I look forward every year to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show held in February at Madison Square Garden, New York City, and televised over two nights on cable. My love for dogs, and my family’s, is inherited from my father, who spent most of his working life with animals. My father especially loved dogs, and every picture I have of him is with a dog.
Watching the Dog Show these last two nights, though, I had a special insight: our humanity really has gone to the dogs!
More than 2,500 dogs compete to get into the show at Madison Square Garden. This year, more than 700 media credentials were given out to journalists around the world, covering the show. Thousands of people flock to Madison Square Garden to be part of the excitement.
This is the Oscars, Grammies, and Wimbleton of the dog world. Except… the dogs don’t know it.
All the competing dogs know is that they are supposed to strut a certain way… run a certain way… pose a certain way and, yes, smile a certain way… at the right time.
These dogs don’t know that they belong to special categories of dogs: Hounds, Terriers, Non-Sporting, Herding, Sporting, Toy, and Working. All they know is that if they behave a certain way, they get loved (cheered), and they get treats from their trainers.
So how is it that they are made to perform the way they do?
They are bred to do so.
Isn’t it interesting that our humanity so attempts to refute its innate spirituality that it seeks other species to convert?
Dogs were made to hunt, and play, be companions, be workers, be helpers and lovers.
What do dogs know about being on a show?
A Dog Show is simply another example of our humanity's need to express itself. Owners spend years breeding dogs so that they can ultimately win at this pinnacle of dog shows at Madison Square Garden.
Why? So they can have bragging rights and also see their dogs prancing around to lyrics such as, “I’m too sexy for my shirt...too sexy...,” as in the Pedigree commercial.
Do you know what it took for Uno, the 15-inch beagle in the Hound category, to beat out Vicki, the Toy poodle, who already has her own Website, or Bruce, the Australian shepherd, or any of the other four dogs?
It took gumption and style and charm. But it also took something else.
Uno was not the prettiest dog at the show. But Uno was bold, and she stole hearts. She showed her Spirit!
There was that spiritual and emotional connection with the crowd, because it erupted every time this 15-inch beagle appeared. The judge, Dr. Jay Donald Jones of Marietta, GA, who was sequestered away from the excitement, until the final judging, must have felt that connection, too. It didn’t take him long to choose Uno. In the past, I’ve seen other judges waver for a long time before making a decision.
So, ultimately, it was Uno’s “spirit” that won over the crowd!
This should be a lesson for all of us.
No matter how much we try to “dress up” our humanity, no matter how pretty we try to make ourselves on the outside, it’s what lies within us that matters most!
It is that connection to Spirit that ultimately makes us winners in all of life’s competitions.
So Uno, you did good! You let your Spirit shine, despite all the humanity around you that would have you be otherwise.
Next on the humanity front: we can expect cat owners to start clamoring for their kitties, too, to do their Cat Walk i.e. strut their stuff on television! Quite frankly, it’s going to be war between the lovers of cats and dogs. That’s how it all gets started: humanity looking for more ego expression.
Meanwhile, I encourage you to keep your focus. Keep strutting your spiritual stuff. Don’t let that be only for the dogs!
Namaste’,
Che’
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