I’m not going to disagree with last Sunday’s assessment on these pages that the Westminster Dog Show has nothing to do with sports, although it was a little mean-spirited.

Now that I’ve actually been there for something other than an NIT or Sedric Toney debut with the Knicks, I see the gigantic bowl as something more than a sports venue and appreciate that a room full of dogs smells better than a circus that left the day before an NIT game I once covered.

The wife, see, has pined to attend Westminster for a long time, and tickets (not cheap) granted access to the backstage benching (grooming) area and through the crowds on the main floor during daytime judging sessions.

Julie was even able to pet the dogs while I spoke with one of the judges who was not partial to the beagle I was championing.

I’m not going to tell you I’d go again, but I’m not going to tell you I wasted my time, either, although to spice it up and make it more like a sporting event, I’d have the Irish Setters trot in with dead birds hanging from their mouths.

It shouldn’t all be about sex, you know.

I am wondering how all these dogs are considered perfect house pets, including the one announced as being fast enough to catch up with a fox and strong enough to kill it.

That’s not a dog I’m buying for a young child. I would recommend it for a Sunday morning sports show.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2000 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.