More than 2,800 dogs — and a few pedigreed cats — will share the spotlight at this year’s Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York, which runs Feb. 11, 13 and 14.
In recent years, the show has expanded beyond traditional breed judging by adding agility and obedience competitions and a non-competitive “meet the breeds” event.
This year’s “meet the breeds” event will include some really rare breeds for a dog show: pedigreed cats. Felines were featured when the event was held separately from Westminster a few years ago, but their return this year gives them a chance to share the spotlight of the 140-year-old dog show.
“The club has maintained its traditions while expanding to accommodate an ever-changing, dog-loving public,” Westminster spokeswoman Gail Miller Bisher.
Three new breeds will compete at the show this year:
The pumi is a winsome but hardworking Hungarian herding dog.
The sloughi is a swift and ancient African hound.
And the American hairless terrier is a playful, compact canine developed from rat terriers in the American South in the 1970s. While some people might do double-takes at hairless dogs, “I actually just like unusual things,” says Sue Medhurst of Stafford, Va., who is planning to show the allergy-friendly dogs at Westminster.
Breeds qualify for the show once they are recognized by the American Kennel Club. Criteria include having several hundred dogs of the breed nationwide.
Some animal-rights advocates oppose dog breeding and stress that many mixed-breed dogs need adoption.
But the AKC says conscientious breeding helps people find pets with traits that suit their lifestyle, so they can make a lasting match.
