Meet Malachy the Pekingese: Westminster Best in Show

Malachy the Pekingese took top prize at Westminster Tuesday night.

Able to fit in the silver bowl he won, he remained perfectly calm through the Best in Show proceedings.

An 11-lb, 4-year-old, waddling ball of fluff, Malachy defeated a Dalmatian, German Shepherd, Doberman Pinscher, Irish Setter, Kerry Blue Terrier and Wire-Haired Dachshund.

“He exudes his breed,” said Judge Cindy Vogels after the show, referring to the breed standard for Pekingese. A 2000-year-old companion breed originating with Chinese royalty, the Pekingese was designed with a small, compact body and a slow but rolling stride, presumably to keep court dogs from wandering too far.

Malachy certainly lives up to this description.

Owner/ handler David Fitzpatrick carried him to the final lineup, making his trip along the green carpet shorter than the rest of the dogs—a necessary move, as it takes Malachy nearly twice as long to amble his way through the usual walk, up and back in front of the judge.

His unaffected trot, or waddle, along with his flat, baby like face and the occasional appearance of a tiny pink tongue made Malachy an easy crowd favorite.

Though bright eyes and complete focus on Fitzpatrick indicate Malachy is just as much a dog as any other Westminster competitor, it’s hard to imagine the Pekingese sharing an ancestor with the powerful German Shepherd.

“His gait should be slow and dignified,” said Fitpatrick after the show, no doubt repeating what’s become a mantra for all Pekingese people. “It’s distinctive to the breed.”

Malachy, for his part, is hopeful about his speed. “At home he’s just like any normal dog,” said Fitzpatrick. “He chases squirrels.”