The American Kennel Club welcomed a new dog breed last year that will be competing for the first time at the Westminster Dog Show this February, along with two new breeds this year that will be eligible to compete at WDS next year!
Dogs aplenty
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When the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (WDS) premiered in 1877, 35 breeds competed—but in 2020, the WDS will feature a whopping 204 breeds and varieties. (Varieties are also purebreds, but they're further divided into varieties based on size, coat, and color. For example, Dachshunds compete in the variety category because they show in longhaired, wirehaired, and smooth coats.) Each breed and variety is represented by at least one dog, but often much more. For example, the golden retriever, one of America's favorite breeds, has 48 dogs entered, and short and sweet Dachshunds have 55 dogs entered this year. In total, 2,360 dogs are hoping to catch the judge's eye and take home the prestigious Best In Show title when they compete on February 10 and 11. Interestingly though, neither golden retrievers nor dachshunds have ever won the Westminster Dog Show.
Welcome to the club!
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The registry of the American Kennel Club (AKC), the largest and oldest not-for-profit purebred registry in the world, grew from 193 to 195 with the addition of the Barbet and Dogo Argentino on January 1, 2020. The process of achieving AKC full recognition isn't one that happens overnight. First, there has to be an official request with documentation that an acceptable foreign or domestic registry officially recognizes the breed. From there, history and documentation of the breed—such as photos and breed standards— are recorded and the growth of total numbers of the breed (at least 300 registered dogs) must be met, among other qualifications. Here are all the hoops hopeful breeds have to jump through before getting full recognization from the AKC.
Meet the Newest Dog Breeds at the Westminster Dog Show, Source:https://www.rd.com/advice/pets/newest-dog-breeds-at-the-westminster-dog-show/
