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Westminster Unleashed: Prestigious Dog Show

Aired February 10, 2004 - 11:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Right now we're going to talk about the dogs. The 128th Westminster Dog Show, the creme de la creme in the U.S. It names a winner tonight at Madison Square Garden. Four finalists have already pawed their way to the top of the heap, three more come tonight before best in show is revealed.
Wendy Diamond is a writer for "Animal Fair" magazine. And she joins us from New York to talk about the competition.

Wendy, good morning.

WENDY DIAMOND, WRITER, "ANIMAL FAIR" MAGAZINE: Good morning.

KAGAN: Let's look at some pictures of some of the top dogs. From what I hear, some dog named Josh is a hot dog. I think we have a picture. He is a -- he is a 155-pound Newfoundland. I guess just Newfoundland.

DIAMOND: Yes, and we...

KAGAN: That's not Josh. Guys, that's -- no.

DIAMOND: That's the Pekinese.

KAGAN: OK, that's -- yes.

DIAMOND: That's the very prominent Pekinese that has been winning shows all across the country. That's one of the favorites to win best in show.

KAGAN: Westminster, they like the little dogs there, don't they, for best in show?

DIAMOND: You know it kind of varies. But, yes, a lot of times in the past history of Westminster there's been a lot of little dogs that have won.

KAGAN: OK, let's see who else we have. I guess we're going to just be at the whims of the doggy gods and see who they put up. Now we have Josh, I'm told. Let's put Josh up on the screen, the 155- pound Newfoundland. How do you say this? Newfoundland, there you go.

DIAMOND: Newfoundland.

KAGAN: There you go, Newfoundland. Now that's a cool-looking dog. DIAMOND: I know. That's one of the bigger dogs. And that one is a great dog actually for a family and everything. And that dog, you know I definitely do believe, again, that that Pekinese is going to win this one today.

KAGAN: You do? You're going to go out...

DIAMOND: I absolutely do. You know I'm a little -- you know I love little dogs. Of course I have a little Maltese that I was very unhappy yesterday when the dog didn't win.

KAGAN: Well I heard a little controversy, your dog got kicked out of the Westminster Dog Show.

DIAMOND: I know. Well you know what the problem was, I rushed to the -- from the airport to the -- to the actual Westminster. And what happened was all of a sudden I got -- you know the head of the Westminster comes up and says no other dogs are allowed. You know I guess because Lucky is a rescued dog and would never be able to win Westminster.

KAGAN: Well, and here is the problem that I have with Westminster, because I have been very vocal about this, I am a dog owner, but I'm a big believer in going to the pound and...

DIAMOND: Right.

KAGAN: ... rescuing dogs or adopting. My dog is a mutt. They don't let those dogs -- that's what she is, Darla Louise. But they don't -- she's southern, you have to have two names when you're a southern girl.

DIAMOND: Absolutely. Well, mine has a last name.

KAGAN: Exactly. But they don't let those dogs into the show. It's very kind of, you know...

DIAMOND: Well that's OK, because there's a lot of other events out there across the country that are -- opportunities like Mutt Minster, which is an event that everybody gets -- you know that rescued dogs could compete in different acts and win their own best in show.

KAGAN: OK, so it's not -- I mean Westminster is great for what it is, but keep in mind there are other events out there.

DIAMOND: There are absolutely other ones.

KAGAN: I think we have one other dog to show.

DIAMOND: OK.

KAGAN: Let's see who we have. Here's the big poodle. I think this is Miki.

DIAMOND: Miki. Yes. Last year there was a poodle that won last year. So that actually last year was a big dog.

KAGAN: Look at that little 'do, though -- Wendy.

DIAMOND: I know. Can you imagine that? Now they take literally -- it's like getting your hair done. It takes eight hours for this dog to get ready for this event.

KAGAN: And do they let that dog go out in public looking like that?

DIAMOND: Are you kidding, that dog gets a lot of dates.

KAGAN: Wendy, you're killing me with the laugh there. Hey, do we have -- tell me again who your prediction is to get best in show, because that happens later today.

DIAMOND: I definitely believe it's the Pekinese from the toy division.

KAGAN: The Pekinese. OK. Let's put that up one more time so people can see for sure who you are -- the Pekinese, Les.

DIAMOND: Right.

KAGAN: So that's who you're picking to get best in show. All right.

DIAMOND: Right. And that's the...

KAGAN: This is what we're going to do. Go ahead.

DIAMOND: I'm sorry. And the -- and the -- and the handler is like a very famous handler, as well. That's Hyram Walker (ph).

KAGAN: So on top of that,...

DIAMOND: Yes.

KAGAN: ... we've got a great handler, a great dog.

All right, this is what we're going to do. We're going to bring you back tomorrow, Wendy, for two things, to look at who the winner is, to see if your pick was correct.

DIAMOND: OK, great.

KAGAN: But also for the ladies out there, this is interesting, you've written a dog that's called -- you've written a book called "What a Lucky Dog: How to Understand Men Through their Dogs." This is fascinating.

DIAMOND: Daryn, you have no idea. Basically we go through each breed of dog and I tell you what the guy is like that has that breed.

KAGAN: My goodness! OK.

DIAMOND: And I also have a great section that talks about how to train men like dogs. It's a great chapter in the book.

KAGAN: So, ladies, with Valentine's around the corner, if you're looking for a man, you need to tune in tomorrow for this. And if you have got the man but he needs a little bit of training, you also need to tune in, because Wendy will be along to talk us through that. You're coming back.

DIAMOND: Absolutely.

KAGAN: OK, we look forward to that. Wendy Diamond, "Animal Fair" magazine and the book, the key book, "How to Understand Men Through their Dogs."

DIAMOND: Thanks -- Daryn.

KAGAN: We're going to be learning a lot tomorrow. Wendy, thank you.

DIAMOND: Thank you.

KAGAN: We'll see you tomorrow.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired February 10, 2004 - 11:23   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Right now we're going to talk about the dogs. The 128th Westminster Dog Show, the creme de la creme in the U.S. It names a winner tonight at Madison Square Garden. Four finalists have already pawed their way to the top of the heap, three more come tonight before best in show is revealed.
Wendy Diamond is a writer for "Animal Fair" magazine. And she joins us from New York to talk about the competition.

Wendy, good morning.

WENDY DIAMOND, WRITER, "ANIMAL FAIR" MAGAZINE: Good morning.

KAGAN: Let's look at some pictures of some of the top dogs. From what I hear, some dog named Josh is a hot dog. I think we have a picture. He is a -- he is a 155-pound Newfoundland. I guess just Newfoundland.

DIAMOND: Yes, and we...

KAGAN: That's not Josh. Guys, that's -- no.

DIAMOND: That's the Pekinese.

KAGAN: OK, that's -- yes.

DIAMOND: That's the very prominent Pekinese that has been winning shows all across the country. That's one of the favorites to win best in show.

KAGAN: Westminster, they like the little dogs there, don't they, for best in show?

DIAMOND: You know it kind of varies. But, yes, a lot of times in the past history of Westminster there's been a lot of little dogs that have won.

KAGAN: OK, let's see who else we have. I guess we're going to just be at the whims of the doggy gods and see who they put up. Now we have Josh, I'm told. Let's put Josh up on the screen, the 155- pound Newfoundland. How do you say this? Newfoundland, there you go.

DIAMOND: Newfoundland.

KAGAN: There you go, Newfoundland. Now that's a cool-looking dog. DIAMOND: I know. That's one of the bigger dogs. And that one is a great dog actually for a family and everything. And that dog, you know I definitely do believe, again, that that Pekinese is going to win this one today.

KAGAN: You do? You're going to go out...

DIAMOND: I absolutely do. You know I'm a little -- you know I love little dogs. Of course I have a little Maltese that I was very unhappy yesterday when the dog didn't win.

KAGAN: Well I heard a little controversy, your dog got kicked out of the Westminster Dog Show.

DIAMOND: I know. Well you know what the problem was, I rushed to the -- from the airport to the -- to the actual Westminster. And what happened was all of a sudden I got -- you know the head of the Westminster comes up and says no other dogs are allowed. You know I guess because Lucky is a rescued dog and would never be able to win Westminster.

KAGAN: Well, and here is the problem that I have with Westminster, because I have been very vocal about this, I am a dog owner, but I'm a big believer in going to the pound and...

DIAMOND: Right.

KAGAN: ... rescuing dogs or adopting. My dog is a mutt. They don't let those dogs -- that's what she is, Darla Louise. But they don't -- she's southern, you have to have two names when you're a southern girl.

DIAMOND: Absolutely. Well, mine has a last name.

KAGAN: Exactly. But they don't let those dogs into the show. It's very kind of, you know...

DIAMOND: Well that's OK, because there's a lot of other events out there across the country that are -- opportunities like Mutt Minster, which is an event that everybody gets -- you know that rescued dogs could compete in different acts and win their own best in show.

KAGAN: OK, so it's not -- I mean Westminster is great for what it is, but keep in mind there are other events out there.

DIAMOND: There are absolutely other ones.

KAGAN: I think we have one other dog to show.

DIAMOND: OK.

KAGAN: Let's see who we have. Here's the big poodle. I think this is Miki.

DIAMOND: Miki. Yes. Last year there was a poodle that won last year. So that actually last year was a big dog.

KAGAN: Look at that little 'do, though -- Wendy.

DIAMOND: I know. Can you imagine that? Now they take literally -- it's like getting your hair done. It takes eight hours for this dog to get ready for this event.

KAGAN: And do they let that dog go out in public looking like that?

DIAMOND: Are you kidding, that dog gets a lot of dates.

KAGAN: Wendy, you're killing me with the laugh there. Hey, do we have -- tell me again who your prediction is to get best in show, because that happens later today.

DIAMOND: I definitely believe it's the Pekinese from the toy division.

KAGAN: The Pekinese. OK. Let's put that up one more time so people can see for sure who you are -- the Pekinese, Les.

DIAMOND: Right.

KAGAN: So that's who you're picking to get best in show. All right.

DIAMOND: Right. And that's the...

KAGAN: This is what we're going to do. Go ahead.

DIAMOND: I'm sorry. And the -- and the -- and the handler is like a very famous handler, as well. That's Hyram Walker (ph).

KAGAN: So on top of that,...

DIAMOND: Yes.

KAGAN: ... we've got a great handler, a great dog.

All right, this is what we're going to do. We're going to bring you back tomorrow, Wendy, for two things, to look at who the winner is, to see if your pick was correct.

DIAMOND: OK, great.

KAGAN: But also for the ladies out there, this is interesting, you've written a dog that's called -- you've written a book called "What a Lucky Dog: How to Understand Men Through their Dogs." This is fascinating.

DIAMOND: Daryn, you have no idea. Basically we go through each breed of dog and I tell you what the guy is like that has that breed.

KAGAN: My goodness! OK.

DIAMOND: And I also have a great section that talks about how to train men like dogs. It's a great chapter in the book.

KAGAN: So, ladies, with Valentine's around the corner, if you're looking for a man, you need to tune in tomorrow for this. And if you have got the man but he needs a little bit of training, you also need to tune in, because Wendy will be along to talk us through that. You're coming back.

DIAMOND: Absolutely.

KAGAN: OK, we look forward to that. Wendy Diamond, "Animal Fair" magazine and the book, the key book, "How to Understand Men Through their Dogs."

DIAMOND: Thanks -- Daryn.

KAGAN: We're going to be learning a lot tomorrow. Wendy, thank you.

DIAMOND: Thank you.

KAGAN: We'll see you tomorrow.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com