Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Show Dog Handlers
February 22, 2019 No CommentsHanders use soup cans in training. A dog’s resting stance is an essential piece of the judging process. Every breed has an ideal stance, but teaching the dog to maintain this position takes quite a bit of training. Handlers have come up with some pretty creative ways to train for this position, including balancing each […]
Read MoreThe Five Most Common Breed Winners at Westminster
February 22, 2019 No CommentsEach year, the title of “Best in Show” is awarded to a dog chosen as the winner of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The title has been awarded every year beginning in 1907 except for in 1923, when changes in the American Kennel Club rules prohibited mixed breed judging until members could agree on […]
Read MoreMeasuring a Dog
February 22, 2019 No CommentsAll Show Dog breeds have Official Standards. This is a detailed description of the ideal dog for that breed. It includes dynamic qualities including appearance, movement, and temperament. It also includes static physical characteristics such as color, size, and structure. The official tool for measuring a dog at a conformation show is called a wicket. […]
Read MoreWestminster Kennel Club Dog Show Facts and Figures
February 22, 2019 No CommentsThe Best in Show winner is declared “America’s Dog for one year following the show.” Established in 1877, the Westminster Kennel Club is America’s oldest organization devoted to the sport of purebred dogs. The organization and show pre-date the invention of the lightbulb, the car, basketball, and the World Series in baseball. The Westminster Dog […]
Read MoreHow Show Dogs Travel
February 22, 2019 No CommentsAs one might assume, traveling with show dogs is a complicated process. From obtaining proper veterinary documentation to finding the perfectly-sized crate, getting the Best in Show winner from one city to another is, unsurprisingly, difficult. In fact, these dogs are subjected to the same travel regulations as all other pets. Their owners, on the […]
Read MoreHotel Pennsylvania: A Surprising Dog Heaven
February 22, 2019 No CommentsThe Westminster Dog Show takes places at Madison Square Garden. The dog-friendly Hotel Pennsylvania sits just across the street, ready for the contestants to arrive. In fact, this hotel houses the majority of competitors for the duration of the show, transforming itself into a dog paradise each February in anticipation of the world’s most famous […]
Read MoreThe Toughest Application on Earth
February 22, 2019 No CommentsThough it is becoming increasingly easier to view the Westminster Dog Show, entering your pooch takes a lifetime of work. The show itself can be a confusing process; benched dogs interact with one another, owners talk to members of the crowd, and spectators follow the procession of groups: sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and […]
Read MoreCalling all Westminster Kennel Cub Enthusiasts
February 22, 2019 No CommentsThe Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is the can’t-miss event of the year for dog lovers around the country. The all-breed conformation show has been held in New York City annually since 1877. Participants are judged against their breed standards in order to see how close they match the ideal breed specimen. These may include […]
Read More