As it does every year, the Westminster Kennel Club show is doggedly pursuing purebreds in its quest for canine perfection. But as Post readers have shown us for the second year in a row, there’s nothing like a mutt.
Hundreds wrote in from as far as Brazil with pictures of shnoodles, goldendoodles and every variation on a pit bull you can think of. Many of them were rescued from shelters.
Then again, as Hayley Kellinger wrote of her corgi/mini-pinscher mix, Sheldon Swarley, “He rescued us!”
These dogs may never be eligible for Best in Show, but they’re certainly first in our hearts. Here are some of our favorites!
Blake
Labrador Retriever/poodle, 9 months
Home: Glendale, NY
“Blake is a sweet and pleasant puppy who puts a smile on everyone’s face,” writes Nicole Atanasio. “He is silly when he should be and behaves like a gentleman when he needs to.”
Jane and Brendle
Chihuahua/Jack Russell terriers, 5
Home: Staten Island
“These girls can’t resist a good party,” says Erin Janosik of her twin mutts, Jane (left) and Brendle. “They’re just as protective as they are affectionate, and are truly man and woman’s best friends.”
Levi
French bulldog/ beagle, 1
Home: Freehold, NJ
“My dog definitely catches people’s eye!” declares Chelsea Schlageter of her “Frengle” companion. “She has a look like no other, and is a complete cutie.”
Ronnie
Dachshund/spaniel, 3
Home: Manhattan
“Ronnie is a rescue from the NY Humane Society,” says Kate Bolog. “Every day, people stop us and ask what kind of dog he is . . . We call him our ‘dachshund concoction.’ He is our ‘Best in Show’!”
Zoey
Pit/Lab, 18 months
Home: East Norwich, LI
“Zoey was rescued from the North Shore Animal League,” says Lauren Leonardi. “She’s a sweet girl, loves people and other dogs — she’s a blond bombshell!”
Sam
Blue Heeler/shepherd, 5
Home: Upper West Side
“Sam visits young children with cancer in a major hospital and makes them smile,” writes Brenda Johnson. “The kids scratch Sam’s ears and give her a biscuit, and for a few minutes they feel happy.”
Einstein
Wheaten terrier/unknown, 11
Home: Medford, NY
“My husband adopted Einstein from a rescue group that found him tied to a street pole when he was a puppy,” recalls Aveline Wang-Whitney. “ ‘Einey’ will always be a winner in our family because he has the biggest heart and just loves attention.”
Jackson
Pug/beagle, 6
Home: Riverdale, The Bronx
“This is Jackson,” writes Steven Scher. “Born totally deaf, his spirit and intelligence are a marvel to everyone who knows him.”
Blaze
Labrador Retriever/French Brittany, 2
Home: Upper East Side
“Our dog Blaze is the product of a Labrador Retriever father who jumped the fence into a French Brittany breeder’s yard,” says Lorraine Egan. “We love the Labrador part of him that is friends with everyone, the Brittany part of him that chases every squirrel up a tree and the French part of him that looks good, whatever the occasion.”
Bruno
Pug/beagle, 6
Home: Woodside, Queens
“Bruno got Lyme disease about three years ago, which started a roller coaster of illness for him that almost took his life,” says Joe Alvich. “He will be on meds for the rest of his life, but he has bounced back and is doing great.”
Sparky
Rhodesian Ridgeback/Labrador, 7
Home: Upper West Side
“Sparky came to us seven years ago, rescued as a newborn from a puppy mill in Georgia,” says Jane Saidenberg. “He’s very unhappy to be so large — he can’t fit in our laps or the front seat of the car, but he’s very good at taking over my husband’s side of the bed.”
Finn
Poodle mix, 1
Home: Forest Hills, Queens
“Before Christmas, a ‘Team in Training’ member was driving home from a run when, to her horror, she watched a car on the Grand Central Parkway hit this little poodle mix,” says Jane Sanders. “She rescued him, and as a team we have fostered him and raised funds for his rehabilitation.”
Lexi
Labrador Retriever/poodle, 6
Home: Toms River, NJ
“Lexi is a people pleaser, both the young and the old,” says Tony Piniat. “She’s very intelligent, loves to play hide-and-seek and announces the daily arrival of my grandson’s school bus.”
Lucy and Linus
Havanese/poodle, 3
Home: Upper West Side
“Linus (right) is a big moosh and can usually be found carrying a blanket or stuffed toy,” says owner Randy Letzler. “His sister, Lucy, is the queen and rules the roost. She has a big mouth and is a real diva.”
Cooper
Jack Russell/Chihuahua, 1
Home: Lindenhurst, NY
“Cooper is a sassy boy who thinks he’s a much bigger dog than he is,” writes Linda Elsner. “He’s also afraid of sneezes, and runs and hides whenever someone sneezes near him.”
Chester
Papillon/poodle, 5
Home: Naples, Fla.
“Every time we walk Chester, people ask what kind of dog he is. We have even had people stop their car to say what a great looking dog he is,” says proud owner Donald Carboni. “He loves to play with his favorite blue ball, which he hides under our pillows.”
Agnes B. Shannon
Basset hound/Shar-Pei, 11 months
Home: Rockland County, NY
“Agnes’ adorable look and affectionate personality won over our hearts and we couldn’t help but rescue her this past summer,” admits Lisa Sampogna. “She makes friends with anyone she meets — human or animal.”
Sheldon Swarley
Corgi/mini-pinscher, 3
Home: Saddle Brook, NJ
“Sheldon is a winner just like his namesakes, Sheldon Cooper from ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and Barney Stinson from ‘How I Met Your Mother’ — you have to be a superfan of HIMYM to understand the ‘Swarley’ reference,” says Hayley Kellinger. “Everyone who meets him falls in love with him and threatens to steal him — jokingly, of course!”
Bailey
Cocker spaniel/poodle, 15
Home: Upper West Side
“Our cockapoo, Bailey, is a true ‘wonder dog,’ having survived a potentially fatal illness this past summer,” says Leslie Fine. “He also thinks he is part wolf, and spends three-quarters of the day howling, but we love him anyway.”
Lulu
Basset hound/beagle, 1
Home: East Village
“Two iconic New York items meet as our ‘Bagel’ poses in front of graffiti,” writes Adriana Rybak. “Lulu is the friendliest pup in town and knows how to high-five her humans.”
Norton
Husky/Labrador, 2
Home: Hoboken, NJ
“Our dog, Norton, is a rescue and very friendly,” says Ilmar Klaussen. “He has good posture, enjoys water main breaks, rock ’n’ roll, pizza and digging to the core of the earth. His favorite robot is R2-D2.”