The 2021 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is happening this weekend, June 12-13, in Tarrytown, NY! On this week’s episode of the Good Dog Pod, host Laura Reeves is joined by Allison Alexander, who has been an All-Breed Professional Handler for over 30 years. She is also the founder of the Leading Edge Dog Show Academy. 

What has changed about Westminster this year? Westminster is usually held in February in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, it is being held in Tarrytown on the historic Lyndhurst Estate. In addition, the number of dog shows that usually happen across the country were reduced from several thousands to a few hundred. The new show date and scarcity of dog shows means that Westminster this year will be extra exciting because of the potential for surprise contenders! 

What are some reasons that this year’s show has the opportunity to be one of the best yet? The first reason that comes to mind for Allison and Laura is the Best in Show Judge, the renowned Patricia Craig Trotter. Trotter has been breeding, showing, and judging dogs for seven decades. Her presence in the show ring is highly anticipated, and is a sign that this will be an iconic year for Westminster. Another reason is that four new breeds have been introduced to Westminster - the Barbet, Biewer Terrier, Belgian Laekenois, and Dogo Argentino. Find out more information about them here. 

What breeds and dogs do Allison and Laura have their eyes on? Both believe that there are some exemplary dogs in the Samoyed, Irish Setter, English Springer Spaniel, and Lagotto Romagnolo breeds. They are also paying close attention to the Toy Group, namely the Pekingese and Havanese breeds. However, with so many changes this year, it’s hard even for the two experts to predict which dogs have the best shot at Best in Show.

What is the schedule for this weekend? On Saturday, June 12, we will see the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding Groups. On Sunday, June 13, we will see the Sporting, Working, Terrier Groups, and finally Best in Show. This weekend will be broadcasted on the FOX network. Check out the Westminster website for more information on the schedule and broadcasting.

Despite all the changes to Westminster this year, Allison and Laura believe that the fact that the show is happening in June instead of the typical February poses a unique timeline for the world of dog shows, with Westminster now being an opportunity to say hello to new dogs instead of only bidding goodbye to retiring ones. 

*Allison mistakenly stated that the Pekingese is of Japanese origin; we recognize that the breed is actually of Chinese origin.

Will you be attending Westminster 2021? Join us for a Breeder Appreciation Party on Friday, June 11th. The event will be outdoors, at Hudson Anchor Rooftop in Tarrytown, NY. There will be free food, drinks, live music and giveaways. And better yet: dogs are welcome! Make sure to pre-register at: https://bit.ly/3f9fwGr and follow our Facebook Event for the latest updates!