Beagle makes Westminster history!

[Ritz459]

NEW YORK - Start dancin', Snoopy. You're out of the Westminster doghouse. At long last, a beagle is America's top dog. Baying and barking to his heart's delight, Uno lived up every bit to his name Tuesday night, becoming the first of his breed to win best in show at the nation's biggest canine competition.



"He's a people's dog, a merry little hound," handler Aaron Wilkerson said.

A sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden that called and chanted Uno's name stood and roared when he was picked as numero uno. He got right into the act, jumping on Wilkerson and confirming his other title: noisiest in show.

Years from now, it'll be known as the "ah-roo!" heard 'round the ring.

The only breed consistently among the nation's most popular dogs for nearly 100 years, a beagle had never won in the 100 times the Westminster Kennel Club had chosen a winner. That changed when judge J. Donald Jones pointed to this nearly 3-year-old package of personality.

No longer an underdog — make that an Underdog — Uno beat out two neatly primped poodles, a top Sealyham terrier, a sleek Weimaraner, a lively Australian shepherd and a sprightly Akita.

"He's perfect, he was a 10," Jones said. "He does cuteness well."

Precocious as he was precious, Uno celebrated by chewing on the microphones of reporters who tried to interview his winning crew. Those had to suffice for the yellow, soft duck that's his favorite toy.

His tri-colored image certainly drew a nationwide following, and that will surely prompt a spike in beagle adoptions. Wilkerson had one bit of advice for anyone planning to get one as a pet.

"Better have a fence," he said.

More than 169 breeds and varieties were represented at the 132nd Westminster show, and the event brought 2,627 entries.

Among the fan favorites early Tuesday evening were a Neapolitan mastiff that lumbered around the ring, a Chihuahua that spun in circles and a miniature pinscher that plucked a piece of food off the green carpet without missing a beat.

No hound of any kind had won at Westminster since 1983, and a toy poodle that began the night with 108 best in show prizes stood in Uno's way.

Formally known as K-Run's Park Me in First, Uno came into this competition wagging his white-tipped tail with 32 best in show ribbons overall. He already had become the first beagle to win the hound group since 1939.

Uno breezed in the 15-inch beagle category Monday morning, then took the group several hours later. So while other dogs tried to reach the final ring Tuesday, Uno went on a brisk walk around Manhattan and took a nap beneath his warm, fuzzy blanket.

But when it came time to show, Uno was as ready as ever. He looked around and soaked up the cheers while parading around the ring, the ovation becoming more thunderous with every step.

When he made his final stop in front of Jones, Uno went to town. Rather than rely on his golden brown, pleading eyes, he began baying over and over.

Even when he walked away to let other dogs be judged, Uno kept going. Quite a win it was for Eddie Dziuk of Columbia, Mo., and his three co-owners.

"When it came for the judge to pick, I couldn't even watch," Dziuk said.

Chances are, millions at home were tuned to their televisions.

"My sister called me today and said she's always turned off the dog show on TV because she's tired of all those poodles winning," Jon Woodring, one of Uno's co-owners, said in the afternoon. "But she watched last night. I think Uno winning would show that an everyday dog can do it."

Longtime dog expert David Frei, the paw-by-paw announcer for USA Network's coverage of Westminster, went even further earlier.

"If he wins best in show, I'll rent him an apartment in New York City because I'll be traveling with him all year, so many people will want to see him," he said. "If he won, it would be the greatest thing for our show."

Better get that first rent check ready — Uno is here to stay.

"We knew he was going to be No. 1. I didn't know he'd do it this fast," Wilkerson said.

Hail, Snoopy! Beagle wins Westminster - Yahoo! News

--> check out the videos on the link to this article. You can just see Uno baying away with his purty Beagle voice!

[dogs4life]

I saw him on the Today Show, he's quite a character.

[PawNclaws]

Westminster this year was very nice to watch ! Uno is a stunning little guy ! Anyone see the Labrador ??? YAY I am so excited to say that was Bells auntie !! I was watching Breed and WOW, what Gorgeous Labs this year ! Congrats to all BOB winners and to all who placed in Group ! Very exciting year !

[britishbandit]

Uno is one gorgeous Beagle! I watched the show too, and he was definately the crowd favorite. LOL

PawsNclaws - that's awesome that the Lab is related to Bells, but I actually didn't like the look of her. She looked far to stocky for a Lab to me, then again I'm not really well versed in what they should look like exactly. I never thought they should be like that though, not scrawny either, but..........
To be perfectly honest, I wasn't even sure if she was a Lab at first, I questioned it until I saw the breed name on the screen when she came up. Pretty strange when the only breed in the entire show I wasn't sure of what it was, was the Lab. LOL Well I lie, I'd never heard of the breed of Terrier (that won the terrier group and I don't even know the spelling of the name) before either, but I'd just never seen one. Labs I've seen before.

[PawNclaws]

Not all of Travis's pups are like her, but then add her dams lines., But she's far better then the Labs they have put up in the last few years IMO.

[Doglover1988]

I was happy to see the beagle win. I love beagles! My great uncle has raised them for a long time and I love going to his house and playing with all of them.

[briarlow]

Unfortunately looks like the Lab's are going the English way then in the US? Is it English lines in your dogs breeding? I remember a show about 3 years ago where the Lab won best in show, it could hardly move round the ring and never would of been able to do a days work.

[PawNclaws]

Bells lines are partly imported yes, but I won't say many labs are over done. She has many Ch/JH's and her grandsire (dams sire) is an Ch/MH. I will say that her grandsire (sires, sire) is a bit over done, but not to much that I would say he couldn't do a days work. Dee Dee is actually not over done imo, despite what the camera has shown.. Here is a pic of here taking BOB at Westminster : http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org...SR20856101.jpg . Yes I will agree about that. Last show I went to, some of the labs were heavy and just huffin and a puffin around the ring (yikes) . There is one stud I know of that is "big" and over done in the front (not just a little).. He actually looks like he would tip over (head first).. Not to much balance imo. He is not a Ch. but has his JH !! and an obedience title.. So if that dog has the ability and desire, they'll get the job done.

[Ritz459]

Here is a pic of here taking BOB at Westminster

She seems like a purty dog to me.
I think there is a happy medium that should be aimed for in Labs...when I see the huge, mammoth, look-like-they-are-part-mastiff Labs I cringe, and then I also don't like the lanky, narrow, look-like-they-are-part-greyhound Labs either. I like Labs that look like Sadie and even Blackie. Not too big, not too small, blocky, but not extreame, agile, but not greyhound leggy.

[LilacDragon]

Uno sure is a q-t! I am sure that many beagle breeders have mixed feelings about the win though.

I went back and looked at the video of the lab judging. I am soooo not a lab enthusiast. I see the same thing in labs that I see in rottweilers - fat dogs win. But then - it seems to be the norm in all the larger breeds - and even some of the smaller ones. Seems like a barrel like body is the style of preference irregardless of the stress it adds to joints and hearts.

I know many, many breeders who put their Championships on their dogs when they are younger so that they can get the extra weight off and show their dogs in performance venues. It really is too bad that AKC judges don't take a look at the WHOLE dog.

[britishbandit]

Originally Posted by PawNclaws

Here is a pic of here taking BOB at Westminster

Oh don't get me wrong, she's a pretty dog, she just doesn't look proportionate to me. Again I'm not super familiar with all the breed standards for labs, and she won best of breed at a very big show, so she's got whatever the judges were looking for. To me she just seems to have short stubby looking legs and a smallish head compared to her body. I also prefer to see them with a bit more "tuck" at the belly. Hers is only very slight, almost straight across. But i'm no judge so my opinion doesn't matter.