My Life Among The 33 Pomeranians (And A Few Thousand Other Dogs)

NEW YORK — In the days before the Westminster Dog Show, I could not stop saying the phrase, "33 Pomeranians." There’s a pleasing rhythm to the phrase—better spelled out as thirty-three Pomeranians—that lends itself to any multitude of cadences. Excitedly: thirty-three Pomeranians! As matter-of-fact as one might say 101 Dalmations: thirty-three Pomeranians. Baffled and/or aghast: thirty-three Pomeranians?

This was, of course, because there were 33 Pomeranians in attendance at the Westminster Dog Show, though the Pomeranian participation metrics still did not quite match up to the delegations of Retrievers, Golden (52), or French Bulldogs (48!), or Chihuahuas, of both Long Coat (23) and Short Coat varieties (18). Which is a way of saying that there’s no getting over the absurdity of, as the official press release says, 3,000 CHAMPION DOGS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO COMPETE AT THE HISTORIC 150th WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB DOG SHOW.

Champion, in this case, means a dog that has obtained at least 15 points in competition, with two major wins under different judges. The Westminster Dog Show is a competition of champions—to participate is to already be a winner, though of course there are always bigger horizons.