Congratulations to Hickory, the Scottish Deerhound
Congratulations to Hickory, the graceful Scottish Deerhound, on winning Best in Show at Westminster! This was the favorite breed of the writer Sir Walter Scott, who wrote about his grief at the loss of his devoted dog, Maida.
“I have sometimes thought of the final cause of dogs having such short lives and I am quite satisfied that it is in compassion for the human race; for if we suffer so much in losing a dog after an acquaintance of ten or twelve years, what would it be if they were to live double that time?”
I was in New York City this past weekend and caught a few of the dog show festivities. The hotels surrounding Madison Square Garden are filled with gorgeous dogs, dog vendors, and dog paraphernalia. At night, the Empire State Building is lit in the Westminster colors of purple and gold. I met several women who were attending Westminster as a “girls’ weekend,” which sounds like great fun. It’s sort of like being in Hollywood for the Oscars.
I attended a benefit party for Angel on a Leash, a pet therapy organization that involves many of the recent Best in Show winners in therapy dog work. Westminster announcer David Frei serves as president of this organization, and in his welcoming remarks he said, “Remember, the real Best in Show dog is the one who greets you at your door.” How true!