The pride of Denver
Janet Simons, Rocky Mountain News
Published February 12, 2007 at midnight
It would seem that Denver is loyal to its Westminster champ.
The metro area is home to former Westminster best-in-show Carlee, a German shorthair pointer. According to the American Kennel Club's list of the 10 most popular breeds in 50 major cities, that breed is tied with the dachshund as the sixth-most popular breed among Denverites. That's up from ninth place in 2005, when Carlee brought home the gold.
The German shorthair ranks 19th nationally and is in the top 10 in only three other cities: Des Moines, Iowa; Minneapolis-St. Paul; and Omaha.
No doubt it helps that German shorthairs are a sporting breed, as are Labrador retrievers, No. 1 in Denver, and golden retrievers, No. 2. Sporting breeds have a reputation for being sturdy, affectionate and playful.
And there's that Colorado love of the outdoors to consider.
"Mile High City residents are energetic outdoor enthusiasts who choose sporting breeds more often than other breeds for their active lifestyle," said AKC spokeswoman Linda Peterson.
But change may be afoot. We hear Carlee's owner, Linda Stark, has
switched her attention to Dalmatians.
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