Westminster Dog Show Winner Makes Us All Want a Pekingese

Have you seen the cute little pup that won the 2012 Westminster Dog Show? OMG. He's beyond precious.

With his proud stance and scrunched-up little face, Malachy the Pekingese seemed to somehow know that he'd pulled off the title of "Best in Show." Isn't it funny how show dogs seem to know exactly what they're doing? It's always blown my mind that they seem to pick up on the fact that they're competing for a title instead of just running around with a bunch of other canine friends. You've got to wonder whether it's tough for them to get out of "show mode" when they're at home and just play in the yard.

Malachy's handler, David Fitzpatrick, describes him as "a dignified, wonderful companion who’s charming."

And that statement just makes all of us want to find the closest Pekingese breeder and bring home a pup like Malachy to snuggle with. Honestly, who wouldn't want a cute dog like that for a pet? He's totally adorable and obviously smart, and he just looks like the perfect little pal to come home to at the end of the day and curl up with on the couch.

Of course, something tells me that if I had a Pekingese, he wouldn't look quite as fluffy and well-groomed as Malachy. Apparently dogs of this breed need their fur brushed for an hour or more once a week. Most of us are lucky if we get to spend that much time on our own hair, let alone pay attention to our pets' grooming needs. Hmm -- as amazingly cute as Malachy is, maybe there should be more that goes into choosing a dog than how much you want to cuddle it.

What kind of dog would you want to own?

Image via Michael Nagle/Getty