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Scandia, Minn. Dog Breeder Takes Top Honors At Westminster

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The top dog at the annual Westminster Dog Show has a local connection. A Wire Fox Terrier named "Sky" was named best in show last night -- the 14th time her breed won that honor.

When Sky won the title in New York, a woman here in Minnesota was sky high.

"This is the top," Betty Seaton said. "There's no doubt about it. Westminster is the ultimate."

And that means the dog breeder from Scandia is on top of the dog world. After breeding Wire Fox Terriers for 25 years, she now has an extra star on her resume.

Seaton traveled from Scandia to South Carolina five years ago to match up her champion male with another top dog, and Sky was born.

"I knew she was a beautiful dog," Seaton said. "I knew the litter was gorgeous."

But she could never have predicted this. Sky won all the big shows leading up to Westminster. Still, waiting for judge's final announcement was intense.

"You are absolutely holding your breath the entire two minutes," she said.

Once the announcement was made, the real excitement started.

"And the people are calling me," she said, "screaming into the phone. At the same time, I'm trying to watch and we're all screaming."

Show dogs are big business, but Betty doesn't plan to cash in. She only breeds dogs every other year or two, and although she's enjoying the excitement, she won't change her game plan.

"I'm not a big time breeder," she said. "I always say I breed quality, and not quantity, and that proved it."

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