NEW YORK --- A Scottish terrier is America's new top dog.
Sadie the Scottie walked off with the title Tuesday night by winning best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club.
The show for purebred dogs at Madison Square Garden in New York was briefly interrupted in the final minutes by two protesters. Two women calmly walked into the center ring and held up signs saying "Mutts Rule" and "Breeders Kill Shelter Dogs' Chances," the latter a slogan popularized by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The crowd gasped, then booed the women and cheered as security ushered them away without incident.
Moments later, the 4-year-old Sadie ascended the best in show ring where one of the women had stood.
Sadie was the huge favorite, and a crowd of about 15,000 saw the 4-year-old earn her 112th best in show ribbon.
Sadie beat out six other dogs in the final ring. Also in contention were a whippet, a French bulldog, a toy poodle, a brittany, a puli and a Doberman pinscher.
Earlier in the day, Sadie, with handler Gabriel Rangel, breezed past four would-be rivals and walked off as the best Scottish terrier.
Judge Elliott Weiss had already seen Sadie -- he chose her as the winner of an event in North Carolina last September.
Sadie has already won the two other big U.S. canine competitions, the National Dog Show in suburban Philadelphia before Thanksgiving and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in December.
The 4-year-old Scottie with the champion's name Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot has earned 111 best in show ribbons and became dogdom's first Triple Crown winner.
Rangel said he'd eased off Sadie's schedule as the trip to New York approached.
The event drew 2,500 dogs from 173 breeds and varieties and is regarded as the nation's most prestigious show.
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