[NYer]

It may have been the first time a Deerhound made it to BIS, but the breed has been showing at Westiminster for a long, long time.

I was pleased with most of the judging this year - it was refreshing to see the deerhound take the win. Is this the first time the Deerhound won the group? Margot was a beauty. My basset boys and I cheered her on ... well, the boys lifted one eye lid to check her out then resumed snoozing.

Handler Lesley Anne Potts trots into the ring with Margot, a Scottish deerhound, during judging for Best in Show at the 130th annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show , Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2006, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

[grellis]

I was pleased with the judging as well. A lot of breeds made it to BIS that haven't been seen there in the past, like the Deerhound and the Colored Bull. Did you notice that there wasn't a single frou-frou? No poodles, no paps...a lot of substantive dogs, for a change.

I love Irish Wolfhounds and Scottish Deerhounds above all others but I don't think I could ever own one. Seven to ten years is far too short a time to give a dog all the love it deserves. My pooch (on my profile) is now 15. She could live on another thirty years and it would still be too short a season.