They say dogs are man’s best friends, and judging from the pictures you’re about to view, who wouldn’t want to pal around with a bunch of adorable furry pups?
In honour of this week’s 134th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, here are some snapshots of the two-day special event (courtesy of Animal Planet) to delight your eyes and melt your heart – just you wait till you see the oh-so fluffy Bichon Frise, my personal fave.
For those of you who don’t already know, the Westminster Kennel Club is America’s oldest organization dedicated to the sport of showing purebred dogs. This annual televised event takes place at Madison Square Garden over two days and features perfectly groomed, well-mannered, intelligent canines strutting their stuff in the hopes of being crowned “Best in Show.”
Hosted by Mario Lopez (Extra, America’s Best Dance Crew), this year’s event showcases 173 different breeds, including Bouviers Des Flandres, Rhodesian ridgebacks and Portuguese water dogs (the latter variety is U.S. President Barack Obama’s pup of choice), and features 2,500 four-legged friends in total.
In 2009, a beautiful Sussex spaniel named Stump, who you’ll find in this gallery, became the oldest dog ever (at 10 years, two months and nine days, to be exact) to capture the Club’s coveted title – an extraordinary feat considering he nearly died a few years earlier after retiring from the show ring.
The 134th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show airs Monday, Feb. 15 and Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT on Animal Planet and Discovery HD.
Planning to watch this event? Which dog do you think will win? diana@tvguide.ca
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