WSU veterinary technician Denise Waiting, and her show pup Witton, are set to leave the Palouse for New York City this week to compete on the nation’s grandest stage in canine competition, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Waiting has been working at WSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital since 1999 and breeding Cardigan Welsh Corgis since 1992.
“It’s the 150th Westminster show,” Waiting said. “The limelight, seeing all the other dogs there, it’s just the excitement of one of the biggest dog shows of the year.”
Wittton, a 3.5-year-old Cardigan Corgi, has been shown all over the West Coast as a champion for more than a year and a half, taking home multiple ribbons and earning herself the ranking of fourth in the nation for her breed.
Witton will be competing against 13 other corgis for the coveted “Best in breed” title. Should Witton be named the top Cardigan Welsh, she and Waiting will earn a trip to the nationally televised finals and have the chance to compete for Westminster’s “Best in show,” one of the most prestigious dog show awards in the world.
At Westminster, dogs are judged by how well they fit the standard for their breed. The pooch taking home best in show is the one who checks every box for their predetermined perfect breed criteria. By Westminster standards, the perfect Cardigan Welsh Corgi is a long, low, powerful dog with strong bones and effortless movement that reflects its true herding purpose. Waiting says these traits are very apparent in Witton.
“She fits the standard very well,” Waiting said.
Waiting told The Daily Evergreen that she is headed to New York with high hopes for Witton, and expects a high probability of returning to Pullman with a ribbon.
“Shes a pretty good show dog, she likes to show, she is animated, she’s always ears up and very attentive,” Waiting said. “She’s a cattle dog after all, she can work all day.”
In 150 years of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, a corgi has never won best in show. Waiting knows that in order to make history, her and Witton must work as one. “I have to control my nerves, if I don’t it goes down to the dog, she knows when I’m nervous.” Waiting said.
Although Waiting admitted she typically will shy away from the limelight, the case could not be more different for Witton, who loves showing in a larger arena, which is a convenient trait for a dog heading to compete in Madison Square Garden.
“They know that they are on a pedestal,” Waiting said. “They know they are special, I think she will handle it just fine.”
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is scheduled Feb. 1 through Feb. 3.
For now, the duo’s anticipation continues to grow as the big day moves closer. Waiting remarked that all Witton is worried about these days is, “why am I packing my suitcase again, and the car is not leaving without her.”
