This is a historical win, as Bloodhounds, which aren’t exceptionally cute or fluffy, have never won the Westminster show until Trumpet arrived. Trumpet had seven other tough competitors including Striker, a blindingly white Samoyed. Striker had reached the finals in 2021 already, only to be beaten by a Pekingese named Wasabi. Trumpet’s clumsy manner was not very attractive to the spectators, who looked toward other dogs, such as Striker, so it came a big surprise when the grand silver trophy was awarded to him which was because of something Bloodhounds all had in common. Trumpet had that special something that champion dogs have, long ears. And he comes from winning stock. 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; his left was 13.5 inches long. Trumpet’s own ears were not measured but were still considerably long. “I was shocked,” Heather Buehner, Trumpet’s handler, 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.”

This shows that in dog shows, not everything is based on cuteness, but has a lot of factors toward it including ear size, snout size and shape, fur quality, and even feet shape all contribute to what a “perfect dog” might be.