At the Westminster Dog Show,dogs are royalty.
Humans are but their loyal, sometimes frantic, attendants.
Its older than theSuper Bowl, theUS Open(both tennis and golf), and the World Series.
Janita Plunge poses with Pomeranians Pranciškus and Burgundija. “I have good dogs,” she says. “But style? This is my life.”
This month Monty the giant schnauzer won the top prize.
The floor of the arena was a swirl of activity.
There were towering Great Danes, tiny, trembling Chihuahuas, and every shape of fluff in between.
But in the ring?
In the ring it was all serious focus.Glamourspoke to several women who invited us inside their world.
She might not seem like it right now; she’s in serious mode.
But at home she loves to play around in the mud.
She likes to get as dirty as possible.
She loves playing with other dogs.
She loves to hang out with the kids.
Shes a great dog.
Howd you get into this?So Im a third generation greyhound breeder.
My grandmother started with Afghan hounds, actually.
How long does it take to groom Remedy?She takes me a long time.
Full bath, full dry, full trimmingits about six hours.
Whats one thing you wish more people knew about this world?Its about the dogs.
People want to say were not nice to them, but theyre spoiled rotten dogs.
They have a really good life.
I want to be a show dog.
Austyn Dinda and Tika the dalmatian
Describe Tika in three words.Cuddly, sweet, and emotional.
Shes really successful and kind of taught me how to do everything, and I just kept doing it.
Ive been showing dogs for five years now, dalmatians.
I work for a professional handler who has a bunch of breeds, but thats my favorite breed.
My feet always hurt every day.
My feet hurt right now.
Some people wear sneakers, but most of the professionals dont.
The dogs love this, and they think its their job.
Now Ive had five.
I have Palmers mom and dad at home.
So I said, Ill fix em.
And now I have about six kilts and we dress up a lot all the time.
This is a Scotland commemorative 2000 plaid tartan.
Whats one thing you wish more people knew about this world?Just that the dogs are happy.
If theyre not happy, theyre not going to show or perform.
Theyre going to look sad.
These guys are happy and having a good time.
They love all the attention.
Courtney Penner and Jerry the pug
Describe Jerry in three words.Wild, comical, and handsome.
Howd you get into this?When I was three years old, I started showing.
My mom bred pugs, actually.
With Jerry, I have a go at either wear black or something colorful.
Whats one thing you wish people knew about this world?That its not just time in the ring.
We see these guys at home and on the couch and everywhere else, and theyre pretty special.
Sarah Krickeberg and Landry the Shetland sheepdog
Describe Landry in three words.Best day ever.
He never has a bad day.
You always are smiling when youre around him.
Howd you get into this?Im 46, and my grandmother did it, so Im third generation.
I started showing when I was a little girl.
What do you wish more people knew about this world?That its not just about pageantry.
Its about camaraderie and athleticism.
Shes named after Trixie Mattel.
Howd you get into this?I have been showing dogs for over 20 years.
I started with Australian shepherds.
I was in 4-H, starting from nine, and I showed a variety of animals.
My mom was always really into dog shows.
We would go when I was little, just as spectators.
It was kind of one of those no-brainer things where shes like, Well, what about showing dogs?
She let me choose the breed, and cresteds were not the breed I chose.
I started with Aussies and did that up until maybe just a couple years ago.
They just melded so nicely, and it was really fun.
Whats something you wish more people knew about this world?That it is a community sport.
I got into it because of my mom.
He just oozes favorite things.
The face, the feet, the ears.
Harlan loves to snuggle on the bed.
He loves life, loves people, and he loves to be the center of attention.
I know it doesnt look like hes excited, but he really is.
How long have you been doing this?My whole life.
My husband and I have as well.
Whats something you wish more people knew about the dog world?That its a lot of time.
Its a lot of effort that goes into this.
I actually get to do both [judging and showing].
When you judge Junior Showmanship, you are able to also compete because its a non-regular class.
So I am actually a professional handler.
I show dogs for clients, and I also get to judge juniors from time to time.
Whats something you wish more people knew about this world?Dog showing is very fun.
Its definitely a different world here, but its a great family sport and community-based.
Everybody knows everybody, and its a good time.
