Cute Puppy Pictures

Stump, who nearly died of a medical condition five years ago, just came out of retirement last week.

A 10 years of age–Sussex spaniel Stump became the oldest Best in Show winner in history at the Westminster Kennel Club’s 133rd Annual Dog Show at Madison Square Garden Tuesday night.

Stump - the adorable, droopy-eyed spaniel who wowed the crowd at Westminster became the oldest Best in Show winner in dog show history. Stump proved an old dog can still pull off some new tricks

“When I found out he was the oldest to win, I was so happy. I’m 80, and he’s 70 in dog years,” she said.

And there are plenty of other things fans should know about the 10-year-old champion Sussex spaniel, so here we offer the official “Stump Dossier.”

1.  His official name is Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee

2.  He was born is Dec. 1, 1998

3.  He is named “Stump” … because he has stubby legs, is brown and resembles a tree stump

4.  He has sired pups named Root, Forest and Myrtle

5.  His favorite chew toy is a plush Grinch doll

6.  He weighs about 50 pounds

7.  He lives in Houston, Texas with the 2001 Best in Show winner J.R., a Bichon Frise

8.  He didn’t train at all for his return to the ring

9.  He is the oldest dog ever to win Westminster, that title was previously held by the 1999 winner, an 8-year-old Papillon

10.  The Westminster show was his 51st career best in show win

Stump is in fabulous shape for his age and will travel the dog world circuit just like the younger pups who’ve held the best in show title.

Judge Sari Tietjen said she had no idea the winning spaniel was an elder in the dog world.

“He showed his heart out,” she said. “I didn’t know who he was or how old … I just couldn’t say no to him.” Wow

10-year-old , Sussex spaniel (that’s 70 in dog years) became the oldest dog to win Best in Show in the 133-year history of the Westminster Kennel Club’s annual event. The dog, known as Stump, was also the first Sussex spaniel to win the prestigious award. As he plodded around the ring, the crowd went wild, clearly delighted by both his breed and his advanced age, not to mention his adorable demeanor.

Can old dogs learn new tricks? Would they want to?

It was the first time that a Sussex spaniel won the top prize, although the breed, which originated as a hunting companion in England, was among the first to be recognized by the American Kennel Club.

Judge Sari Brewster Tietjen said she made her decision at the last minute.

“I didn’t know who he was or how old he was,” Tietjen said. “He’s just everything that you’d want in the breed, and I couldn’t say no to him.”

“I didn’t know who he was or how old he was,” Tietjen said. “He’s just everything that you’d want in the breed, and I couldn’t say no to him.”

Stump won the sporting group at Westminster in 2004, but in early 2005 fell seriously ill with an undetermined sickness, said Scott Sommer, Stump’s handler and an owner along with Cecilia Ruggles and Beth Dowd.

Stump eventually returned to health, and by last year he was looking quite good. Still, Sommer said he was not sure until last Wednesday that he would definitely show Stump at Westminster.