SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (CBS) — The Great American Dog Show kicked off Friday at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center – with everything a dog owner could want.
The event featured competitions, family-friendly activities, and tips for dog owners – among many other offerings. On Friday alone, a kids' corner and special events, a display of tricks and specialty demonstrations, and a new Great American Puppy Show were among the offerings.
Also on the agenda Friday was a grooming show, in which judges examined the dogs in profile from a distance, and examined all the dogs with a comb to make sure their coats were evenly spaced and everything was perfectly finished.
The judge also checked to ensure when the dogs moved, nary a hair fell out of place.
Kat Early is an international grooming competitor – and she said a groomer can get started competing anytime, regardless of experience.
“I started competing after I'd been grooming for 11 months, and there are groomers up here who have been competing for 15 years, so it's entirely up to you when you start,” she said.
A Best in Show competition was also held late Friday afternoon. As 25-year veteran dog show judge Christine Calcinari explained, judges in a Best in Show competition examine every characteristic of each dog breed coinciding with certain standards – including gait, heads, shapes of heads, bites, how the dogs move, and in particular their coats.
For the Friday competition, a 4-year-old female German shepherd named Mercedes won Best in Show. Mercedes' handler, Kent Boyles, said she had already won as the top German shepherd in the country last year – and has been traveling all around to dog shows across the U.S. and Canada.
Boyles said becoming a show dog handler came to him naturally when he was growing up.
“I was dog nuts as a kid, and then was always a real fan of German shepherds – so at 15, I got my first purebred dog and then went to work for the breeder, who I wanted to learn from, and he had some dogs out with professional handlers being shown and trained, so I just kind of gravitated right towards that,” said Boyles.
From bedazzled collars to fluffy toys, there was something for everyone and every critter at the show too. Scott Pfeil, president of the Great American Dog Show, called the retail portion of the show “shopping-palooza.”
Vendors at the retail portion of the show include Fuzzywumpets, an Illinois dog collar maker.
“You're not finding this in some regular store. You need to come to an event like this,” Pfeil said. “They're beautiful. Look how much bling is in here.”
The vendors also included beautiful custom-made items for dogs, and an assortment of gourmet treats for canines from all over the country. Pet boarders and insurance providers were also set up as vendors at the show.
The Great American Dog Show will continue from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for kids, and $20 for seniors and members of the military. Parking is free.
Two more Best in Show competitions are planned at the Great American Dog Show for Saturday and Sunday.
