Westminster Dog Show

The Westminster Dog Show is a two-day extravaganza featuring more than 2,600 dogs and 165 breeds. You may be interested to know that the Westminster dog show is one of the oldest annual sporting events in the USA in the USA, second only to the Kentucky Derby.


Today, the Westminster dog show is not just for hunting dogs, but includes all kinds of different breeds and has turned its focus from working dog's performance in the field, to it's appearance as well. The Westminster Dog Show is now in its 133th year, and only champions, which are vetted through a series of lesser contests, are allowed to participate in the Nobel prize of the canine world.

The first Westminster dog show was held in 1877 when a group of hunters decided to get together at the Westminster Hotel in Manhattan to compare their purebred dogs, and it eventually grew over time to what it is today. The Westminster Dog Show features different breeds of dogs and their owners performing in a nerve-racking competition that's as intense as it is old.

Every February, thousands of AKC dogs and their exhibitors make their way into Madison Square Garden for two intensive days of showing that, when all the barking is over, will crown the best dog in the country. Dogs are judged on their general appearance, condition and carriage, with special attention being paid to the dog's head (including the eyes, ears, skull and muzzle).

Until 1992, this event was a full show, meaning all classes were included from dog and bitch competition for Winners, to Best of Breed, Group, and Best In Show. From 1992 onward, only the creme de la creme of the dog world were deemed eligible for the greatest show in the country, and entries were limited to finished champions as mentioned earlier.

Currently, the show is limited to a total entry of 2,622 champions in all from over 165 AKC recognized dog breeds. When not being groomed, exercised or shown, all dogs are to be displayed in their assigned bench spot, this gives the public aisle upon aisle of the best purebred dogs in the country to view. It also gives the public the chance to connect with breeders, most of whom are only too happy to share their knowledge of all things dog, and in particular, the wonderful attributes of their breed. In the past, this show was extended to a four day event due to it's immense popularity with the public and exhibitors alike, but currently the show has been packed into two full days of dog showing.

Presently, all dog breeds are divided into one of seven groups, including:
Toys,Non-Sporting,Sporting,Working,Herding,Terrier, and Hound. Although it may appear that dogs of different breeds are competing with each other, it is actually the judge's job to choose which of the dogs is the best representative of their breed standard. The dog who is the most turned on, moving energetically and totally in tune with his handler can't help but catch the judges eye, and usually winds up with a Group first placement.

With the awarding of the Group 1 placements, the field of over 2,500 deserving champions is narrowed down to the top 7, and from this elite company the highly coveted Best In Show dog is selected, and after a few moments of excruciating suspense, the judge presents the winning dog/handler team with a huge BIS rosette ribbon, and the Westminster show trophy.

Westminster Kennel Club - America's Dog Show

It is, quite simply, the greatest tradition in the world of dogs. For the 133rd consecutive year, the Westminster Kennel Club will once again bring together the world's very best dogs in the world's greatest sporting arena to compete for the most coveted title in the sport: Best In Show at the Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show.


It has happened every year since 1877, and once again, in 2009, some 2,522 dogs from 49 states, the District of Columbia and at least seven foreign countries will gather at America's Dog Show on February 9-10 at Madison Square Garden. Befitting its position as the oldest organization in America dedicated to the purebred dog, Westminster will extend its streak as America's second longest continuously held sporting event (behind only the Kentucky Derby).

Leading the way with the most entries are California (265) and New York (235). Rounding out the top ten states are Pennsylvania (180), New Jersey (160), Connecticut (123), Texas (117), Florida (111), Massachusetts (101), Maryland (97) and Virginia (89). Foreign entries came from Canada (74), England, Germany, Brazil, Russia, Thailand, and Mexico. However, many foreign bred dogs are entered from U.S. addresses, and in the final compilation there will be a number of additional foreign countries represented.



Labrador Retrievers have the highest entry with 47; other large entries include French Bulldogs 42, German Shorthaired Pointers 39, Golden Retrievers 37, Australian Shepherds 35, Bernese Mountain Dogs 35, Borzoi 34, Havanese 31 and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 30.

All of the 170 breeds and varieties recognized by the American Kennel Club will be represented at the show. There are 15 Dogue de Bordeaux entries, the only new breed for 2009. The Dogue de Bordeaux competes in the Working Group.

The evening competition will be televised live each night at 8 PM (ET) on USA Network. Westminster, televised since 1948, is and always has been America's most widely-watched live telecast of a dog show. In addition, streaming video of the individual breed judging highlights is posted on the Westminster Web site for viewing within two hours of the completion of judging. In 2008, Web site visitors viewed 1.4 million streaming video clips and logged 11.4 million page views.

Breeds and varieties in the Hound, Terrier, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups will be benched and judged during the day on Monday, with Group competition that evening. On Tuesday, breeds and varieties in the Sporting, Working and Toy Groups will be benched and judged, with judging of those Groups and Best In Show to be held Tuesday evening.

The breed judging schedule will be posted on www.westminsterkennelclub.org when finalized.

Best In Show will be judged by Ms. Sari Brewster Tietjen of Rhinebeck, NY. She heads a panel of 38 judges from 17 states and Canada.

Group judges will be Mr. Robert Ennis of Angola, NY (Sporting); Mrs. Patricia V. Trotter of Carmel, CA (Hound); Mrs. Paula Nykiel of Washington, MO (Working); Mr. Peter Green of Bowmansville, PA (Terrier); Mr. Fred Bassett of Broken Arrow, OK (Toy); Mrs. Charlotte Patterson of Destin, FL (Non-Sporting); and Mr. Robert Slay of Cary, NC (Herding). Mr. Edmund Dziuk of Columbia, MO will judge the Junior Showmanship Finals.

Entries for 2009 (subject to final audit):

Sporting breeds (469): Brittanys 21, Pointers 19, Pointers (German Shorthaired) 39, Pointers (German Wirehaired) 6, Retrievers (Chesapeake Bay) 23, Retrievers (Curly-Coated) 15, Retrievers (Flat-Coated) 22, Retrievers (Golden) 37, Retrievers (Labrador) 47, Retrievers (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling) 12, Setters (English) 16, Setters (Gordon) 11, Setters (Irish) 26, Spaniels (American Water) 3, Spaniels (Clumber) 12, Spaniels (Cocker) Black 10, Spaniels (Cocker) ASCOB 7, Spaniels (Cocker) Parti-Color 6, Spaniels (English Cocker) 10, Spaniels (English Springer) 27, Spaniels (Field) 6, Spaniels (Irish Water) 9, Spaniels (Sussex) 11, Spaniels (Welsh Springer) 8, Spinone Italiano 19, Vizslas 22, Weimaraners 17, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons 8.

Hound breeds (356): Afghan Hounds 27, Basenjis 15, Basset Hounds 13, Beagles (13") 11, Beagles (15") 18, Black and Tan Coonhounds 7, Bloodhounds 15, Borzoi 34, Dachshunds (Longhaired) 18, Dachshunds (Smooth) 24, Dachshunds (Wirehaired) 21, Foxhounds (American) 9, Foxhounds (English) 2, Greyhounds 11, Harriers 2, Ibizan Hounds 11, Irish Wolfhounds 11, Norwegian Elkhounds 5, Otterhounds 5, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen 11, Pharaoh Hounds 11, Plotts 3, Rhodesian Ridgebacks 24, Salukis 19, Scottish Deerhounds 6, Whippets 23.

Working breeds (407): Akitas 16, Alaskan Malamutes 15, Anatolian Shepherd Dogs 4, Bernese Mountain Dogs 35, Black Russian Terriers 15, Boxers 18, Bullmastiffs 25, Doberman Pinschers 18, Dogue de Bordeaux 15, German Pinschers 11, Giant Schnauzers 8, Great Danes 20, Great Pyrenees 13, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs 13, Komondorok 3, Kuvaszok 1, Mastiffs 28, Neapolitan Mastiffs 5, Newfoundlands 16, Portuguese Water Dogs 24, Rottweilers 29, St. Bernards 7, Samoyeds 27, Siberian Huskies 24, Standard Schnauzers 9, Tibetan Mastiffs 8.

Terriers breeds (269): Airedale Terriers 9, American Staffordshire Terriers 16, Australian Terriers 9, Bedlington Terriers 10, Border Terriers 16, Bull Terriers (Colored) 1, Bull Terriers (White) 2, Cairn Terriers 15, Dandie Dinmont Terriers 3, Fox Terriers (Smooth) 11, Fox Terriers (Wire) 12, Glen of Imaal Terriers 5, Irish Terriers 8, Kerry Blue Terriers 13, Lakeland Terriers 5, Manchester Terriers (Standard) 7, Miniature Bull Terriers 7, Miniature Schnauzers 18, Norfolk Terriers 13, Norwich Terriers 17, Parson Russell Terriers 15, Scottish Terriers 9, Sealyham Terriers 4, Skye Terriers 6, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers 6, Staffordshire Bull Terriers 14, Welsh Terriers 5, West Highland White Terriers 13.

Toy breeds (347): Affenpinschers 5, Brussels Griffons 13, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 30, Chihuahuas (Long Coat) 13, Chihuahuas (Smooth Coat) 16, Chinese Cresteds 26, English Toy Spaniels (Blenheim & Prince Charles) 3, English Toy Spaniels (King Charles & Ruby) 7, Havanese 31, Italian Greyhounds 18, Japanese Chins 15, Maltese 12, Manchester Terriers (Toy) 8, Miniature Pinschers 7, Papillons 28, Pekingese 12, Pomeranians 26, Poodles (Toy) 7, Pugs 24, Shih Tzu 14, Silky Terriers 9, Toy Fox Terriers 8, Yorkshire Terriers 15.

Non-Sporting breeds (281): American Eskimo Dogs 13, Bichon Frises 18, Boston Terriers 26, Bulldogs 14, Chinese Shar-Pei 14, Chow Chows 11, Dalmatians 16, Finnish Spitz 4, French Bulldogs 42, Keeshonden 11, Lhasa Apsos 9, Lowchen 8, Poodles (Miniature) 11, Poodles (Standard) 20, Schipperkes 14, Shiba Inu 15, Tibetan Spaniels 18, Tibetan Terriers 17.

Herding breeds (274): Australian Cattle Dogs 7, Australian Shepherds 35, Bearded Collies 16, Beauceron 6, Belgian Malinois 17, Belgian Sheepdogs 17, Belgian Tervurens 9, Border Collies 14, Bouviers des Flandres 19, Briards 13, Canaan Dogs 5, Cardigan Welsh Corgis 20, Collies (Rough) 14, Collies (Smooth) 11, German Shepherd Dogs 8, Old English Sheepdogs 17, Pembroke Welsh Corgis 11, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs 7, Pulik 7, Shetland Sheepdogs 14, Swedish Vallhund 7.

Junior Showmanship: 122

Entries by state: California 265, New York 235, Pennsylvania 180, New Jersey 160, Connecticut 123, Texas 117, Florida 111, Massachusetts 101, Maryland 97, Virginia 89, Ohio 81, Illinois 71, Michigan 64, North Carolina 63, Washington 57, Georgia 52, Colorado 45, Missouri 39, Indiana 37, Wisconsin 32, South Carolina 30, Tennessee 29, New Hampshire 28, Arizona 27, Minnesota 27, Louisiana 27, Kentucky 23, Rhode Island 19, Vermont 17, Maine 16, Delaware 16, Oregon 16, Oklahoma 15, Alabama 14, New Mexico 11, Iowa 10, Nebraska 9, Nevada 8, Kansas 7, Mississippi 7, Arkansas 5, Hawaii 5, Utah 4, West Virginia 4, Montana 2, Alaska 2, South Dakota 2, Idaho 1, Wyoming 1. Others: District of Columbia 4, Canada 74, Brazil 4, Germany 2, England 1, Mexico 1, Russia 1, Thailand 1.

Canada's Largest Pet Show

Updates on the 2009 show.

- Visit the Canadian Kennel Club's Dog Demonstration Ring and see Some Ruff Competition's North American Flyball Association sanctioned flyball tournament sponsored by Global & Ryan's Pet Foods! Also host to the Parade of Breeds sponsored by Your Dog Companion DVD, and the Good Guys Carting Dogs.

- Royal Canin Championship Cat Show sanctioned by the Canadian Cat Association. Multiple competition rings provide non-stop action each day.

- Meet Dr. Stanley Coren (Sat 1-4 & Sun 1-2) The world-renowned dog behavior expert & best selling author of "Good Dog" on the Pet Network has been featured on Oprah, Larry King, Dateline and many others...

- Interact with over 30 purebred dogs, breeders and breed club members in Breeder's Row sponsored by Your Dog Companion DVD

- Centre Stage sponsored by Milk-Bone - featuring the Doggie Q Fashion Show, sponsored by Ren's Pets Depot, the Royal Canin Parade of Pedigreed Cats, and the Reptile Show.

- Visit the Cesar booth and have your picture taken with Maggie from 12-4pm daily.

- Time and Patience Dog Training seminars and certified trainers will be on hand to answer your questions.

- Pet Adoption - Adoption specialists will be on hand to help you find that perfect family pet.

- The World of Reptiles - hosted by The Reptile Store.

- The exotic sounds and beautiful colours await you in the World of Birds.

- Shop from over 170 exhibitors with Great Show Specials.

Come and join us at the All About Pets Show! A true pet lover's paradise dedicated to promoting the responsible ownership of pets. We are proud to deliver to our exhibitors and visitors a first class, consumer pet show.

Luxury Pet Products for your business

The customer to target for your business is currently shopping at Dolce & Gabanna, Armani, Gucci, Luis Vuitton and Chanel to name a few. Luxury pet products continue to add more profit margin to businesses due to price point and the type of client that a luxury product attracts.


The retail luxury sector continues to see accelerated growth with Neimans, Nordstroms, etc. all reporting significant increases over last year and many exceeding targeted expectations. The demand for luxury in all categories is projected to increase . This trend carries into the pet industry with a growing demand for interesting designs, fabrications and style. The customer that is buying from key designers such as Dolce & Gabanna, Armani, Chanel, Luis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Ralph Lauren, Versace, YSL and Gucci are all clients that buy because of what the brand represents. Style, design, sophisticated taste level and recognition in the marketplace. This is the customer that represents the true luxury market.

The luxury sector of the pet industry has been targeted as a category with the most growth. True luxury products are beginning to surface in the pet industry due to the trend in the marketplace and the increase in consumer demand. Pet carriers are a prime example. Two years ago, the highest price point on many websites for a pet carrier was $199.00. Now, the category has grown due to demand with price points now from $400 - $900.00+. The requirements of dog carriers today are for style, fashion, Italian Leather, quality hardware and workmanship in the construction of the bag. Carriers are now doubling as a handbag as well as a dog carrier. This has resulted in the need to raise the standards on pet carriers to accommodate the luxury client. Fashion, quality, function have now become synonymous with what a pet carrier must represent.

While carrying a more expensive line in a boutique may appear to be risky, what needs to be assessed is the amount of profits that selling luxury items can bring. If a luxury carrier retails for $900.00 and the wholesale is $450.00, a profit of around $300 - $400 depending on a stores’ overhead costs can result from the sale of one bag. At a retail price point of $200.00, that has a wholesale of $100.00, 3-4 bags would need to sell to achieve the same type of profits that a luxury bag will earn. In addition, the following are what a luxury customer can do for your store.

1. The luxury customer is more affluent. Therefore, the client has more disposable income to spend on other items in the Boutique.

2. The profile of a luxury customer is often one that purchases the complete ensemble. This means increased sales on matching collars and leashes for the bags along with clothing for the dog.

3. The customer is continually one that wants to be updated. Therefore, he/she will welcome the phone call when new items arrive. Keeping in mind that the true luxury customer is not concerned with price. When it comes to buying for themselves or for their beloved pets, price is never an issue. It’s always about styling and quality.

4. A boutiques’ buying strategy must always be to look for those items that create the "wow" factor. This means that items should never be merchandised in mass quantity but merchandised so that it becomes an absolute "must have" for the customer. The item must make a statement on its own.

5. Merchandise should always be rotated with different styles featured daily. The more movement that takes place in a store will create a newness and freshness thereby driving clients into the store.

Take the time to study the luxury customer. What their lifestyle entails. Two to three homes, travel schedules, professional careers, likes, dislikes, where they currently shop, what they wear, what kind of watch they wear, what kind of shoes and what designers they like the most. All of the above must be translated to each employee in the store so that everyone recognizes what the customer expects. Training will be key.

Believe in the products that are purchased, train the team on understanding the customer and build confidence through product knowledge and training. Doing so will translate to increased sales in the business and increased profits.

Rhode Island Pet Show

Osborne/Jenks Productions, Inc. produces the largest and most popular consumer pet shows on the East Coast. This pet show series is a dynamic showcase of pet products & pet services, as well as a wide variety of rare and beautiful animals.


Pet lovers look forward to our annual events for a great, fun-filled family time! Not only will you see purebred dogs and cats, but also meet dozens of shelter and rescue groups, hoping to find loving homes for lovable "pound pups" and "kennel kitties".

Plus shop for exotic, one-of-a-kind pet products and crafts, and learn more about the many pet services available in your area.

March 14-15, 2009
Rhode Island Pet Show, TICA Cat Show & Rare Dog Show
Rhode Island Convention Center - Providence, RI

The Rhode Island Pet Show, sponsored by PETCO Animal Supplies and the PETCO Foundation, is located at the beautiful Rhode Island Convention Center. The Pet Show is an incredibly popular and worthwhile event. Rhode Island's love of animals certainly shows judging by the numbers of people who come back year after year to enjoy all the fun and interesting aspects of this show.

Pet Fashion Week Spring Show Canceled

Pet Fashion Week New York, well known for its annual luxury pet-industry trade show in August, canceled a second show it had planned for February 2009.

“We’re just not getting the interest we were expecting,” said trade-show director Derek DiFante. “Rather than do something that’s not up to our standards, we think it’s best to step back from it.”

The show, planned for February 8-9, had attracted between 50 and 60 exhibitors, DiFante said, which was below the number expected. The fall show, planned for August 22 and 23, will proceed as scheduled, he said.

Shortly before the cancellation was announced, Alexa Cach, a co-founder of the show, reported she had resigned in October from her post as executive director, citing creative differences. Cach and Mario DiFante (Derek DiFante’s father) founded Pet Fashion Week New York in 2006.

While Derek DiFante confirmed that aside from Cach, several other members of the Pet Fashion Week team have also resigned, he said the resignations in October had nothing to do with the decision in December to cancel the show.

“In fact, Alexa’s primary function was as runway show director,” he said. “When we planned the February show, we had already decided from day one that we weren’t going to do a runway show.”

DiFante said the team members who left had varying degrees of participation with the company, ranging from internships to part-time and full-time employment.

He said there was a “fundamental difference” in views regarding the direction of the company, which resulted in some employees believing their interests would be better served elsewhere.

“I think we got heavily into the fashion aspect of the industry, and I think some people forget we work in the pet industry, not the fashion industry,” he said.

“We just have very different ideas of how the company should be run and where the company should go,” Cach said. “It’s like a marriage. When you get to that point, it’s just better you go your separate ways.”

DiFante attributed the lack of response to the spring-show idea to the United States’ economic crisis.

“The economy is what it is,” he said. “I think 2009 and 2010 might be a couple of years where you see some turnover in the industry. What you’re seeing is growth at the top of the industry with the very high-end products and boutiques. We’re also finding that Wal-Mart, Target and your larger pet-specialty stores are getting into this market. That’s going to have an impact as well.”

Despite these changes, DiFante said, Pet Fashion Week will continue to target the high-end boutiques.

Derek DiFante said Mario DiFante will remain as executive director of the organization.