As a fan of big dogs, I was happy to see a Newfoundland take Best in Show (you can see him here).
Josh is a bruiser - 155 lbs!
I was thrilled that that big hunk of meatball Newfie won. That’s the happiest I’ve been about a Best in Show winner in years! You just wanted to grab him and wrap your arms around that big neck. It was classic when he barked after he won, too.
Mr. Winnie and I are always bitter because our beloved Bullies never stand a chance in the Non-Sporting group because they got against both types of poodles – the standard and miniature – who always take the group.
Being without a tv is most painful during the dog shows and I have to live vicariously through my various Dobie & sighthound lists. (I was also refreshing the Westminster website every 5 minutes for the updates!)
I wish I could have seen Josh show! Everyone is raving about him, even the Dobe people who were rooting for Raisin.
I was rooting for Bunny myself. 
Hopefully I can catch this on rerun one day. I love seeing the dogs in the ring.
I thought he was a bit on the small side for a Newfie, though. What a great dog he was! I loved his victory barks, too.
Josh won my heart, though I am a big fan of Bunny the Viszla and Mikimoto, the Standard Poodle. And I must admit, during the last showings, I had a soft spot developing for Les the Peke, because he was just so very very ugly. You have to love something that ugly, you know?
But yay, Josh. He deserved the win. He looks huggable. I just wanted to hug his big old teddy bear head. He’d probably try to eat my face if I tried, but he looks like a big old snuggly thing. I wonder if he sleeps with his owner? They’d need a king sized bed!
We were rooting for anybody but the Peke for Best in Show. I know, I know, they’re judged based on how well they fit their own breed standard, but those things are just WRONG. I loved Josh’s jubilant barking. Can’t tell me he didn’t know he was the best!
Did anyone else notice how the announcer seemed to be having an off night? Mangling pronunciations, stumbling over words, and that big flub of reading the Weimaraner blurb when the Vizsla was being shown (and then having to say nothing when the Weimaraner was actually up). Do you think that upset the owners/handlers of those dogs?
Mr. S and I (along with Phyllis and Dottie) are all about the English springer spaniels, which we feel don’t get near enough press or camera time. We’ll be watching Samantha’s son next year so see if he can make it three generations of Best in Show.
I highly doubt he’d eat your face. According to an article I read this morning, the handlers were reporting that people were coming up and petting him and hugging him and he was acting like a family pet – slobbering, panting, eating up the attention. Josh is DEFINITELY the lovebug that he appears to be 
I’m sure a show dog like the Newfie would be incredibly easy to get along with. They are around people all the time and they are very well-behaved.
Yay, Josh! I’m so glad that he won. He does look like he needs (and I’m sure, gets) lots and lots of hugs. I thought the Sussex Spaniel was pretty cute, and Les was pretty funny looking - he looks like he’d make a good ottoman.
For some reason it tickles me that there was a “Josh” and a “Kevin” in the final round. I think the best name I heard all night, though, was “Smudgie”. I wish I could remember which dog it was.
Winnie, I feel your pain. We have a bullie, and always root for them at the shows, too.
I remember Smudgie! That was the one that got into the garbage. He/she was some kind of bull terrier. All trouble!
I enjoyed Josh’s infectious enthusiam. Being a Corgi lover (had one growing up) I was cheering for Kevin to win, but as Scarlett67 said, I would’ve been happy with any but the Peke. I was somewhat surprised when the Peke’s handler even took a brush into the ring and made the judge wait while last minute primping occurred.
Reminded me of the Bichon Frise that won a couple years ago, and started doing the paw dance. Now THAT dog knew he won. Tell me he doesn’t look like he knows he’s the winner in this shot of him standing inside the trophy.
My favorite name was “Sutmp” for the dog that looked exactly like a stump.
I saw everything but the Hound and Sporting groups (I was at a knitting meeting.)
I’m also happy the Newfie won! Everytime I saw the Peke I thought “That’s not a dog, that’s a hassock.” I just don’t understand what people see in dogs like that, but I’m sure that’s my own personal blind spot.
My favorite breed (Australian Shepherd) never has a chance in the herding group either.
Does anybody else miss Joe Garagiola’s (sp?) commentaries? Did “Best in Show” end his Westminster commentating career? (Fred Willard was spot on at taking off on Joe in that movie.)
newfy!! newfy!!! newfy!!!
i did like the comment from one writer who said, “this year’s winner will not be standing in the trophy.” perhaps they will let josh get a drink out of it.
I don’t know if I was more happy that Josh won or that the standard poodle did not. And this is not because I have something against standard poodles - there is one in our neighborhood, he’s a great dog and my two shar-peis love playing with him. However, those god-awful dog show coat/hair styles those poor things are subjected to are just terrible.
And, deep down, I’m probably a bit jaundiced against most dogs in the non-sporting group b/c I’ll always want the shar-pei to win. That bullie was pretty sweet though.