Western Pa. Represented on upcoming Westminster Dog Show

Declan wants his own cheering section when he hits the show ring on Tuesday to compete in Westminster Dog Show.

The 4-year-old Golden Retriever will help his owner/trader Megan Ash from North Huntingdon reach a goal in the process.

“This has always been on my bucket list to go, but going and showing your dog is a dream,” she said.

Several local canines are set to compete in the 149th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City, which opens with agility and obedience this weekend. Race and group competitions start Monday, and the best in show winner is expected to be announced on Tuesday night.

Pennsylvania has the second most dogs competing with 178 records, after California, which has 191, according to Westminster Kennel Club. Dachshund leads with the most items at 52, followed by poodles of all sizes with 44.

In preparation, Ash said she kept Declan’s routine as normal as possible. It included therapy dog ​​tasks at Franklin Regional Middle School Friday. She has taken Golden Retrievers for shows and competitions around the country for more than 25 years, but it will be her first time at Westminster.

“We’re just going and we have to live at the moment,” she said. “We just want to enjoy and be grateful. It’s like the Super Bowl of Dog Shows. It is the most prestigious show in the whole country. “

Declan wants fierce competition – there are 38 Golden Retrievers registered to compete in Westminster Dog Show, most in the sporting group. His registered name is ladies, I hope you dance.

Ash said she wants to be one of the few owner/handler there with a dog of that breed so she is proud of her results.

Another Westminster first-hour, Rachel Tyras from South Fayette, takes a sparkling pink clothes to wear in the ring Monday and grilled chicken to toxin, her 2-year-old Beauceron.

Tyras said she came across Beaucerons, a lesser known race in the herd group while she was on a dog show with her border collie and fell in love with them. Thirteen Beaucerons are competing in Westminster.

“Sometimes Beaucerons may be kind of remote, but he’s more like a golden retriever,” she said.

They have prepared themselves with regular handling courses so that toxin trips through the ring and are properly on their own to be convicted. His registered name is the Eagle Valley tendency for violence.

“Since he was a puppy, we have done lots of socialization and education to accept being investigated by judges,” Tyras said. “Toxin enjoys it all, but I also give him lots of chicken to attend.”

Jo Ann Evans and her 4-year-old Alaskan Malamute Brio are Westminster veterans, they have been competing there for the past two years. The racing standard dictates that an Alaskan Malamute in the working group should be shown in its natural form, but it takes a lot of work with a double coat – about four hours of it from Bath to show Ring, Evans from Richland said.

BRIO competes on Tuesday against seven other Alaskan Malamutes under registered name Edgends Allegro Con Brio.

“What gets him most excited is his show collar,” Evans said.

For her, these are the hours spent together in preparation.

“It’s my de-stress time,” she said. “You can turn off your brain and tie with your dog.”