Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Tickets

The fuzziest event on television, The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was first held on May 8, 1877. Back then there used to be some pretty cheap tickets - it only cost two dollars to enter the show. Can you imagine scoring such cheap Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show tickets today? It's the second-longest continuously held sporting event, just behind the Kentucky Derby by a year. 2016 marks the 140th show of two days of fierce competition. Over these two days in February, a series of purebred breeds are paraded around hoping to be the best in their group, and eventually Best In Show. Best In Show has only been offered since 1907. The first-ever winner was the Smooth Fox Terrier named Ch. Warren Remedy. She went on to win the next two shows as well, and remains the only dog to ever win three times in a row.

They're judged based on the breed's standards. This is things like general appearance, movement, temperament and then specific details like coat color, height and weight, eye color and tail among other minute characteristics. There are seven groups of dogs that are judged: Sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting and herding. Since it's inception, there have been 173 different breeds of dogs and 2,500 in Madison Square Garden, in New York City.

Over the years, special categories have been included in the show to recognize outstanding dogs. In 1910, a class was offered for the Fire Department Dalmatians. It was won by Mike of Engine Company 8 of 51st Street. Then in 1917, the show recognized World War I hero, Filax of Lewanno - a German Shepard who brought 54 wounded soldiers to safety. In 2009, ten year old Sussex Spaniel named Stump became the oldest dog in show history to win Best In Show.This was so exciting for senior citizens that they featured him on the cover of AARP Magazine.

This show is very serious for the dog owners and judges, but for everyone else it's just good plain fun. Audiences have to be relatively subdued so they don't distract the dogs too much, but you get to watch them prancing around and doing some of their best tricks for the judges. Being at this show is a real treat for dog lovers everywhere. It's incredibly special to see the moments the dogs and owners share, even if they didn't win a ribbon. After all, who could be mad at an irresistible wag of a tail or lick on the cheek from man's best friend? Don't be caught begging for Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show tickets, pick some up before they run out!