Westminster Dog Show a Tradition for the Ages

So you want your dog to be on top of the canine world? Most dog owners would settle for something a little bit less than that, but if you are one of those dog owners who truly wants to compete at the highest level, then there's only one contest worth shooting for. The Westminster Dog Show is the premier dog show in the world and it has been so for decades. Why is it this way? Only the best and brightest of the dog world are allowed in the front door. If your aspirations are to have your pooch in the running at the Westminster Dog Show, you better be sure he's on top of his game.

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, as its known in its full form, is the preeminent dog show in the world. Despite the fact that new up and coming dog shows have tried to supplant the fixture that is the Westminster show, no one has been able to even come close to matching the pageantry offered by the longstanding club. Why, you ask? Because through years and years of competitions, the one thing that has remained the same at the Westminster Dog Show is that the quality of dog on hand is of the best quality in its breed. Every February, thousands of dog aficionados set their sights on the show at Westminster, hoping to see the best kept American Kennel Club registered animals competing for best in show.

For those that consider dog grooming to be a sport, The Westminster Dog Show is one of the oldest running sporting events in the United States. The show's history dates back as far as 1877, when a group of dog breeders met regularly to discuss their animals and interests in the lobby New York's famed Westminster Hotel. Not long after, the men decided to bring the public into their show, allowing folks to view their beautiful dogs on display.

For more than 100 years, the show ran as a large dog show accommodating all breeds of dog. Over the years, as the allure of the show has grown, gaining admission into the field has become quite a feat. In the past, dog owners would hurry to ship in their application, hoping that the early entry would land a good fate. These days, online applications are the way to go and only the best dogs in the world get invited. Much like the Masters or another grand golf tournament, this event gets its fame because of the quality of competitor invited.

The Westminster Dog Show is all about tradition. Though the years have passed and some of the faces have changed, the ideals of the old boy's club that met in Westminster Hotel have not changed. To this day, the Westminster Dog Show remains as one of the few true bench shows on the dog circuit, meaning that dogs are on display even when not being judged. This, along with the quality of dog, was the true meanings for the Westminster Dog Show in 1877 and remain that way today.