Westminster is a disaster for dogs — but it can be fixed

Let's start by ditching its early 20th century understanding of "purity"

Westminster
(Image credit: (AP Photo/John Minchillo))

Last night the Westminster Kennel Club crowned Sky, a wire fox terrier, Best in Show. Sky is a sprightly exemplar of his breed and a picture of good health. The same could not be said of all the dogs competing. In fact, many dog breeds need to be saved from the fanciers who love them.

I love watching the dog show. The great variety in the size, shape, and temperament of dogs, from the pipsqueak dignity of a toy Manchester terrier, to the hulking gentility of an Irish wolfhound, is a tribute to the strangely plastic genetics of canines, and to the great creativity of dog breeders throughout history, particularly those in the late 19th and early 20th century.

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Michael Brendan Dougherty

Michael Brendan Dougherty is senior correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is the founder and editor of The Slurve, a newsletter about baseball. His work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, ESPN Magazine, Slate and The American Conservative.