Who doesn’t love the Westminster Dog Show? Two weeks ago, on February 15th and 16th at Madison Square Garden, the 140-year-old Super Bowl of dog shows included seven new breeds. We were excited to see the Bergamasco Shepherd, Berger Picard, Boerboel, Cirneco dell’Etna, Lagotto Romagnolo, Miniature American Shepherd and the Spanish Water Dog strut their stuff in front of the judges.
Another change that made us happy was the inclusion of mixed breed dogs. Animal rights advocates have long argued that the show’s focus on pure breeds fuels the nightmarish puppy mill industry. The show responded by opening up the obedience and agility to all dogs, proving that any pup can be a winner.