Uno, we hardly knew ye

The Associated Press has reported that Uno, the top dog of the 2008 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, has retired.

That doesn't mean the soon to be 3-year-old beagle will be sitting on his haunches. The White House wants him to visit, Oprah's people called and he's set to be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

Photo credit: Mary Bloom

No. 1 in Peoria

And elsewhere.

Uno, the soon-to-be 3-year-old beagle who won best in show at the 2008 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, paid a visit to a 13-year-old (in dog years) Peoria woman.

Rosemary Kramm's home health nurse arranged the visit for the senior citizen because she thought the pooch, shown above after winning the title, would cheer her up.

It worked.

"Oh, I can't believe it!" Kramm said repeatedly, as she patted and stroked the dog. "I can die now. I can leave this planet."

Maybe it worked a little too well.

Read the story from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Photo credit: Mary Bloom

Look before you leap, beagle-wise

Take a look at this picture from the 2008 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. (Click it to embiggen for closer inspection.)

With the winner of best in show being a beagle, here come the cautionary — and for good reason — stories about why you should think before rushing out and getting one.

The Boston Globe has an article, as does the Arizona Republic.

From the Globe:

They're nose-to-the-ground howlers. They dig in yards and chew through furniture. And when it comes to cachet at the dog park, well, let's just say you don't usually see them in the trendier precincts. Bred to track rabbits, they're not always the easiest pets.

I've mentioned my neighborhood encounter with the cute as a button, but surprisingly loud, pooch.

When we were living in Manhattan, we used to visit the dog run by the Natural History Museum. There was a woman who came to the run with her beagle. She obviously loved the dog, but freely admitted it wasn't the dog for her or her family.

Forewarned ...

Photo credit: Westminster Kennel Club

I was going to say 'Numero Uno' but ...

Here's more on the history-making beagle who won the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show last night.

Uno is the first beagle to take the top award.

The stats:

Name: Ch K-Run's Park Me In First
Breed: Beagle, 15 In.
Sex: Dog
AKC: HP 16966001
Date of Birth: May 05, 2005
Breeder: Kathy Weichert & Leah Bertagnolli
Sire: Ch Windkist A Walk In The Park
Dam: Ch Legacy's Lil Secret At K-Run
Owner: Caroline Dowell & Eddie Dziuk & Jon Woodring & Kathy Weichert

The link will also take you more pictures from the show.

And the winner is ...

2,500 dogs and it came down to seven.

It's Uno, the 15-inch beagle, making history tonight at Madison Square Garden.

Ready for adoption

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week — Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Brucey — Beagle
"Forming their own little beagle brigade, two pals — Lucy and Brucey — were found wandering the streets in search of, well, something! Lucy has since found a home, but 6-year-old Brucey is still patiently waiting for the second chance he deserves."

The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722). Browse our adoptable animals today!

Shelter pets rule.

Wake up call

Kate and I were out for a walk this morning, and we passed by a house that has a beagle.

Outbound, there was no problem. On the way back, the beagle made its presence known when we were about a half block away.

And it kept howling.

It's pretty amazing that such a tiny dog can make such a racket.

I stumbled across this video of a Boston terrier named Ziggy that likes to sing. The bells, the bells! Make them stop!

A sing along

I like the Dixie Chicks. I stuck with them through the whole Bush brouhaha.

Here's a beagle singing to their hit "Landslide."

Please bear in mind I'm not trying to horn in on my colleague and fellow blogger John Barry's domain.