It’s good to be back home now. Being in New York for five days was fun, but it became difficult being away from all the comforts of home -- including my dogs. When I got home from the airport yesterday, Sasha ran up and gave me lots of wet doggie kisses. Troggie had just woken up from sleeping, so his greeting was less enthusiastic, but he did sit next to me and wag his tail furiously as I petted him.

My last day in New York was long and hectic. But Tuesday night at the Garden was well worth it. I’m not sure if it was noticeable from watching the show on television, but the crowd went wild for Uno, the Beagle. They also seemed to really like the Akita and the Weimaraner. Maybe it’s because they always win, but the Poodles got the least enthusiastic response.

After Uno’s Best in Show win, he was brought up to the press room for an interview with his handler and the BIS judge. The press room was packed, and I was standing in the back so I couldn’t see Uno very well, but no matter where you were standing, you could certainly hear Uno barking and baying during the entire interview. It made everyone laugh, and I found it to be very refreshing. The dogs at these dog shows are so well-mannered that they sometimes don’t seem like real dogs. The fact that Uno was so noisy, in the show ring and later in the press room, made him seem like a real dog. And don’t we all want a real dog, not some stuffy, fluffy pooch, to win the top honor? We always appreciate the underdog -- perhaps because we can relate to him most.

I overheard one woman saying that it would be great if Uno won, because it would boost the popularity of the breed, and there are so many Beagles awaiting adoption in shelters. It’s nice to think that one little dog with a persistent bark and merry, wagging tail could win the biggest dog prize in the country and help all the unknown dogs with white-tipped tails find homes too. And I can say that I was there when it all started!