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Dogs Just Wanna Have Fun At The 2010 IKC Dog Shows

By Veronica Murtagh in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 2, 2010 6:00PM

The participants of the IKC Dog Shows may have been bred for competition, but they were quick to remind everyone in attendance that they were also companions, full of energy, personality and their own individual, unique quirks.

Midway through the afternoon, we met "Tom", a stately and immaculately groomed Briard. Tom sat atop his table in front of a handmade sign that read, "My name is Tom. I am shy. Please pet me." Socialization is an important trait for a show dog, and we were quick to do our part towards bringing Tom out of his shell. Tom's shy side gaze and apprehension quickly turned to trust and he won the hearts of everyone who stopped at his table through on cue paw shakes, a goofy personality and plenty of face licking.

Tom was only one of the many dogs we encountered who proved outside the pomp and circumstance of the ring, show dogs are just like any other dog. For the second (and final) part of our series on the IKC Dog Shows, the competitors take off their game faces and show us how they have fun.

And the results are in, Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream, a Boxer from Aptos, California, takes the Best In Show title for Saturday, February 27 and PALACEGARDEN MALACHY, a Pekingese from East Berlin, Pennsylvania, takes the title for Sunday, February 28.