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A32 FEATURE
Thursday 14 February 2019
A breed apart: Rare Westminster dogs have ring to themselves

By JENNIFER PELTZ 203 breeds and varieties.
Associated Press That's every AKC-registered
NEW YORK (AP) — Every breed except the Chinook,
dog breed has its day at a sled-puller that's the of-
the Westminster Kennel ficial state dog of New
show. That day can start by Hampshire.
facing off against dozens Dogs such as French bull-
of dogs — or no others at dogs and golden retrievers
all. — the show's biggest entry,
Outside the ring where as with as many as 57 com-
many as 48 French bull- peting Tuesday — have to
dogs vied this week to be best a crowd just to get
best of their breed, Peter past the breed ring.
and Tracy Rousseau kept a Frenchies have rocketed
sense of perspective about from 76th to fourth in the
the field their Norwegian AKC rankings in 20 years,
lundehund would face lat- the kind of surge that makes
er in the day. aficionados both proud
A member of the rarest and concerned about lax
breed in the American breeders trying to cash in.
Kennel Club's rankings, Eva "It's a great breed, and you
was one of only two lunde- want people to fall in love
hunds at the nation's most with it," Christine Dudney
prestigious dog show. Last of Temple Terrace, Florida,
year, she was the only one. said as she waited to show
"We're trying to get people her French bulldog, Millie.
to understand this breed An English foxhound, the only one of its breed to compete, appears at the Westminster Kennel "You just worry about peo-
and have an opportunity Club dog show on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, in New York. ple getting into it for the
to see" a small dog that is Associated Press money aspect."
truly a breed apart, Tracy Some uncommon breeds
Rousseau said. Originally laughs from the audience. South Carolina. But the ian livestock guardian has do put together a robust
bred to hunt cliff-dwelling On Monday, Eva's only small, water-loving hunting a protective, independent presence for Westminster.
puffins, lundehunds have competitor, Pikku, won the dogs were for years some- nature that requires an There were nine keen
extra toes and extraordi- breed and took its spot on thing of a South Carolina experienced owner, said hound faces in the Cirneco
nary flexibility to help them TV. Owner Carrie Riley of secret, and they're still not Clegg, of Lebanon, Ohio. dell'Etna ring, though the
climb. Rockwall, Texas, said she'd as widely known as some The harrier, meanwhile, is rabbit-hunting breed is the
"They're very unique," so like to see more people other spaniel breeds. trainable and a great fam- seventh-rarest in the U.S.
much so that fanciers strive take an interest in lundehu- The sole sloughi that was ily pet if provided enough and debuted at Westmin-
to make sure people real- nds. entered didn't show up. exercise, said Cora's co- ster only in 2016.
ize the unusual feet aren't Some dogs had the breed The athletic, greyhound- breeder, Donna Smiley. Dr. Cheryl McDermott and
a deformity, Rousseau said. ring all to themselves at style dogs became eligible "We'd love to get more her 12-year-old daughter,
To the Rousseaus, it's worth this week's show, including for Westminster just two folks interested in them, so Brenna, brought four of the
traveling from Franktown, a Boykin spaniel named years ago. we can keep the breed Cirneco contestants.
Colorado, to New York just Nana, a harrier named Rarity and super-populari- going," said Smiley, of Indio, "The biggest thing for us is
to get attention for lun- Cora and an English fox- ty are both seen as mixed California. "This is a breed to represent the breed with
dehunds at Westminster, hound named Whiskey. blessings in canine compe- that is very much in danger the best dogs possible,"
where Eva had a memo- The English foxhound and tition, and sometimes in the of going extinct." said McDermott, a veteri-
rable turn in last year's harrier are among the 10 purebred dog world as a Overall, the more than narian in Ethel, Washing-
televised semifinals. She rarest breeds in the AKC whole. 2,800 dogs that signed ton, "so that people can
stopped to scratch her ear rankings, but Boykins aren't Less competition in the up to compete for Best in have more exposure to this
and back while parading all that uncommon, and breed ring makes it easier Show this year come from breed as a possibility."q
around the ring, drawing they're the state dog of to reach at least the semifi-
nals. But that means facing
other breeds that judges
may know better. Points
toward championship titles
are based partly on how
many dogs of the same
breed a winner beats at a
given show.
And aficionados such as
Mary Clegg, who owns the
winning kuvasz in a ring of
three on Tuesday, some-
times worry for the futures
of their beloved breeds.
"They're becoming more
Tracy Rousseau, left, owner and handler of dog Eva, and Jessica and more rare," said Clegg,
de Jong, handler of dog Pikku, both the Norwegian Lundehund whose 17-year-old daugh- Yvore, a 10-month-old French bulldog, waits her turn to com-
breed, compete in the Best of Breed event at the Westminster ter, Caroline, showed their pete at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Monday, Feb.
Kennel Club dog show on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, in New York. kuvasz Mo'Ne. The stun- 11, 2019, in New York.
Associated Press ning, snowy-white Hungar- Associated Press