Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show: Day 1 in photos

The big daddy of American canine competitions, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, is underway at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Westminster, now in its 134th year, runs for two consecutive days. (For those who, like us, couldn't make it to New York to see it in person, the show will be televised Monday from 8 to 9 p.m. on the USA Network and from 9 to 11 p.m. on CNBC; and Tuesday from 8 to 11 p.m. on USA.)

Of course, what's a dog show without elaborately coiffed, trimmed, powdered, rubber-banded and headgear-wearing dogs of all shapes and sizes? Nothing, that's what. We've assembled some of our favorite photos from the first day of Westminster competition, from beagles to bichons frises and Chinese cresteds to Chihuahuas.

Above, a chow chow named Jackson relaxes backstage at the Garden. See more photos of the purebred set after the jump!

Above left, Tate, a 2-year-old French bulldog who traveled from Pennsburg, Pa., to compete at Westminster, waits backstage before his class is called. Right, a 5-year-old Chinese crested named Tommy, fresh from Fort Worth, Texas, prepares for the show ring.

Bingo, a 3-year-old Brussels griffon from Savannah, Ga., is groomed by Stacy Work before his class is called.

At left, a child reaches to pet an old English sheepdog backstage at Westminster. At right, judge Richard Meen examines the head of a whippet during competition.

Powder is applied to a bichon frise named Isabella in the backstage benching area.

At left, an English toy spaniel named Bouncer displays an impressive ear-wrapping job. At right, a beagle waits patiently as its paw is blow-dried.

A 2-year-old longhaired Chihuahua named Wendy, from Rosenberg, Texas, is groomed backstage.

At left, a Pembroke Welsh corgi stands on a contraption of some sort to be groomed. At right, a toy poodle named Sunny receives some finishing touches courtesy of groomer Sarah Cooper.

This Maltese isn't quite ready for its turn in the show ring yet, we'd wager. (But we're sure it'll look gorgeous when all is said and done.)

At left, a handler brings his bichon frise to the ring for competition. At right, Cathy Glenn of Shenandoah, Va., brushes an otterhound named Jackson before his class.

At the backstage -- how shall we put this delicately? -- restroom area, an Afghan hound shows off its pre-show finery. The fur on the dog's ears and legs are covered to keep it from getting dirty before its turn in the ring. The things we do for beauty!

-- Lindsay Barnett

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Photo credits, from top: Chow chow: Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images. French bulldog: Mary Altaffer / Associated Press. Chinese crested: Mary Altaffer / Associated Press. Brussels griffon: Mary Altaffer / Associated Press. Old English sheepdog: Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images. Whippet: Justin Lane / European Pressphoto Agency. Bichon frise: Justin Lane / European Pressphoto Agency. English toy spaniel: Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images. Beagle: Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images. Longhaired Chihuahua: Mary Altaffer / Associated Press. Corgi: Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images. Toy poodle: Mary Altaffer / Associated Press. Maltese: Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images. Bichon frise: Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images. Otter hound: Justin Lane / European Pressphoto Agency. Afghan hound: Mary Altaffer / Associated Press

Comments

[kelli Graves]

I am a dedicated cat person, never had a dog, but I watch this show every single year. I love it. The dogs have such grace and nobility, and also often, an endearing sense of fun. My faves are the working dogs, especially the Corgis, but I have to admit the long haired Dachshund is great too. Oh, and the mop dog, the Komondor...

[Bill]

Woof! Woof!

[CN]

If there's anything weirder than animal rights activists it's dog breeders. Creepy creepy creepy.

[gerrrg]

Such a sad face on the whippet.

[Doug Q]

I stumbled over here and am delighted that I did. Wonderful photos.

[Sherry]

The town name is spelled Shenandoah, Virginia (that's with an "a" as the second vowel), like the river and the valley. Otherwise, great pictures!!

[Lindsay Barnett, L.A. Times]

Hi Sherry, thanks so much for letting us know about the spelling error! We've corrected it and we very much appreciate your sharp eyes!

[Alex]

The "contraption" that the corgi is standing on is a little tool handlers use to teach there dog how to stack properly. Stacking is the name for how show dogs positioned on the table or the ground when they are being inspected by the judge.