Westminster Dog Show: Chinese breeds amongst top contenders

World
Europe

As the year of the dog approaches, let's have some news on man's best friend. Dog breeders and owners from around the world are putting their best feet and paws forward in a bid to win the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog show in New York City. Among the contenders will be a pack of Chinese breeds. CGTN's Karina Huber has more.

It's show time for the world's top dogs. Almost 3,000 of them among roughly 120 breeds are being primped and primed to compete for the number one prize. It's a truly international affair.

This two-year old bulldog named Demon was born in Argentina and raised in the United States. He won best of breed at Westminster last year. As is common in the industry - he is co-owned by two people - a woman who lives in Korea and another in the U.S.

MARCIE BASSETT CO-OWNER OF BULLDOG "We are bulldog people. And it's a wonderful way to spend quality time with your dog doing something you love in the breed that you love."

KARINA HUBER NEW YORK "Dog owners spend a lot of money - sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars - for the chance to win Westminster's top prize - Best in Show. Winning is more about prestige and breeding opportunities than anything else. The top prize comes without any monetary compensation but it does bring tons of exposure to a dog."

The breed that has won the most best in shows is the wire fox terrier. It has taken home the top prize 13 times since Westminster was first staged in 1877.

Among Chinese dogs, the Pekingese has won more than any other. Emerging in western China more than 2000 years ago, it was the companion dog of Buddhist monks. It has four best in shows.

Another popular Chinese dog - the pug - won in 1981. It was once a favorite among Chinese emperors and is best known for its pushed in nose and bulging eyes.

JANET MCLAUGHLIN PUG BREEDER "You have to watch for eye abrasions and you don't take them running at high noon and humidity. So, other than that there really a sturdy little breed and they've a great sense of humour and a lot of fun."

A more domineering breed is the Chow Chow - once used as temple guards in Mongolia. Known for its purple tongue, it is often referred to as the puffy-lion dog and like the lion it can be a fierce protector.

LINDA ALBERT CHOW CHOW BREEDER "They had to protect the castle. I think it was Genghis Khan that had over a thousand of them - in his army. Right now, they just hunt to the refrigerator. That's as far as they go."

A chow chow has yet to win a best in show. Another Chinese dog - the Shih Tzu is among the top 20 most popular breeds in America but it has failed to snag the top prize at Westminster.

And what about the Chinese Crested Dog Beloved by many, it too has never won a best in show but it HAS won several world's ugliest dog contests - something owner Cindy Kumpfbeck isn't too bothered about.

CINDY KUMPFBECK CHINESE CRESTED OWNER "To be fair, any dog who has no teeth at some point and has bad skin is going to look ugly to other people. And to be fair, many of those dogs are mixed breed Chinese crested so they're not as pretty as ours."

Which will be the fairest of all is up to one judge - and she will make her decision on Tuesday when the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show comes to an end. Karina Huber, CGTN, New York.