Westminster Best of Breed photos

Magenta

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/02/12/sports/westminster-dog-show-best-of-breed.html?smid=tw-share

The German Shepherd one is depressing. His back is so sloped he's practically triangular, his legs look like a frogs'. Compare him to a similar breed, the Belgian Malinois

kylith

My prizes for 'most deformed' go to the GSD, the Chin, the Pug, and that first Cocker, I think it was a US cocker. It's forehead was bulging so much it looked like the snout had been shoved back.

maggiepip

Oh - thats just disgraceful.....I can barely look at that German Shepherd:(

andreac

The GS is a disgrace!! Its even weak of its front pasterns as well. How they can give that BOB is beyond me.

fatmammycat

I think the bulldog is the worst, poor thing.

ISDW

I love the Coonhounds, all the different varieties, lovely looking dogs.

Rommie

Anyone else think the lab looked really overweight?

PucaMama

so many cropped ears

Rommie

Yeah, I hate cropped ears. They look horrible, especially on the neo and the great dane

wolfpawnat

It is our duty to not buy dogs like that GS, only when there is no market for a dog like that will the straight back be the breed standard again. I nearly died when I saw the pic. My OH is in Vet Med in UCD. He swore and put it on FB, everyone of his classmates are in shock. That poor dog is walking on his hocks!

juniord

Rommie wrote: »

Anyone else think the lab looked really overweight?

i agree, id say its a while since that australian cattle dog did much exercise as well that gsd is a mockery

DBB

wolfpawnat wrote: »

It is our duty to not buy dogs like that GS, only when there is no market for a dog like that will the straight back be the breed standard again.

I think it goes deeper: the judges don't seem to have any interest in moving away from the frog-dogs: as long as they're letting frog-dogs win BoB, that's what breeders are going to keep producing, and that's what the public are going to think they want.
As soon as judges stop selecting these poor dogforsaken mutants as "champions", and start selecting dogs that could actually walk one mile without collapsing, the sooner breeders and the dog-buying public will follow suit.

The ear-cropping is stomach-churning.

Anyone else think that most of the dogs look... miserable?

Rommie

Yes, especially the ridgeback, I think she looks terrified. I hate the bouvier cut as well, they look ridiculous

Magenta

The ear cropping is bad but the tail docking is no better.

On a lighter note, my favourite is the Saluki, so beautiful.

Irishchick

This is what showing does to dogs. Breed "standards" that have little to do with the health of the dog. Pure vanity, nothing else. Your dog is deformed and can run in a circle, here have a ribbon.

mymo

I looked at these and thought how sad.
The Rottie could do with more muscle, as could the Australian cattle dog and the Lab (also needs to loose some weight).
The Saluki is one of my fav's too but I always thought they were more muscular and longer feathered hair?
Greyhound looks odd.
Hate the cropped ears.
Few of the spaniels not looking like they should.
St Bernard and Mastiffs very overly chunky and wrinkled, can't even see the eyes, and don't get me started on the flat faced breeds.
I think there needs to be major intervention with veterinary knowledge to improve the health of these dogs.

hfallada

Did anyone see the clip on the nytimes site for the hotel. They converted the basement into a salon for the dogs for the week. They even had treadmills.

Some of the dogs don't look anything like the dogs here. I don't know if the camera but a lot of them have really short looking legs

meoklmrk91

The Irish setter is a state as well, poor thing.