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Sound up on dogs barking and fade up sound of hair dryer
Walk fifty human-sized paces away from Westminster Dog Show's mainstage, and you'll find Stephanie Kaul. She's blow drying and combing out the hair of one of today's stars.
AX: Stephanie Kaul (:09): Her name is Genie. She's a veteran. She's been doing this for a long time…and today she…today is her last show! She retires today.
Genie is a black cocker spaniel, the top ranked female in the country. She's getting the royal treatment, which means that at the moment, her head is in a noose. The noose keeps Genie from fidgeting as Kaul teases out one of Genie's finest features.
AX: Stephanie Kaul (:15): Cocker spaniels are known for their long feathered ears, and what we do is we blow them out straight and then we wrap them in what we call vet wrap, because otherwise they have a tendency to find their ways into their mouths and get drooly and yucky.
The end result is two eight-inch-long, purple stalks that hang down from either side of Genie's head.. Genie will have to stay like this until she competes in two hours. Then, jus seconds before Genie enters the ring, Her handler will remove the wraps. Poof! Perfect, flluffy ears. Her technique is no secret,. Around the corner, standing right outside the main hall are several other dogs just itching to shake their ears loose from their own purple casings. Jed Kim, Columbia Radio News.
Fade out on dogs whining