Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show 2016

As dozens gathered around Rumor post-win, her owner and handler Kent Boyles lauded the black-and-brown pup’s personality.

And as she won the group, she stopped to look up, nearly as if she was trying to catch a quick glimpse of her victory lap in the arena’s jumbotron.

When the Westminster Kennel Club dog show comes to a close Tuesday in NY, it will be up to Toronto’s Richard Meen to pick a victor. Annabelle won the group. Tuesday night’s finale at Madison Square Garden will be shown live on USA Network. “Numerous dogs she competes against are four to five years old or older”, Shankweiler noted.

“Now that we have our daytime judging at the piers, now there’s a lot more space”, she says.

Ms. McElheney said Rumor faced stiff competition from the other German shepherds, but her personality sets her apart.

That was Monday night at the Westminster Kennel Club.

Sunny, a Siberian Huskie and his handler Alan Davis, of Pen Argyl, Pa., compete in the agility portion of the 140th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Saturday in NY.

“Toby SIT!” Heesemann commands, as dog and owner get ready for Westminster in a practice space at Hal Wheeler’s Pet Resort & School for Dogs in Cedar Grove. Representing 50 states and 12 foreign countries, the most dogs were entered from NY (270) for the sixth year in a row, followed by California (219), Pennsylvania (203) and New Jersey (190).

“What’s most important is that she’s enjoying herself”, he said.

Almost 3,000 dogs from around the world are in NY for this year’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. She is a bit bossy with her two brothers.

“She’s a sweet, lovely animal”.

“That’s for the owner”, he said.

Rumor is fresh off her biggest win yet, at the AKC/Eukanuba show in Florida last December. Two winners from each group will move to the finals.

Panda has only one best in show victory so far.

“She really loves figuring out the puzzle of obedience”, said owner and handler Julie Hill, of Mandeville, Louisiana. No mixed-breed dogs qualified for the obedience event this year. But don’t expect to see any of them venturing from the runway over to the ring. They include walleye, a tater tot hot dish, Bundt cake and an iconic cheeseburger known to regulars as the Jucy Lucy, which features the cheese inside the meat patty instead of on top of it.

As a rule, the pooches are supposed to be the stars, so no glitzy couture or loosey-goosey garments. It has to be professional. “I try not to get nervous because the dogs will sense that, and then they get nervous, too”.

“I don’t want to risk contaminating them with my scent”, Heesemann says, using tongs to place the rubber ducks on the floor. “But those high heels and short, little outfits”. “I started Friday and still have work to do”.