound.
Watching, I also learned the most popular breeds by AKC registration for the last year. In ascending order: the Daschund, the boxer, the bulldog, the golden retriever, the beagle, the Yorkie, the German shepherd and the most popular: The Labrador retriever. I own or have owned mutt versions of five of those (including a current Lab mix), though only one registered purebred. And she was insane.
Congrats, Beckham, on your top finish at Westminster! You have nothing to be ashamed of. (I hear the deerhound sniffed the judge’s ass. …)
