westminster dog show.
Smartie, a Maltese, is primped for her time in the ring. Extra care is taken so the dog's tears and saliva don't stain her fur before the event. Damon Dahlen, AOL It takes a lot of work to be a Westminster show dog. There is the endless training, the exhausting travel to shows around the country and in the case of Smartie the Maltese, above, a real commitment to personal grooming. And Paw Nation is covering it all. We've had a team at the 135th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show since it began yesterday getting the scoop on the 2,626 canines who have come to New York City with dreams of a Best in Show title. We watched the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups compete on Monday, ...
Mickey, a papillon from Thailand, is the dog that traveled the farthest to compete at Westminster. Damon Dahlen, AOL They have come from all corners of the country -- and the world. As 2,626 pruned, pampered and parading dogs lap up the attention in New York City at the start of this week, each one brings a different story to the 135th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The two-day competition, which culminates in the Best in Show final tonight at Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan, is a spectacle like few others in the world. And with 179 breeds and varieties of canines, from 49 states and more than a dozen countries, on display this year, Westminster is as diverse and ...
Jayne, a Chinese shar-pei, won the non-sporting group. Credit: Mary Altaffer, AP The 2011 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is underway at Madison Square Garden in New York City -- and plenty of doggie drama has already unfolded on the green carpet. After the first day of heated competition, four of the seven competitors in Tuesday night's Best in Show final are decided. A Scottish deerhound, Pekingese, Chinese shar-pei and bearded collie have been selected in their respective groups to compete for Best in Show. The Westminster Dog Show is considered the most prestigious dog show in the nation. This year saw 2,626 champion entries, in 179 breeds and varieties, from 49 states and more than ...
Booth As many pet owners know, sometimes you don't choose the dog: The dog chooses you. That was the case for Chicago-area resident Larry Lentz who, through a number of unusual and almost fateful circumstances, went from grieving pet owner to Iraqi War vet to boxing gym owner and handler of a No. 1 in all-breed points Chesapeake Bay retriever. Lentz will be showing his best friend, Moose, at the Westminster Dog Show tomorrow. ...
Timothy A. Clary, AFP / Getty Images Nobody knows exactly what will happen at the Westminster Dog Show this year, but, according to Vegas oddsmakers at the Wynn Las Vegas, certain breeds have a better shot than others. The fox terrier (smooth) is a favorite, with odds of 6-to-1, while the saluki and bassett hound are the longest shots at 135-to-1. (These odds are for entertainment purposes only, advises the casino, so don't go crazy.) But what we do know is that all of the best dogs in the country will be under one roof. The What, Where and When The 2011 show, taking place Apr. 14 and 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York City is the 135th Westminster Dog Show. Nearly 2,600 dogs (plus an ...
Deborah Glessner - Photographer We all know how perfectly the show dogs at Westminster look and behave each year, but some of these dogs do more than work the ring -- they help change lives as therapy dogs. Wes, the Labrador retriever, is one of these amazing dogs. And he's starting by "teaching" children. This champion black Lab from Richboro, Pa., specializes in helping children in grades 2 through 5 learn to read. In fact, he "teaches" at 12 schools through the school year and during the summer, and works with school and camp programs for autistic and learning-disabled children. In addition, the 8-year-old dog visits his local library once a week for a "read to the dogs evening." How ...