Inside Their Minds – Insights From The 2026 Westminster Kennel Club Breed Judges

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254 – June, 2026

 By Jessica Braatz

Photos by Lisa Croft-Elliott

Ms. Judy A. Harrington

Monson, Massachusetts

Great Danes

It was such a pleasure to have a lovely, large entry of Great Danes, my foundation breed. My Best Of Breed dog, GCHP2 Eb The Relentless Pursuit Of Perfection, was a fawn dog that, in profile, fills your eye with correct square proportion and balance. Viewing him, your eye never goes to just one point of conformation; you see the whole picture of a Great Dane. He possessed the substance of body with a lovely neck into shoulders and a solid topline that remained firm–standing and moving. His head proportions were correct, and his mask was a lower mask, and equally as correct as a higher mask that tends to be more glamorous. All of this, combined with sound movement coming, going, and around, resulted in an impressive representative of the Great Dane.

Portuguese Water Dogs

My Best Of Breed dog in Portuguese Water Dogs, GCHP Odysea It’s Always Sonny At Surfari, was as impressive hands-on as visually when observing the lineup. He had substantial bone that was a pleasure to feel and correct rib spring with a solid topline under a proper coat. His head had the breadth of topskull and muzzle fill with perfect pigment and lovely ear set and size that the standard calls for. On the move, he completed the picture of a dog that is clearly capable of completing the task of his breed’s purpose. The PWD is well-represented with this dog. To see both of these Best Of Breed winners in the final cut in the Working Group was a pleasure.

Mrs. Faye Strauss

Kent, Washington

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254 – June, 2026

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