Rumor the German shepherd wins best in show at Westminster

Published February 15, 2017 5:00AM (EST)

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2016, file photo, Rumor, a German shepherd, and Kent Boyles take a lap around the ring during the best in show competition at the 140th Westminster Kennel Club dog show at Madison Square Garden in New York. CJ, a German shorthaired pointer, won best in show. Rumor, who just missed winning at the Westminster Kennel Club in 2016, came back to score a big victory Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, beating out favored Preston the puli in the herding group. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) (AP)
FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2016, file photo, Rumor, a German shepherd, and Kent Boyles take a lap around the ring during the best in show competition at the 140th Westminster Kennel Club dog show at Madison Square Garden in New York. CJ, a German shorthaired pointer, won best in show. Rumor, who just missed winning at the Westminster Kennel Club in 2016, came back to score a big victory Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, beating out favored Preston the puli in the herding group. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) (AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Rumor the German shepherd has become America's top dog.

Cheered loudly all around the ring by a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden, Rumor was picked as best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club on Tuesday night.

Rumor became just the second German shepherd to win the nation's most prestigious pooch parade, joining the fittingly named Manhattan in 1987. Rumor retired after a near-miss at Westminster last year, but she returned a month ago to give it another try.

The 5-year-old Rumor is named for the Adele hit song "Rumor Has It." This was the 104th career win for Rumor, and handler and co-owner Kent Boyles said earlier in the day that this would definitely, for real, be her last major show.

There were nearly 2,800 dogs entered in the 141st Westminster canine competition, spread across the 202 eligible breeds and varieties.

Rumor beat out a Norwegian elkhound, a Pekingese, a miniature poodle, an Irish setter, a boxer and a Norwich terrier in the final ring.


By Ben Walker

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