11:12 PM EDT 04/13/2013
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
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Westminster Dog's Death Surrounded by Mystery
Originally posted 03/01/2013 03:25PM
Two weeks after the conclusion of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, a new controversy surrounds the storied competition: the death of Samoyed Cruz.
Only days after he strutted his stuff at Madison Square Garden, the white-haired furball passed away from symptoms that bear resemblance to ingesting rat or mouse poison, says the veterinarian who treated him. Cruz began coughing up blood on Feb. 16, and just a few hours after being hooked up to an intravenous drip and receiving oxygen, he was dead.
Though there is no evidence to support that he was poisoned intentionally, his handler, Robert Chaffin, and one of his owners, Lynette Blue, are not ready to rule out the possibility.
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What to Know About Westminster's Reserve Best in Show, Swagger
Originally posted 02/13/2013 05:15PM
Banana Joe may have been named best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show – and landed a Broadway gig – but there's another furry face who's emerged as the competition's breakout star: Swagger.
The Old English sheepdog was named reserve best in show (essentially runner-up) on Tuesday and remained a fan favorite throughout the final rounds of judging, drawing cheers from the crowd as he made his laps around the ring at Madison Square Garden.
Much like viewers at home and in the audience, we can't get enough of the energetic furball. So here's what you need to know about Swagger:
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PEOPLE's Pics of Westminster's Cutest Furry Finalists
Originally posted 02/13/2013 02:30PM
They didn't win best in show, but these contestants put their best paws forward in our PEOPLE portraits
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Westminster Names Affenpinscher Banana Joe Best in Show
Originally posted 02/12/2013 11:55PM
Westminster has its top dog!
After two days of meticulous primping, prizes and the less-pretty realities of any spirited championship, the 137th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show came to its finale Tuesday night, declaring Affenpinscher Banana Joe the best in show.
The competition proved fur-rocious as the pint-sized, black-haired furball bested six other finalists (and 2,721 entries total) for the honor, including Old English Sheepdog Swagger, who was named the reserve best in show. It’s the first time the breed has ever taken home the top prize in Westminster history.
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Westminster's Most Paw-some Moments – So Far!
Originally posted 02/12/2013 11:00AM
It may be Fat Tuesday, but as any dog lover knows, the real action is at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Dogs of every shape, size and color – including two new breeds who were admitted into competition this year – have taken over several New York City locations, including Madison Square Garden, and the contest is starting to get fur-rocious.
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Two New Breeds to Compete at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Originally posted 01/29/2013 03:00PM
Looks like there will be some new furry faces at this year's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
The American Kennel Club recently announced the inclusion of two new breeds for the 2013 competition, the Russell Terrier and the Treeing Walker Coonhound.
Per a description on Westminster's official site, new breeds are considered for addition when they've reached a significant number and distribution across the United States, as well as when a breed's parent club shows a growing interest.
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G.K. Stewart: My Memories from Westminster
Originally posted 02/24/2012 09:00AM
One of the big surprises at this year's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was Martha Stewart, who momentarily stole the spotlight from the prize-winning pooches when she sat ringside at N.Y.C.'s Madison Square Garden to watch her champion chow chow, Ghenghis Khan, or G.K., make his lap around the floor. G.K., who won Best of Breed this year, did not advance as a group winner, but he nevertheless had a fantastic debut on the international stage as a real contender. After settling back into his regular life, G.K. sat down to tell us what it was like competing at Westminster for the first time.
I've been at plenty of dog shows, but Westminster was different. There were so many people with cameras, lights and microphones around me – there were a lot more dogs at this show, too.
My favorite part of the experience has to be when I saw Martha's face light up after I won Best of Breed. Once the judge handed my ribbon to Jan Kolnik, my handler, I immediately looked to Martha. I saw how happy and proud she was, and I knew that I had done a good thing.
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Westminster Best in Show Winner: 5 Things to Know About Pekingese
Originally posted 02/15/2012 02:35PM
A dog that didn't look much like a dog at all, but more like an animatronic dustball, won Westminster's biggest prize, Best in Show, at Madison Square Garden Tuesday. There's more to this champion toy breed than great hair and wobbly walks – here's what you need to know about the Pekingese.
1. It's an ancient breed that was once believed to be sacred.
The Pekingese gets its name from the former name of China's capital, Beijing, which used to be known as Peking. In ancient China, going back as far as the 800 A.D., Pekingese dogs were so prized that they were only owned by royalty. They made their way to England after the British invaded the Chinese Imperial Palace in 1860.
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The Water Bowl: Couple Gets Married at Westminster!
Originally posted 02/15/2012 12:30PM
These stories are worth a click:
The Tibetan mastiff that took the title of Best of Breed at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show had more reason to celebrate: his owners, Debbie Parsons and Brad Slayton, got married backstage at Madison Square Garden. –AP
Outside Westminster, a different kind of commotion occurred when the group Dogs Against Romney protested the Republican presidential candidate for mistreating his pet dog Seamus. The two protesters held signs that read "Mitt is mean." –Politicker
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Malachy the Pekingese Wins Best in Show at Westminster
Originally posted 02/14/2012 11:35PM
Meet the dog world's new hair-apparent!
A fluffy 4-year-old Pekingese named Malachy waddled, wiggled and wobbled away with the title of Best in Show at the 136th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
The well-decorated dog (formal name: Ch Palacegarden Malachy) is no stranger to the spotlight; he already has 114 other dog show wins under his belt. Owned by David Fitzpatrick, Iris Love and Sandra Middlebrooks, Malachy is the sixth Pekingese ever to win Best in Show at Westminster, and the first since 1990.
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