The Secrets Of Human And Canine Fashion At The Westminster Dog Show

NEW YORK — “I don’t think that bitch looks fit,” a woman next to me murmurs. She’s carrying a Louis Vuitton bag, wearing Hermes riding boots, and speaking, of course, about one of the three female Cane Corsos still in the ring.

It’s not exactly an unwarranted thing for her to say;  she does have a dog in this fight. Two, to be precise. The two fitter bitches both belong to her. With the way the judge has physically sorted the field, it’s clear that a male is about to be picked Best of Breed, and that means the likelihood of one of her dogs winning Best of Opposite (the award given to the best dog of the opposite sex) is pretty high.

Like many of the women around me, the Cane Corso owner is wearing a tweed suit. As I’ve learned from many handlers over the course of two days, those suits speak to the prestige, perfectionism, and traditionalism of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. It matters if the bitch is fit because that’s the name of the game. Sure, many of these dogs are born perfect; high-level breeders can often tell from puppyhood if a dog has potential to become showready. They have to be champions just to get to Westminster. But in order to stand out here, at the “Super Bowl of Dog Shows,” the dogs need every edge they can get: a freshly cleaned coat that is maintained every few minutes, flawless posture, and, yes, a handler that has strategized their outfit around the canine they’ll be presenting.