A Few Interesting Facts About The Famous Westminster Dog Show

By Connor Sullivan

This article will offer hsitory and information about the oldest and most famous dog show of all, The Westminster Dog Show that is held in New York City each year. This show is an event about purebred dogs that have gone through dog training NYC or dog training Philadelphia to become one of the champion dogs in their specific breed to compete in this prestigious event. Many people have seen this show which is televised nationally right after the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York at some time in their life. And no matter what your age is, the Westminster Dog Show is older.

The Westminster Kennel Club created the dog show in NYC in 1876. This year's event will be the 144th annual dog show. That makes it the second longest continuously held sporting event in the United States. The oldest sporting event is the Kentucky Derby which is only one year older than the dog show. Because of it's longevity, it has been called America's Dog Show. People, particularly Americans enjoy this huge sense of history that is tied to an event like this one and it continues to succeed in ratings as far as the popularity among Americans.

It originally started by the kennel club to gather other people who have a love and appreciation of purebred dogs and to help to bring out the absolute best in each breed which will only make them grander for the future. People actually traveled from all over by train to go to and enter their purebred canines in the earliest shows. Some of the breeds that were being shown in the beginning either do not exist now or are called by a completely different name. A lot can change over the course of 134 years after all.

Today, there are more than 2,500 various champion dogs from 173 different breeds or varieties. People in this country have long been lovers of dogs and most American households have at least one dog in it as a pet. It continues to be held in New York as it has the whole time is has existed and several years ago, the Madison Square Garden, where the show takes place, sold out completely for the two day event because of it's increasing popularity.

In order to get a dog to make it to the Westminster Dog Show, it takes an incredible amount of work from the best dog trainers in the world. Often, dogs are selected immediately from a litter to be show dogs and they live a life much like any other serious athlete. These dogs are used to competing at different levels of dog shows and fly all over the nation for the opportunity to make it to the largest event of all, The Westminster Dog Show. The ultimate prize is known as Best in Show and that is the overall best dog of the event out of the entire competition. Last year's winner was a beagle that was the first hound ever to hold this title. - 29953

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