NEW YORK –– Thousands of dogs are taking part in the 2026 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which began Saturday with an agility competition and runs through Tuesday evening when the Best in Show is selected.
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Thousands of dogs are taking part in the 2026 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which began Saturday with an agility competition and runs through Tuesday evening when the Best in Show dog is selected
“The whole world is here,” said Karri Meyers, while prepping her English toy spaniel nicknamed “Bam Bam” for the competition
As part of the competition, dogs compete against others of the same breed
Those rounds are followed by finals for each of the seven categories – hound, toy, non-sporting, herding, sporting, working and terrier – and winners of each face off to be crowned the Best in Show on Tuesday night
“The whole world is here,” said Karri Meyers, while prepping her English toy spaniel nicknamed “Bam Bam” for the competition. “There’s people from Thailand, there’s people from Spain, from all over the world and all over the country.”
A longtime figure skating coach from Spring Lake, New Jersey, Meyers said her dog, whose full name is Barri Please Klear the Ice Favorite Dog, is himself originally from Ukraine.
Tom Clement from Liberty Hill, Texas, was showing Ringo, a Biewer terrier, on Monday.
“We really like coming here,” Clement said. “It’s kind of like our vacation.”
Meanwhile, Andrew Giangreco from Acushnet, Massachusetts, brought Buca, a cane corso, to the event.
“We’ve been enjoying the city, walking around, sniffing all of the things we can, eating some food and meeting people along the way,” Giangreco said, adding that Buca’s New York snack of choice was pizza crust.
As part of the competition, dogs compete against others of the same breed. Those rounds are followed by finals for each of the seven categories — hound, toy, nonsporting, herding, sporting, working and terrier — and winners of each face off to be crowned the Best in Show.
Several attendees said the festivities also offered the chance to enjoy New York City.
Debbie Cowperthwait from south Jersey traveled with her French bulldog, Auggie, to the show, which is marking its 150th year.
She said she and her pup have been enjoying the city.
“Looking at lights at night in the buildings, it’s just an amazing site to see if you’ve never been to the city,” she said.
Among attendees were Pam and Tom Joyce from Washington, North Carolina, who brought their 3-year-old dalmatian, Spencer Jo.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Pam Joyce said Monday. “Spencer Jo is enjoying the city streets. She’s been enjoying walking around and seeing her gray city chickens, which are pigeons.”
She added with a laugh that the pigeons are “very smart” and fly away before the pup gets too close.