From The Publisher

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10 – February, 2026

By Tom Grabe

When the first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was held in 1877, the United States was still emerging from the shadow of the Civil War. The nation was rebuilding—physically, culturally, and emotionally—and the idea of gathering to celebrate purebred dogs reflected a quiet confidence in continuity and purpose. What began just a dozen years after the war’s end would become an institution that has now endured for 150 years, spanning generations few traditions ever reach.

In that century and a half, Westminster has stood through moments that reshaped the world. It has carried on through economic hardship, global conflict, social transformation, and unprecedented technological change. While history books chronicle wars, movements, and milestones, Westminster has remained a constant—an annual reaffirmation that some things are worth preserving with care and intention.

The show has evolved but never abandoned its foundation. Transport has changed, venues have changed, and presentation has changed. Yet the essence of Westminster remains exactly as it was in its earliest days: the careful evaluation of dogs bred with purpose, judged against a written standard, and presented by people who understand that excellence is not accidental. Every dog that enters the ring is part of a lineage shaped by decisions made years—often decades—before that moment.

Click here to read the complete article
10 – February, 2026

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