Health & Fitness
The Andovers' Best In Show
Andover's resident pup, Hunter, makes it big time by qualifying to compete at the 2012 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
In my opinion, all dogs are superstars in their own unique way. Whether you’ve got a lab who will jump off the diving board after a tennis ball, a Chihuahua who can get up on his hind legs and dance, or just a lovable pup who can lift your mood after a long day at work, they’ve all got their talents. In most cases, it’s just the dog’s family who recognizes his prize abilities. However, in the case of one Andover resident pup, the whole country will watching as he’s judged on his talents!
That pup is Hunter, a 3 year old Samoyed who lives in Andover and will be competing in this year’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City next Tuesday!
I was fortunate enough to take care of Hunter a little while back and absolutely fell in love with him. And I was beyond excited when I found out he’d be competing at the Westminster Dog Show because I am in fact attending as a spectator. I can guarantee I’ll be cheering for him the entire time!
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At the Westminster Dog Show and all other AKC conformation shows, each dog is judged based on how he compares to his breed standard. The breed standard describes the most ideal dog in regards to body structure, movement, temperament, and more. The dog that most closely matches that standard wins.
Hunter will begin at the Westminster Dog Show by competing against all of the other Samoyeds at the show. If he wins, he will then go on to compete against the winning dog of each breed in his group, the Working Group. The Working Group is comprised of 28 different breeds including Great Danes, Boxers, Newfoundlands, Siberian Huskies, and more. If Hunter comes in first in his group, he will then go on to compete against the winning dog in each of the 7 groups (such as the Herding Group, Terrier Group, and fan favorite, the Toy Group) for Best in Show to win it all!
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It turns out good looks run in Hunter's family. In 2004, Hunter's mom, Kallie, received an Award of Merit at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
I had a chance to ask Hunter’s mom a couple of questions to learn some more about our local celebrity. Here’s what she had to say:
Hunter’s show name: “GCH KallieCo’s On The Hunt”
Favorite toy: Lamby and Raccoon (he insists on bringing them outside with him!)
Favorite hobby: Chasing squirrels and chipmunks
Favorite TV show: All the commercials with dogs in them and likes checking out Samoyeds on the internet too!
Favorite Treat: Pork liver or Butcher Boy calves liver
Skills: Exceptional bed warming, singing & digging skills
Dislikes: The blow dryer!
So please join me in cheering for our local pup who will be competing in the Big Apple next week. And even if Hunter doesn’t win Best in Show, he’ll certainly be Westminster’s top dog in my book!
You can watch the Best in Group and Best in Show live next Monday and Tuesday on the US Network from 8-11pm. Hopefully Hunter will have made it that far!
Kimberly owns BlueDog – a dog walking & training business servicing the Andovers. For more information please visit www.BlueDogPetCareMA.com or call 978.208.7933.
