Top dogs don't just pick themselves, you know. Meet a Westminster judge

The 130th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show trots into venerable Madison Square Garden beginning tonight.

Two thousand, six hundred twenty-two dogs. Two days of competition. One "Best in Show."

And if you're of the sort inclined to sneer at such pageantry, grumbling a dog show lacks the gravitas to be considered sport, chew on this: It's the second oldest, continuously run sporting event in the country (trailing the Kentucky Derby). And last year, TV ratings for these pups bested viewership of the 2004 Stanley Cup finals.

So how does a dog show work? Is biting a DQ? Can a bitch flirt?

For some answers and insight, we searched out the canine cognoscenti and, just outside Kent, found Faye Strauss: champion dog breeder, trainer, handler, author, educator and newly minted Westminster judge.

Strauss is scheduled to step into the ring at Westminster this morning, to size up standard schnauzers, decide Great Danes and review bull mastiffs, Doberman pinschers, German pinschers and St. Bernards.

To judge at Westminster is considered a huge honor. Strauss is the only judge from our fair state. (There will be, however, 96 pooches participating from these parts.) And while Strauss believes in looking smart for any dog show — whether it's being televised or not, doggone it! — she's selected her Westminster outfit with the aplomb of an Oscar winner: a winter white suit with purple blouse and flats. Why white? "So it'll make a better backdrop for the dogs," she said.

We recently caught up with the dog judge at the house she shares with husband Gary, a retired Weyerhaeuser manager, and dogs Roger, Sweetie, Rainey, Maria, Captain and Gwen.

Why is Westminster revered as the top dog show?

"Only champions are invited to Westminster. Yes, it's sort of like an All-Star Game. And Westminster is also a bench show, which means every dog has to stay [at the Garden] all day. It's a way for the public to meet your dog, which makes it extremely popular."

How does the judging work?

"Each dog first competes against dogs of the same breed. [There are 165 breeds and varieties]. Then the winning dogs advance to their group [Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding]. The Group winner then vies for Best in Show."

But how can one Tibetan terrier top another?

"Each dog is judged against its standard [a long set of criteria outlined by the American Kennel Club that can take into account every possible detail: size of muzzle, number of teeth, the absence of whiskers, the dignity of tail].

"You eyeball the dog. You have to feel the dog because groomers can fluff up or alter what the body looks like. Then you judge which dog moves like its standard.

"The thrill is really finding the best dog."

When Strauss judged beagles at a show in Oregon last summer, she gave them the once over; then she put them on a table and looked at their mouths, their ears, the "mascara" around their eyes. She had the handlers walk the dogs back and forth, and then in a circle, so she could look at shoulders, backs, hind feet, all the while musing: Were the tails perky? Were the faces pleading? Which dog is the one saying ''I'm a beagle!"

Tell us a little about what you'll be looking for at Westminster:

"The Great Dane is the Apollo of dogs. You want to see an athletic, regal dog. A long neck, a very smooth, gorgeous head. Strong shoulders.

"The schnauzer is a family companion dog. They're rough and tough and square and balanced.

"You want to see good bone and enough leg in a St. Bernard. The tail's powerful. The chest is broad. And they also have to be sweet and friendly."

She'll have about two minutes to scrutinize each dog, which means a lot of advanced studying from all her dog books and CDs. While she's judging, the pictorial playing over and over in her head is always, The Ideal, which of course, doesn't exist. But during her 10 years of judging, she's seen some splendid specimens.

"Sometimes you'll walk into a ring and go, 'Oh my God.' This is so correct. This is the dog I've been reading about. And you get goosebumps.

"Once, there was this one veteran Dobe. And the dog stood there like a perfect statue. 'Look at me!' The handler wasn't even touching her."

This last behavior is known as "free stacking" in dog competition. A dog poses or "stacks" on its own, versus a handler adjusting fore and hindquarters or positioning a dog's neck just so.

So what if a dog looks great but suddenly drools or yawns?

"Some breeds do drool but the handlers are always there, ready with a rag. [Handlers will also carry bait or treats in order to get the dog's attention.]

"If I saw a dog yawn and it was between two dogs, I wouldn't pick that dog. It's like it's saying, 'OK. I don't want to be here.'

"The truth is that sometimes dogs have their days, just like people do. [Biting a judge is, in fact, an automatic disqualification.] And when it comes to "Best in Show," it really comes down to who wants it the most."

Licking Strauss' hand will not score points. But she's seen how charisma can influence.

"I had this dog Margo, and she didn't have a perfect head but she had great eye contact. Really pretty eyes. And she'd stare at them [the judges].

"I also remember watching a Best in Show and I was in the lineup. And there was this Pekingese. And she licked her lips as the judge went by. And I thought, 'Oh, give me a break.' "

The Peke won.

Florangela Davila: 206-464-2916 or fdavila@seattletimes.com