Dog Photo - dog on green grass

American top dog
Rufus the bull terrier is America's new top dog. He was chosen Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show last week in New York City. Rufus won for many reasons, but what the judges really loved was his egg-shaped head. "He's the cutest dog around," said his handler, Kathryn Kirk. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has been held annually for 130 years. More than 10,000 people crowded into Madison Square Garden to watch the final judging. This is the first time a dog of this breed has won the top prize at the Westminster competition. Although Kirk says she was nervous from all the pressure, Rufus, or "Puppyhead" as she sometimes calls him, loved the attention. He dutifully held his pose for the judges, and wagged his tail cheerfully when he won. The competition began with more than 2,500 dogs from 165 breeds. Despite their crowd-pleasing popularity, "dog-next-door" types like the Labrador retriever do not usually get to take home the silver bowl - the trophy awarded to the winner. Judges have always preferred more memorable and unusual breeds.