Backstage at Westminster

We went backstage at the Westminster Kennel Club to find out about the grooming, trends at what it takes be a Westminster Dog.

From competing in 150 dog shows a year to training a show dog to stand on grooming pegs called “Happy Legs,” Westminster dog show participants are a highly dedicated bunch. As one handler says, “It’s really a labor of love.”

With the cameras, crowds, and tough competition, this is one nerve wracking show, one enthusiast shares. The only way to get through it all is to focus on the stars of the show, the dogs.

“The handler is only as good as the dog,” says Gabriel Rangel, handler of 2010’s Westminster Dog Show winner Sadie, the Scottish Terrier. “You take care of the dogs and they’ll take care of you,” Rangel says.