Between Thursday and Sunday, 10,000 dogs of every size, shape and color descended on McCormick Place for the International Kennel Club of Chicago's annual dual show weekend. An '"benched" format made for the perfect chance to get personal with the pooches as they were meticulously groomed for their big moment. The purebred dogs competed in breed-specific bouts, with special categories for junior handlers and agility. Vendors, rescue and recreation leagues and therapy dog training groups were all in attendance, rounding out the weekend with information in addition to the accolades. more ›

While most were checking out the last day of the Chicago Auto Show, we decided to head over to the west end of McCormick Place to visit the Swans at the International Kennel Club dog show. Almost 1,000 handlers showed up with over 6,000 canines to compete for "Best in Show" and to put us in complete puppy dog overload. Dogs also competed on two different agility courses, and there were numerous booths set up to purchase plenty of indulgence items for your pampered pooch, recession be damned. more ›