dog shows

It's June, which means that an important animal event is just around the corner. That's right: it's the World's Ugliest Dog Contest! The parade of so-ugly-they're-cute pups will take place on June 22 in Petaluma, CA, but the contest organizers are already giving us a peek at some of the contestants. Between now and the show date, you can check out the competition and vote for your favorite. While the winner of the $1,000 prize ultimately will be determined on the contest day by a panel of judges, we're loving the lineup so far . . . and making guesses as to who will be successor to last year's champ, Yoda!

Source: Getty Images

Yesterday's best in show judging capped off four days of canine cavorting at the 2012 Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham, England. One of the largest dog events in the world, this year's Crufts saw more than 21,000 canines compete for best in show alone. But Crufts is so much more than an arena dog show: the event boasts contests for obedience, agility, flyball, cross-country, and heelwork set to music as well as demonstrations galore that showcase the breadth of roles dogs play in our lives. This year, the UK's Kennel Club introduced stringent vet checks to ensure that all best of breed contenders demonstrated only the healthiest features and constitutions. As a result, 15 breeds were disqualified from this year's competition.

In the end, it was a lovely Lhasa Apso named Elizabeth who won over the judges for the best in show prize, with second place going to Brutus, a Newfoundland from Slovakia. Ready to check out the action at this year's Crufts? Check out our slideshow!

Malachy the Pekingese has the face of a winner, and judges have thought so, too — three other times throughout the 136-year history of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. But the Pekingese's prowess as best in show pales in comparison to the English Springer Spaniel (the breed is a six-time winner), Scottish terrier (an eight-time winner), and Wirehaired Fox Terrier — the breed has won the top dog title a whopping 13 times. And Malachy's win ties the smoosh-nosed toy with seven other breeds who have also claimed the best in show title four times. Check out this roundup of all breeds who have won more than once.

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show judge Cindy Vogels had a seriously tough job last night selecting a Best in Show winner among Capi the German Shepherd, Fifi the Doberman Pinscher, Emily the Irish Setter, Ian the Dalmatian, Chelsey the Kerry Blue Terrier, Cinders the Wirehaired Dachshund, and Malachy the Pekingese. It was a nail-biter, but ultimately Malachy (Ch Palacegarden Malachy) prevailed! Hats off to this little lion of a pooch! Here at PetSugar, Malachy also earned two more prizes, edging out Emily the Irish Setter for best hair and Cinders the Wirehaired Dachshund in the best waddle category. Check out the Pekingese's larger than life trophy and more from the 136th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show!

The competition was fierce, but fortunately, the competitors were on their best behavior. Day one of the 136th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show drew a star-studded cast of characters: Tina Fey, James Bond, Ava Gardner, Giorgio Armani, and Martha Stewart . . . OK, the first four were the names of show dogs, but Martha really was there in support of her Chow Chow Genghis Khan (who won Best of Breed)! The day also saw breed and group judging for the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding categories. If you missed the live coverage online, here's a roundup of the winners in each breed!

Source: Getty Images

It was all about lofty jumps, tall updos, and high drama over the weekend at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship dog show. The AKC Agility Invitational found fleet-footed canines soaring over jumps and weaving between obstacles. Meanwhile, at the main event — the Best in Show competition — proud pups pranced and posed for the judges. The prize ultimately went home with London, the regal Standard Poodle, but after taking a look at the photos, I think you'll agree that all of these pooches deserve to go home with a trophy.

The National Dog Show is a Thanksgiving TV tradition in my house — when I win the battle of the big screen away from football, that is. Airing immediately after the Macy's parade on NBC, more than 150 breeds will compete to win best in show. This year we'll see six new AKC-recognized breeds — I've gathered pictures and facts on each one, so click through and be prepared for these furry faces.

Source: AKC