Today I’m putting on my dog show judge hat while we talk about perfectionism. Unexpected, I know – this weekend, accomplished dog sports enthusiasts are converging on Madison Square Garden and the Jacob K. Javitz Center in New York City for the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. The best of the best dogs from across America and even around the world prepare to strut their stuff, hoping to win top honors.
Have you ever watched a dog show on TV or in person? A very normal reaction many people have is “how does the judge choose – they all look perfect!” If you’ve ever thought that thought, you’re right – many of the dogs in the ring are near the peak of perfection for their breed, and yet every dog but one walks away without the big trophy and media splash that accompanies winning Westminster.
Oh, and then there’s this – even the dog that wins Westminster Kennel Club, arguably the most prestigious win in the world of purebred dogs, isn’t perfect.
Yes, the winner may look perfect – perfectly groomed, perfectly conditioned, perfectly proportioned, perfectly moving around the ring, perfect temperament for their breed – and yet the winner still isn’t perfect. The breeder did their part in creating near-perfection – they screened the parents for heritable diseases before allowing them to be bred, they pored over generations of pedigrees, using dogs they knew should reproduce their excellence and pairing them so that they could produce even better than themselves. Then the owners and handlers spent years of training and conditioning to ensure the dog would be able to show off those superior genetics when in the show ring.
And yet, with all that work and research and money, they’re still not perfect. Close, yes. Still, there’s room for improvement, which is what keeps people continuing to go to the dog shows, seeing if the best they can do is good enough to win or if they need to try a little bit harder.
Where in your life does striving for perfection show up? If you play a musical instrument, practicing counts. If you play a sport, playing with someone just a bit more skilled in the sport counts. If you are trying to get to 365 days in a row of successfully completing a game on your phone, that counts.
Striving for perfection is a good thing. It is working towards a goal, which keeps us focused on the now and the future, instead of brooding about the past. Expecting perfection will always lead to disappointment. Notice when you expect perfection from yourself and be kinder to yourself. If you need a little inspiration, here are three episodes of the world’s second-shortest podcast to help:
Need help to stop beating yourself up? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!
Want to understand where perfectionism began? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!
Looking for a quick way to stop the perfection train? Here’s a Tiny Bite for that!
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On a personal note, and because I get this question often, no, I haven't been invited to judge Westminster. Yet. :D I’ve shown my Siberian Huskies there and am dreaming of the day I’m invited to judge the show. Meanwhile, I’m delighted to watch the fabulous examples of each breed strut their stuff on the world’s stage.
The top-winning show dogs got invitations to compete at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show because they were bred, owned, conditioned, and trained by people who were striving for perfection. They all know they’re close – a week from tonight, the 2025 Westminster Kennel Club Best in Show winner will be crowned.
He or she will be perfectly imperfect. And that’s perfectly perfect!
Wags,
Sandy Weaver
The Voice of Wagaliciousness
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