His handlers managed the narrow victory by sending him to compete in Pennsylvania, at a smaller show, after learning that Peyton was competing at a larger show in Ohio during the final weekend of competition. In December, Oakley edged out his closest rival-an English Springer Spaniel named Peyton-by just 2,100 points to claim the rank of top dog in 2012. ![]() Dog owners are not only looking to compete in an intense schedule of shows, but they are also looking to score big by winning large competitions. If the dog then wins best in show at a competition where there are 300 dogs, that’s another 299 points. For example, if a dog competes against 10 other dogs in a breed category and wins, he or she wins nine points. In some cases, his handler registered the dog at multiple shows on a single weekend, deciding at the last minute where to deploy the dog to earn the most points.Ī dog accumulates points in shows based on the number of dogs competing. Wisch said Oakley traveled to at least 150 dog shows in 2012. In a move eerily similar to the kind presidential hopefuls undertake every four years, Oakley’s owner agreed to fund a full-out campaign sending the dog to crucial shows around the country to help him rack up points in hopes of earning an invite to Westminster. The ads, run by virtually every leading dog at Westminster, are similar in spirit to the “For Your Consideration” ads that run ahead of major Hollywood award shows.īut that’s not all. Over the last year, Oakley has starred in glossy ads in dog industry trade magazines, including Dog News, documenting his many wins around the country as a way to build his “brand” among judges of future contests. Wisch gave up ownership of Oakley two years ago, signing him over Victor Malzoni, a Brazilian real estate mogul and dog breeder, who agreed to fund what people in the industry describe as a "campaign" for Oakley to raise his profile and to help him achieve the ultimate victory at Westminster. The dog world's top competitors, much like presidential candidates, are also expected to wage a pricey, high-profile campaign of photo ops and major advertising to help the win attention and establish a recognizable identity if they are to have any chance to win. ![]() He bested more than 97,000 dogs in shows around the country in 2012-spending virtually every weekend last year in competition.īut like most of the dogs who make it into Westminster, Oakley’s rise wasn’t just about his performance in the ring. He enters Westminster, the most famous dog show in the world, as the top ranked dog in the country, having racked up more than 80 best-in-show titles in his career. This week in New York, Oakley will be the dog to beat in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
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