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Choosing Your Perfect Pet at Meet the Breeds®

By Leslie Adatto

GET HELPFUL ADVICE WHEN CHOOSING A FAMILY PET: Meet Andy Harrison’s pet “Peeve,” a handsome Flat Coated Retriever, who will be part of Meet the Breeds®. Photo by Kim Levin Photography.

With more than 200 recognized breeds, how do you choose which dog to adopt? Hound or sporting? Terrier or shepherd? Large or small? Short or long hair?

Each year, this decision is made easier for New Yorkers when the American Kennel Club hosts Meet the Breeds® at Piers 92 and 94 in Manhattan.

There is a lot to consider when choosing a family pet, and Piers 92 and 94 will be the place to find breeds with which you might not be familiar. It is also where you can get expert advice on selecting the pet that will best suit your lifestyle.

On Saturday, February 11th, from 10:00am to 5:00pm, the public is invited to interact with more than 100 distinct dog breeds. Their owners will be on hand to answer questions. Each breed-specific booth brims with information on the origin, history, and attributes of the dog. This is the place to ask questions. Is this a good apartment dog? Is this breed aggressive with children? Does this dog require a several-mile run every day? Perhaps a dog is too much responsibility, and the independence of a cat seems more suitable. (Meet the Breeds® will also include felines.)

Concurrent with Meet the Breeds®, and on the same admission ticket, is the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster. Agility is thoroughly compelling, inspiring, and entertaining. A dog, in the ring with its trainer, races through an obstacle course; the dog with the fastest time wins. The joy and camaraderie between the owner and pet is heartwarming while the excitement of the race is heart stopping. The Masters Agility Competition takes place at Pier 94. Preliminaries occur throughout the day from 8:00am to 4:00pm.

Last year, more than 10,000 people attended the joint “Meet and Compete” event so expect crowds, wear comfortable shoes, and allow ample time. With well over 100 dog and cat breeds on display, plus the agility competition, time will zoom past faster than a whippet in an obstacle course.

Tickets are $32 for adults and $10 for children if purchased in advance. Visit the website for more information: westminsterkennelclub.org/plan-your-visit/ticket-information/.


Leslie Adatto, author of Roof Explorer’s Guide: 101 New York City Rooftops, writes about dogs, New York City rooftops, art, and architecture.

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