Life With Dogs: Baseball Player Barry Bonds Enters His Furry BFF In Westminster Dog Show

MLB all-time home run leader Barry Bonds recently returned to the field. Yet, this time, he tried a new sport. The baseball player has always had a deep love for dogs, so he decided to have his dog Rocky compete in the 2021 Westminster Dog Show.

You might expect a famous sports player to have a large dog like a Great Dane or a Boxer, but instead, Bonds has a fondness for Miniature Schnauzers. He has always loved watching dog shows, but this year, he was amazed that Rocky the Miniature Schnauzer finally got the chance to compete in this incredible event.

Barry Bonds Schnazuer — Image: @blbonds25/Instagram

An Athlete of Multiple Talents

Bonds is an athlete of many skills. Baseball games and dog shows are two very different events, yet he excels at both of them. Rocky might not have won the best in show, but Bonds is still very proud of his furry friend.

In an interview, Bonds revealed that his sister was the one that got him interested in dog shows. His sister bought a Miniature Schnauzer about 25 years ago, and so did Bonds. Since then, he’s cared for many of the adorable scruffy dogs, but he still gives his sister all the credit.

Miniature Schnauzer dog show — Image: Screenshot, FOX Sports YouTube

“She does all the work. I’m not gonna sit there and say I do — I don’t do much. My sister does it all,” said Bonds. “I support her to death. She’s my best friend in the whole wide world.”

Bonds is also very grateful to the trainer and handler who has worked with his dogs. In addition to Rocky, he also currently has a black Miniature Schnauzer named Apollo.

Barry Bonds Miniature Schnauzers — Image: @blbonds25/Instagram

Winning Isn’t Everything

Rocky didn’t win in his group, but he did surprisingly well. He received the Select Dog honors in the Miniature Schnauzer group, which basically means he won second place among the male dogs of his breed. According to Bonds, his loyal companion was a winner well before that, though.

“The reward is getting here,” Bonds said. “He qualified, and that’s the reward. It’s like I sit there and say, when I played baseball, it’s just getting there. I’ve been to a lot of playoffs, and I’ve been to the World Series and I’ve never won. But for 22 years, I kept trying.”

Westminster dog show Schnauzer — Image: @blbonds25/Instagram

Rather than feeling nervous for the competition, Bonds was just proud that Rocky made it as far as he did. The baseball star is clearly a loving, supportive dog dad, so winning isn’t important. As long as he and his furry friend had fun and worked hard, that’s all that matters to him.