Westminster Dog Show Second-Night Diary

Night 2 of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. ET (USA Network) with the Terrier, Sporting, and Working groups.

Last night, a Scottish Deerhound named Hickory claimed the Hound Group; the great Bearded Collie, Mister Bagging, won the Herding Group; GCH Vaje’s Miss Jayne Hathaway won the Non-Sporting Group (the first time a Chinese Shar-Pei has claimed that prize; and Malachy, the crowd-pleasing Pekingese, nabbed top spot in the Toy Group.

Several Terriers are considered among the favorites to not only win their group but also emerge as leading contenders for Best in Show -- led by the Smooth Fox Terrier, getting a 6-to-1 odds from the Wynn Las Vegas casino. But despite Terriers' historical dominance, trends have shifted in recent years, and Terriers are no longer anything close to a sure thing.

Come follow along for three hours of ring strutting and "Best in Show" quotes, as the 135th annual Westminster extravaganza comes to a close.

"May we have the Sporting Group please!"

We're under way, and David Frei is already shamelessly rooting for the Brittany, his breed of choice. Root all you want, David. Mr. Baggins the Beardie is taking you down!

Doggie trash-talking, two minutes in. Fun night ahead.

First time I ever met a Chesapeake Bay Retriever was, fittingly, right before a softball game in front of the Washington Monument. Correction: It was two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Puppies. Needless to say I skipped the game and skipped town with the puppies in tow.

Golden Retriever! Looking for its first win in Westminster history, despite being one of the most popular breeds in the country (Labrador Retrievers, the single most popular breed, have never won either). On the other hand, we've never seen a shaved poodle portray a canine basketball star. Advantage, Golden.

The Nova Scotia Duck-Trolling Retriever ostensibly uses subterfuge to flush out ducks for duck hunting, fetching sticks near the water's edge, attracting the ducks, then chasing them airborne, right into the hunter's sights. Damn sneaky Canadians.

Commenter MGibson writes:

"any dog show that’s never had a Blue Heeler as BIS just doesn’t get what a real dog is all about…most of those fluff balls are all a bunch of posers"

Love dog owners! Opinionated and knowledgeable at the same time.

The Blue Heeler, also known as the Australian Cattle Dog is indeed a fascinating breed, by the way. Like a Border Collie, it's a serious herder. Unique personality too. Good choice!

Commenter Robin writes:

"Once again, the Afghan Hound, overlooked because of its beauty. UGH!"

This is exactly the same way people are judged. Only the exact opposite.

Clumber Spaniel! Love this dog. Has the head of a Newfoundland, at half the size. Easter Island head with fur.

My absolute favorite breed description of Westminster, year after year. The Field Spaniel, which Mike LaFave describes as having "a healthy dose of impishness." I will, on occasion, size up random people and describe them as having "a healthy dose of impishness," in the Mike LaFave voice. Seriously.

I am a very troubled individual.

The Spinone Italiano is "affectionate, calm and gentle at home, he can also be clownish, stubborn, and demanding of attention. The Spinone is only for owners with a sense of humor, and a tolerance for wet beards."

Honestly, is LaFave just making this stuff up? The Spinone is like the Mad Libs of tremendous breed descriptions.

Vizsla! Fantastic dog, "the pride of Hungary" as LaFave notes. Hungary being my family's country of origin, I'm a huge fan of all their breeds.

Pop quiz: Name the four AKC-recognized Hungarian breeds at Westminster. Winner gets a Snausage.

That Weimaraner looks like a real contender. But...wait a minute! WHERE'S HIS BUSY BEE! WHERE DID YOU PUT THE BUSY BEE!!!

That's not a bee. That's a bear in a, in a bee costume.

Bring me a busy bee!

And the Black Cocker Spaniel -- Beckham takes it! I hear his owner took 26 hours to groom him. Still got out of the house faster than that other Beckham.

Commenter Jeff has the answer to our Hungarian breeds trivia question!

"The Vizsla, Komondor, Puli, and the Kuvasz. What part of the pig do snausages come from?"

This is an unanswerable question.

The best part of the staged "technical difficulties" shot just shown, in which a bunch of dogs have taken over USA Network's control room, is that a Norwich Terrier appears to be the lead instigator.

Winky would approve.

"May we have the Working Group in the ring please!"

Yes! My favorite group. And the Newfoundland this year is a Landseer! Jonah is pleased.

Amazing Alaskan Malamute. Talented too, I hear. Can see Russia from MSG.

The difference between Ricky the Alaskan Malamute and Boris, my neighborhood Malamute, is the difference between me, and Blake Griffin.

Seeing the Black Russian Terrier does make me feel a little sad Leslie Nielsen is no longer with us.

I like David Frei enormously (Did anyone see New York Magazine mistakenly refer to him as the inspiration for Fred Willard's character in "Best in Show? -- apparently the reporter missed Joe Garagiola all those years) but here's a thought for USA down the line: invite David Letterman to sit in one night.

Not as a replacement, but third in the booth with Frei and Carillo. He is wildly crazed about dogs, and knowledgeable, as anyone who watches the Late Show knows. He wouldn't be a goof. He'd probably be great at it. Letterman seldom agrees to anything outside the show, but it's so out there of an idea, and yet so up his alley, he just might go for it.

Ty the Bernese Mountain Dog bounds across the green carpet. He's from Ontario, and David Frei reminds us that there are more 90 Best in Breed winners from Canada at this year's Westminster. Seems like a fair deal. We gave you the incomparable Alan Thicke, then we get to win your elite dog show.

New breed! Cane Corso. Impressive, giant specimen. Interesting how LaFave will take time to note, with every dog, that they're nice family dogs, despite their giant stature and mean-looking face. He uhhh...did not say that with the Cane Corso.

Figure if I'm going to hop on here, I have to throw out my tangential bona fides: my wife's (late, beloved) Bouvier de Flanders, Shiloh, and my brother's Bull Mastiff, Tess.

If you're scoring at home, that is a LOT OF DOG.

Good Lord, a horse has infiltrated the Westminster Dog Show!

My bad, it's just a Great Dane. With a handler wearing a bedazzled baseball cap. Dog shows are the best.

Komondors are real and spectacular. I wonder if it get intensely annoying to walk one, with all the questions.

Komondor! King of Hungarian livestock guardians. Mary Carillo is just dumbfounded. Rightfully so, it's a giant dog covered with 1000 mops. Hungary has to be the leader for Westminster breeds per capita, no?

For the record, my family back home owned a Golden Retriever until he recently left this mortal coil. Also named Shiloh.

That is a lot of Shiloh.

Just once it'd be funny to hear a dog described as "intensely disloyal."

Jonah, you just made my wife cry!

Leonberger, another new breed at Westminster. And it's Chewee, the dog profiled last night. It's huge, fluffy, has a perpetual smile, and looks like it could herd twins with its eyes closed.

I believe the kids would say...Want.

Family got another Golden named Shane. Terrific dog. There will never be another Shiloh, but they did pretty well.

If you don't like Neopolitan Mastiffs, I don't want to know you.

That Newfie is rocking the party that rocks the party. That is a lovely, conspicuous dog.

I said last night our next dog (we're dogless at the moment) will surely be a Newfoundland. The most important part of the breed standard is that the dog be gentle. It's also the only dog hard-wired to jump into water and save you. It will do that for fishermen caught in icy waters, and also jump into your pool and pull your kids out. Even if they don't need pulling out.

Now that's a dog.

That St. Bernard rocks the party too. Wow. And he just sired a litter of 14 puppies! That is...impressive.

This is going to sound seriously goofy but the thing I always notice at Westminster is the feet -- there is something about the size and grooming of the feet, they look like they have galoshes on. You see a St. Bernard on the street -- especially in NYC, where they really shouldn't be -- the feet are often worn and sadly wispy. Dogs at Westminster have Bob Lanier feet.

My brother got a Mastiff, and a daughter, around the same time. Never one problem, a beautiful dog. Daughter's even sweeter!

Can I also add that Westminster is a sporting event that has CLEARLY benefited from HDTV. It takes the appreciation to a new level. I hope USA goes to 3-D next year -- the technology is there and it would be very fun. I'm entirely serious about this.

Commenter raetrout asks:

"Why do the trainers put the dog treats in (their) own mouth after the dog nibbles it?"

It's to get the dog to look up and focus on their face. You want your dog standing at attention so the judge can properly size him up. That and to gross us out just a little.

As we wait for the final round of the Working group, commenter Meredith asks:

"We are sitting here with a jack russell terrier, a breed not recognized by AKC. What’s up with that, Keri?"

Au contraire, Meredith, the breed is recognized. It's just now called the Parson Russell Terrier.

Okay working group down -- can we get a little action on the result? Crowd loved Newfie, but I'm leaning St. Bernard. Dark horse: that Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. Or the Dane!

I'm rooting for the Newf. That is a very impressive Malamute, though.

OK, I'll say it: I'm not feeling a Portuguese Water Dog cut that way. Too much!

The Portuguese Water Dog takes it! Of course Obama's dog is a Portuguese Water Dog named Bo. I'm sure we'll read 80 new conspiracy theories by tomorrow.

Wow, I was spectacularly wrong. That was like picking the Mets and the Orioles to win the World Series.

Commenter all breeds are beautiful writes:

"Can/will you settle an argument? Are Labradoodles an accepted AKC breed? Are they shown at this show?"

None of the designer crossbreeds are shown at Westminster. Many are great dogs, of course. My buddy has a Golden Doodle named Herschel. Oy vey, what a punim.

I like discovering things at Westminster, like how I've been mispronouncing "Samoyed" my entire life.

Up next: Terriers!

Is there a better word in the dog world than "ratter"?

"May we have the Terrier group in the ring please!"

One more thing before I get into trouble: The AUDIO has been great in the coverage; to hear the buzzing from the judges... Fantastic! Bravo, USA!

Commenter Mary Beth writes:

"FYI: Plural of Komondor is Komondorok."

And the plural of Puli is Pulik.

And "stuffed cabbage" in Hungarian is Toltott Kaposzta.

Commenter Amy writes:

"Why are the dog handlers in such poor shape? They are grossly overweight and poorly dressed. Get them out of the kennel! Don't they realize the dogs would make a better presentation if the handlers do? Quit swallowing the dog treats!"

But...but...Snausages are so hard to resist!

It's Toto! Dorothy's dog in The Wizard of Oz was in fact a Cairn Terrier.

And here we have the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, the dog of choice for Bill Cosby. No truth to the rumor he used Dinmont fur to make Cliff Huxtable's legendary sweaters.

This Irish Terrier hails from Massachusetts, and has the call name Fenway Fan. And David Frei beats me to the Yankees joke. I'm this close to starting shakefistatdavidfrei.tumblr.com.

Agreed with Jason's earlier comment: It's all in the feet. How long did it take to brush, blow-dry, and rebrush that Miniature Schnauzer's feet? Jersey Shore-esque grooming here tonight.

Here's your Parson (Jack) Russell Terrier, Meredith. "He demands constant attention," says Mike LaFave. As do zealous commenters!

If you don't name your Scottish Terrier "Biscotti," you automatically relinquish your right to own a Scottish Terrier. Sorry, them's the rules.

Love this Welsh Terrier. But I hear its owners are eccentric. I mean, they were only in New York for 48 hours. How many tea services can they do?

David Frei has officially pumped up its enthusiasm about eightfold as the first cut of Terriers circle the ring. Methinks he's had a couple of Four Lokos tonight.

And there it is, the Smooth Fox Terrier wins the group! Just a reminder, Wynn Las Vegas had this dog as the favorite to win the whole enchilada, going off at 6-to-1.

By the way, what could be more pathetic than betting odds on a dog show?

Obviously, dog show fantasy leagues are where it's at.

We're just moments away from the Best in Show round. I couldn't care less about supposedly unbiased journalism. I will be yelling like mad for Mister Baggins, the Bearded Collie. A Beardie has never won Best In Show. This breed is due!

Lights out, LaFave's booming voice comes over the PA...this is like Wrestlemania, only less The Rock.

Hell yes, Mister Baggins! That is a devastatingly handsome Beardie.

Other non-Beardie breeds in Best In Show:

Chinese Shar-Pei

Scottish Deerhound

Smooth Fox Terrier

Pekingese

Portuguese Water Dog

Black Cocker Spaniel

Audience audibly laughing as the Pek waddles across the carpet. Love it.

David Frei urging Mister Baggins not to let his adrenaline get the best of him. In related news, David Frei has never owned a Bearded Collie.

Crowd loving Hickory, the Scottish Deerhound. Only one of the Best in Show breeds that lopes, rather than walks. A breed like this will live a far shorter life than, say, a Fox Terrier. But the bigger breeds can be fantastic, if you've got a big enough place and the willingness to train. Well worth it.

Have to say, that is a very handsome Smooth Fox Terrier. The Phantom of the Opera look is pretty great.

Italian judge only adds to the drama...

It's Hickory, the Scottish Deerhound! First time ever for the breed! Five-year-old female, amazing bitch.

As I said last night, Best in Show always leads to more adoptions. Just know what you're getting yourself into when you adopt a Scottish Deerhound. Sweet, gentle dog, but obviously gigantic. As with any dog, create an environment conducive to its happiness, and treat it well. There's a reason all these sad shelter dog commercials exist: irresponsible dog owners.

OK, sermon over. Needed to be said.

Love the winner! Always fun to see a nice big dog take it!

Thanks to everyone for riding along. The 2nd annual WSJ.com Westminster live blog was, predictably, a blast. See you back here next year. Good night!