Old Dog. Old Trick.

"Experience is a comb which nature gives to men when they are bald."

Chinese Proverb

I'm a very casual Westminster Dog Show viewer. Something like a fair weather friend to the contest. I don't get too excited until one or two category competitions just ahead of the Best in Show.

Last year, so much publicity surrounded the candidacy of "Uno," the American beagle, I had to get excited a day early. I yelled at the TV like an idiot every time that dog's mug filled the screen, as if that would somehow persuade the Best in Show judge -- just released from his sound-proof, hermetically-sealed hotel room. I almost cried when Uno won the cup. He was achingly cute. He was America's Dog.

This year? Not so much. I got into it about 90 minutes ahead of Best in Show. I figured, someone had already done a lot of work to narrow down the enormous field to seven top dogs in their respective classes. And, there was nothing to get hung up about.

Wrong.

The field was typically diverse, but contained some of the most astounding-looking dogs in a single collection I could recall. I didn't know anything about the dogs - their personal stories, their names; and, in some cases, I didn't even recognize their breed. But, one dog really stood out to me. What I know about dog shows and dog judging barely fills the bottom of a thimble. Nevertheless, I spotted my winner. I didn't know his name, but he had the most beautiful coat. And, not just an attitude. A quiet confidence. An air of, "well, I know who I am, and I don't really care what anyone thinks of me." That look of a life well lived and nothing left to lose.

I didn't know his story until the competition was complete. Until about a minute after I was yelling again at the woman who emerged from the tunnel in an evening gown for her 13 minutes of fame. Yelling at her in plain English, "THE SUSSEX SPANIEL." Like she could hear me. Like she might not see the real beauty of the Giant Schnauzer or the amazing grace of the Scottish Deerhound.

'Thank you all,' I heard her say. Oh, please! Please say, "may I have the Sussex Spaniel."

Then she said, 'I love you all, but tonight it's the Sussex.'

I WIN. I WIN. I WIN.

Old dogs everywhere win. I win.

"10-year-old Sussex spaniel wins Westminster show"

By BEN WALKER

NEW YORK (AP) — An old Sussex spaniel taught dogdom a new trick.

At 10, Stump became the oldest best in show winner ever at the Westminster Kennel Club, coming out of retirement only last week and walking off with the top prize Tuesday night.

A nearly full crowd at Madison Square Garden cheered loudly when judge Sari Tietjen pointed to the new champion. Perhaps the fans knew Stump's backstory — he almost died in 2004 from a medical condition, saved by the vets at Texas A&M.

Or perhaps the people just liked rooting for the old guy.

He's almost 70 in human years!

Never before had a Sussex spaniel won the nation's top pooch show. The previous oldest winner was 8.

With floppy ears and a slow gait, the golden-red Stump beat out a sparkling field. Expert handler Scott Sommer guided him past a giant schnauzer that was ranked the nation's No. 1 show dog, a favored Brussels griffon, a Scottish deerhound named Tiger Woods, a standard poodle with 94 best in show wins, a Scottish terrier and a puli.

Nearly 2,500 dogs were entered at the 133rd edition of Westminster. Last year's champion, a beagle named Uno, was perhaps the most popular winner ever.