Puppy Bowl to Westminster, dogs are having their day

LOS ANGELES – An Australian Shepherd mix named Aberdeen stole hearts Sunday, becoming the viewer’s choice for most valuable player during Puppy Bowl VIII.

The eighth annual Super Bowl alternative for those who prefer cuteness to quarterbacks reached record viewership for Animal Planet, and its popularity extended to its website, which is full of day-after roundups, videos and pictures of the 59 pooches who wrestled and played on the miniature football field.

But the fun is not over for dog-lovers. While Puppy Bowl focuses on raising awareness of shelter dogs, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will celebrate the best of the breeds Feb. 13-14 at Madison Square Garden.

Six dogs will make history this year as the newest breeds eligible to compete at Westminster. If they have visions of winning, though, history is against them.

The names of some of these rookie breeds competing are a mouthful: the Entlebucher (ent-lee-BOO’-kehr) mountain dog, the Norwegian Lundehund (LUHN’-dee-hund), the American English coonhound, the Finnish Lapphund (LAP’-hundh), the Cesky (CHESS’-key) terrier and the Xoloitzcuintli (show-low-itz-QUINT’-lee), previously known as the Mexican Hairless.

The six new breeds bring to 185 the number that will compete this year for the best of show grand prize in the annual contest, the oldest sporting event in the United States next to the Kentucky Derby, said David Frei, the club’s director of communications and the USA Network show host.

In 1990, there were 142 eligible breeds.

This is no limit on the number of new breeds that can be admitted each year, but there are strict criteria. For the last 12 years, no more than six rookies have been approved in any year, Frei said.

Before the American Kennel Club will approve a new breed, there have to be a significant number of the dogs in the United States and there has to be a breed club to oversee enthusiasts and geographic diversity.

The rookies will compete with all the other dogs, but they won’t be a good bet to win best in show.

Frei said the rookie that rose to the top and became best in show fastest was the Bichon Frise. That breed made its debut in 1974 and was named best of show in 2001, a 27-year gap.