138th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

From tiny Chihuahuas to 100-pound (45-kg) Old English Sheepdogs, nearly 3,000 dogs and their handlers will hit the competition floor in New York on Monday for the opening of the two-day 138th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

This year's edition of the prestigious event, which features pure-breed dogs such as the feathery Cocker Spaniel and the playful Labrador Retriever, is expected to be the largest staging since 1990. It will stretch across two New York sites, with initial rounds of judging at a pier along the Hudson River and finals at Madison Square Garden, normally the site of basketball games and concerts.

There will be 190 different breeds and varieties represented in the show by 2,845 expected contestants this year, said Westminster spokesman David Frei. (AP)

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