The Westminster Dog Show crowned a Pekingese named Wasabi its "Best in Show" (AFP)
The Westminster Dog Show crowned a Pekingese named Wasabi its "Best in Show" Sunday, but not everyone was happy about the win. Three-year-old Wasabi was crowned best in show from a pack of seven group winners which also included Mathew, a French bulldog; Connor, an Old English sheepdog; and Striker, a Samoyed.
Bourbon the whippet came in second.
Speaking a day earlier when Wasabi won the toy group, his owner and handler David Fitzpatrick -- who also won "Best in Show" in 2012 -- lauded his pooch's "charisma, movement and showmanship."
"He's in his prime and he just looks wonderful," he added. Opinion differed on Twitter, where some raised concerns about the harmful breeding practices of Pekingese dogs and the risks they entail.
One Twitter user pointed out that Wasabi had to be kept on a cooling pad to stop him from overheating inside an air-conditioned room.
Others said that Pekingese dogs often suffer from breathing issues.
"How can a dog bred to the point where it can hardly breath win best in show?" another questioned.
CNN anchor John Berman noted that it is the fifth time a "rarefied," "inbred" Pekingese had won.
"Depressing to see this dog win New York's Westminster dog show. Pekingese are bred with flat faces that cause breathing problems," another said.
Several Twitter users also had issue with the dog's name.
But Wasabi also received much love on social media.
According to People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, a UK-based charity organisation, Pekes are considered a 'Brachycephalic' breed as they have been bred to have very short noses. Because of this, they often have trouble breathing, especially when they get too hot.
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