Want to know how much we love our pets? In 2014, Americans spent a record $56 billion on grooming, boarding, training, pet-sitting, vet bills, medicine, toys, clothing and equipment. According to Bob Vetere, President and CEO of the American Pet Products Association, Americans own 95.6 million cats, 83.3 million dogs, 8.3 million horses, 145 millions freshwater fish, 13.6 million saltwater fish, 11.6 million reptiles and 18.1 million small animals.

Of those 83.3 million dogs, 3,000 champion pure breds will compete in the 2016 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on February 15th and 16th at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the United States after the Kentucky Derby.

Prizes will be awarded to Best of Breed and Best of Group, including Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding, Working and Terrier groups. One lucky dog will be crowned Best in Show.

Dogs are judged against their breed standards. Judges, based on their experience with the breed, determine how closely each dog matches its standard, which is “a word picture describing how the perfect dog of a breed should look, move and behave.” They are judged for physical traits, such as color, eye shape and tail carriage, and for the dog’s innate ability to perform the task for which it was bred.

With 46 out of 106 wins, terriers – particularly the Fox Terrier (Wire) – have dominated the Best in Show podium. Surprisingly, the Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever, two of America’s best-loved dog breeds, have failed to win the coveted award.

Schedule of Events
On Monday, February 15th and Tuesday, February 16th, breed judging will take place at Piers 92 and 94, followed by Groups and Best in Show at Madison Square Garden Monday and Tuesday night.The First Master’s Obedience Championship will be presented at Pier 94.
On Saturday, February 13th, prior to the show, The Westminster Kennel Club and The American Kennel Club will present Meet & Compete, pairing AKC’s 7th edition of Meet the Breeds® and the 3rd Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster.
Meet the Breeds is an all-ages hands-on event providing an opportunity to interact with hundreds of dogs across all breeds to learn about responsible pet ownership and their lifestyle suitability. Booths will highlight elements of each breed’s history and attendees can consult with expert breeders, enthusiasts, trainers and groomers.
The Agility Championship will showcase some of the most talented handlers and K9 athletes racing against the clock, mastering obstacle courses of jumps, tunnels and weave poles.
Tickets are available on the Westminster Kennel Club website: www.westminsterkennelclub.org

There will be ample opportunity for dogspotting around the city, particularly in midtown, near Madison Square Gardens and in Chelsea around the Piers. Call Magellan Luxury Hotels for dog-friendly hotels that are close to the action.

More info:
Westminster Kennel Club
www.westminsterkennelclub.org

American Kennel Club
www.akc.org

For a schedule of televised events:
http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/2016/show/tv.html

Best in Show – A mockumentary based on the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_in_Show_(film)

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