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Local New York City French Bulldogs to compete at Westminster Dog Show 2009
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Upper East Side French Bulldogs, Oliver, left, and Rocky, right. (Photos: Helena Sung)
New Yorkers love their French Bulldogs. While the breed didn't make the American Kennel Club's national list of the Top 10 Most Popular Dog Breeds of 2008, it placed as the fourth most popular dog in New York City.
The French Bulldog is also the second most popular breed to be shown at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this year with 42 entries. (The highest breed entered this year is the Labrador Retriever with 47 entries.)
Rocky and Oliver are two of the French Bulldogs who will compete at the Westminster Dog Show this year. They live on the Upper East Side with their owner, Stanley Zirlin.
"They're my pets that I show," says Mr. Zirlin. "Rocky is the mellowest dog that ever lived. He loves everybody and everything. He doesn't even bark."
Oliver, he says, is the clown. "He's more attached to me, " Mr. Zirlin says. "There is not an aggressive bone in their body."
"And that's the way it should be," adds Bill Schaefer, the Kentucky breeder of Rocky and Oliver. "We breed docile, companion dogs. The imports from Russia and Eastern Europe are more aggressive than the ones here."
Owner Stanley Zirlin, left, holding Oliver, and breeder Bob Schaefer, right, holding Rocky.
Asked why he favors the French Bulldog, Mr. Zirlin comes up with an easy list of reasons. "They're a small dog, good companions, don't need a great deal of exercise, their temperament is excellent and they're good with other dogs. They're also a big dog in a small body."
It doesn't take much to get Rocky and Oliver ready for the Westminster Dog Show.
I clip their whiskers and their ears...Shine them up a little bit. They're wash and wear. Very low maintenance.
--Stanley Zirlin, owner, on what he does to get Rocky and Oliver ready for competition
Both of the affectionate dogs are champions and have long, fancy names given to them by their breeder.
"Rocky is a four year-old brindle and his full name is Ch. RB's Big City Boy," explains Mr. Schaefer. "Oliver is a three year-old fawn and he is Ch. RB's Navigator." ("Ch." refers to their champion status.)
"They love showing," says Mr. Zirlin of his dogs. "I grabbed their [dog carrier] bags today and they got all excited."
Watch video of Rocky and Oliver from last week's press conference...
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