It took just two days for judges at the Westminster Kennel Club show to sort through nearly 2,600 dogs. They first picked the best of 179 breeds, then the best of seven groups. Late Tuesday night, a tall Scottish deerhound ”“ Hickory ”“ was named Best in Show.

The judge, an Italian, praised her enthusiastically. “This animal is like in the heavens,” Paolo Dondina said.

Television coverage of Westminster skips the early rounds where near-identical specimens of the same breed are measured against one another. No one except a deerhound fancier is interested in the details that lifted Hickory above her immediate rivals. Commentators start evaluating the relative merits when different breeds face off in the toy, terrier, sporting, nonsporting, herding, working, and hound groups.

It’s not really possible to discern what put Hickory ahead of the other six Best in Show finalists ”“ a Pekingese, Portuguese water dog, Chinese shar-pei, smooth fox terrier, bearded collie and black cocker spaniel. But the sheer variety that paraded across the screen for two nights provided an unmatched opportunity for the American Kennel Club to sell viewers on the virtues of owning a purebred dog.

The biggest advantage of acquiring a registered breed is  advance knowledge of the dog’s physical and behavioral characteristics. The Scottish deerhound, for instance, “possesses a quiet and dignified personality,” and a wiry, easy-care coat. But there’s a cautionary note: It was originally bred to chase and kill deer.

Anyone who has owned several dogs of the same breed has to acknowledge their diversity. Mixed breeds don’t get prime-time marketing on television, but many owners swear by their good health, good spirits and loyalty. In any event, dogs don’t come with guarantees. Bringing home any dog or puppy is an optimistic roll of the dice.

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Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Nick Cowenhoven at nickc@journaltribune.com.