Except for the combination of an error in my reservation (my fault) and weather delays leaving me to wander the airport for six hours, my trip to New York City and the Westminster Kennel Club dog show was wonderful, and went by too fast.

There was much chatter on Facebook and Twitter, and even national news, about the failure of the judge to give Best in Show to the crowd favorite, the Golden Retriever, GCHP CH Hillock’s Jack Daniel’s RA JH CA RATN CGC, aka Daniel. (I explain all those initials below).

My first choice is always the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, but since they rarely make it to the best in show judging, I then cheer for whatever herding breed does win the group, and I did love the Shetland Sheepdog, however, when I saw Daniel, I thought he was stunning. Plus, he was handled by Karen Mammano, who has handled some of my Corgis. So, I switched my allegiance from the herding to the sporting group.

The Standard Poodle won, with the Whippet being awarded reserve. GCHP Ch Stone Run Afternoon Tea, Siba, earned her win. Cheer all you want for your favorite; the judge compares each dog to that dog’s breed standard. In this instance, the judge felt that Siba was the dog that most closely fit the written standard of perfection. Siba was the number one ranked non-sporting dog in the country and the top ranked Standard Poodle, so her win of Best in Show was not a fluke.

Many remarks on social media, as well as in news stories was that a Golden Retriever has never won Best in Show at Westminster. That’s true, but, neither have 149 other breeds. A list of best in show winners from 1907 to 2020 shows only 45 different breeds. Terriers have won the most best in shows (43), dogs from the herding group the least (twice).

When you reach the level of the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, it’s inevitable that good dogs will be beaten. Every dog entered is a champion, and many have attained grand champion levels. They are all fine examples of their specific breeds. Daniel didn’t take top honors but he wasn’t “robbed.”

Having admitted that, I liked Daniel for other reasons than that he was just plain gorgeous. I’m looking at all those initials surrounding his name: GCHP CH Hillock’s Jack Daniel’s RA JH CA RATN CGC. The American Kennel Club (AKC) offers many titles, and that’s what those initials signify. First, the initials up front. Daniel completed his championship, which is what the CH means. Beyond that, he earned GCHP which is grand champion platinum. This means he earned 800 championship points beyond the 15 points he needed to complete his championship. The initials after his name indicate performance titles, and Daniel is a very versatile dog. RA stands for “rally advanced,” an obedience title. Next is JH for “junior hunter.” Daniel can work in the field. CA shows he has coursing ability, a sport usually considered the domain of sight hounds, and RATN for novice barn hunt means he has a nose for vermin. That CGC makes Daniel a canine good citizen, and indicates that he has good manners when around both people and other dogs. All of this means that Daniel is more than just a pretty face.

I applaud the fact that there are so many performance events that owners and their dogs can try. It helps handlers and dogs bond, and gives dogs an outlet for their energy, as well as stimulating their brains as they learn how to do new things. And, you don’t have to own a purebred to compete. AKC performance events are open to mixed breed dogs as well. Winning is always nice, but with dogs, who don’t know, or care, if they win or lose, it really is all about how you play the game.

Take a look at your own dog. Would he like a chance to hunt for rats (caged) or chase a (fake) rabbit? Does he enjoy jumping into every body of water he sees? Do you think he’s the fastest dog on the block? Does he learn tricks quickly? Can he sniff out the smallest crumb of food? The AKC offers many chances for you to have organized fun with your dog. Even without an organized event, if you and your dog love to play together, you’ve already won the best award there is. No blue ribbon needed.