On Wednesday, June 22, a bloodhound named Trumpet won Best in Show at the 146th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Trumpet, who is from Illinois, was the first bloodhound to do so. He won out of more than 3,500 dogs who represented over 200 breeds.
Trumpet was an unlikely winner, as bloodhounds were originally bred for work, not to be displayed. Usually, judges favor showier, prettier dogs like the Samoyed or Pekingese. This year, however, the underdog won. Everyone was surprised, including Trumpet’s Handler, Heather Buehner. “I was shocked,” she said. “There were seven beautiful dogs in that ring. You know, I feel like sometimes a bloodhound might be a little bit of an underdog. So I was absolutely thrilled.”
According to the American Kennel Club, bloodhounds average 25 inches high and 90-100 pounds. Their life expectancy is 10-12 years, and they hunt using scent. Bloodhounds are characterized by their wrinkly skin and drooping ears. Because of their powerful noses, police, and firefighters often train bloodhounds to track criminals or missing people. As a pet, they are extremely social and interact very well with young children and other dogs.
While Trumpet might have made dog show history, he is not the only famous dog in his bloodline. His great-grandfather, Tigger, once held the record for the dog with the longest ears, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Tigger’s right ear was 13.75 inches long while his left ear was 13.5 inches.
However, Trumpet worked a lot harder to obtain his position among the famous. In dog shows, dogs are judged by either their physical traits, as established by their breed standards, or some skill like agility, tracking, obedience, and herding. To enter, Trumpet must have had been trained to stand and walk in a specific position for many long hours.
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is an annual dog show that takes place in New York every June. It is the second-oldest continuous sporting event in the United States, with only the Kentucky Derby taking place for longer.
Trumpet was an unlikely winner, as bloodhounds were originally bred for work, not to be displayed. Usually, judges favor showier, prettier dogs like the Samoyed or Pekingese. This year, however, the underdog won. Everyone was surprised, including Trumpet’s Handler, Heather Buehner. “I was shocked,” she said. “There were seven beautiful dogs in that ring. You know, I feel like sometimes a bloodhound might be a little bit of an underdog. So I was absolutely thrilled.”
According to the American Kennel Club, bloodhounds average 25 inches high and 90-100 pounds. Their life expectancy is 10-12 years, and they hunt using scent. Bloodhounds are characterized by their wrinkly skin and drooping ears. Because of their powerful noses, police, and firefighters often train bloodhounds to track criminals or missing people. As a pet, they are extremely social and interact very well with young children and other dogs.
While Trumpet might have made dog show history, he is not the only famous dog in his bloodline. His great-grandfather, Tigger, once held the record for the dog with the longest ears, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Tigger’s right ear was 13.75 inches long while his left ear was 13.5 inches.
However, Trumpet worked a lot harder to obtain his position among the famous. In dog shows, dogs are judged by either their physical traits, as established by their breed standards, or some skill like agility, tracking, obedience, and herding. To enter, Trumpet must have had been trained to stand and walk in a specific position for many long hours.
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is an annual dog show that takes place in New York every June. It is the second-oldest continuous sporting event in the United States, with only the Kentucky Derby taking place for longer.
