--- title: Westminster Dog Show: Behind the Scenes description: If you're a fan of dogs — and frankly, who isn't — The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is like Christmas in February. canonical: https://time.com/5156211/westminster-dog-show/ author: Kim Bubello article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-02-13T19:08:52.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:46:22.233Z og:title: These Photos of Westminster Dogs Getting the Star Treatment Are Exactly What You Need Today og:description: Go behind the scenes at the world's most famous dog show og:url: https://time.com/5156211/westminster-dog-show/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt03c6ab7b7cbb8ad1/6989275d0a4a22844a9d1bfe/westminster-dog-show-dogs-new-york-01.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2405 og:image:height: 1353 og:image:alt: Jambo, a Briard breed, is groomed in the benching area on Day One of competition at the Westminster Kennel Club 142nd Annual Dog Show in New York og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: These Photos of Westminster Dogs Getting the Star Treatment Are Exactly What You Need Today twitter:description: Go behind the scenes at the world's most famous dog show twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt03c6ab7b7cbb8ad1/6989275d0a4a22844a9d1bfe/westminster-dog-show-dogs-new-york-01.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # These Photos of Westminster Dogs Getting the Star Treatment Are Exactly What You Need Today > Sponsored content. 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The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. by [Kim Bubello](https://time.com/author/kim-bubello/) and [Alex Fitzpatrick](https://time.com/author/alex-fitzpatrick/) Feb 13, 2018 7:08 PM UTC  Jambo, a Briard breed, is groomed in the benching area on Day One of competition at the Westminster Kennel Club 142nd Annual Dog Show in New York, on Feb. 12, 2018. Jambo, a Briard breed, is groomed in the benching area on Day One of competition at the Westminster Kennel Club 142nd Annual Dog Show in New York, on Feb. 12, 2018. Shannon Stapleton—Reuters by [Kim Bubello](https://time.com/author/kim-bubello/) and [Alex Fitzpatrick](https://time.com/author/alex-fitzpatrick/) Feb 13, 2018 7:08 PM UTC If you’re a fan of dogs — and frankly, who isn’t — The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is like Christmas in February. Breeds of all shapes, sizes and colors strut their stuff, all in hopes of being named Best in Show. But the real treat at the Westminster Dog Show happens behind the scenes, where the dogs get primped and polished before making their big entrances. Thankfully, plenty of photographers are on hand at Westminster to take you back stage, delivering adorable images of dogs getting groomed to look their best and wow the judges. Here are some of our favorite images of Westminster Dog Show contestants getting the star treatment, including Biggie the Pug, who won the 2018 toy group.  Jambo, a Briard breed, is groomed in the benching area on Day One of competition at the Westminster Kennel Club 142nd Annual Dog Show in New York, on Feb. 12, 2018. Shannon Stapleton—Reuters  A Maltese waits in the benching area on Day One of competition at the Westminster Kennel Club 142nd Annual Dog Show in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. Timothy A. Clary—AFP/Getty Images  A Toy Poodle waits in the benching area during Day One of competition at the Westminster Kennel Club 142nd Annual Dog Show in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. Timothy A. Clary—AFP/Getty Images  Divin the Afghan Hound yawns while sitting backstage in the grooming area at the 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at The Piers in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. Drew Angerer—Getty Images  Handler Diego Garcia and his Pomeranian wait in the benching area on Day One of competition at the Westminster Kennel Club 142nd Annual Dog Show in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. Timothy A. Clary—AFP/Getty Images  Esteban Farias shows Biggie, a pug, in the ring during the Toy group competition during the 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Mary Altaffer—AP/Shutterstock  A Bergamasco Sheep Dog is groomed backstage at the 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at The Piers in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. Drew Angerer—Getty Images  Winston the Norfolk Terrior is groomed backstage at the 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at The Piers in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. Drew Angerer—Getty Images  A dog competing in the 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. Atilgan Ozdil—Anadolu Agency/Getty Images  Two Irish Wolfhounds sleep in the grooming area at the 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at The Piers in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. Drew Angerer—Getty Images  A Chow Chow waits in the benching area during Day One of competition at the Westminster Kennel Club 142nd Annual Dog Show in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. Timothy A. Clary—AFP/Getty Images  An Old English Sheepdog named 'Champion Haystacks Montgomery Spartan General' is groomed for competition as a woman gets a hair cut in the background during the 2018 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York, on Feb. 12, 2018. Justin Lane—EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock  A Chinese crested dog waits in the benching area on Day One of competition at the Westminster Kennel Club 142nd Annual Dog Show in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. Timothy A. Clary—AFP/Getty Images  A dog competing in the 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. Atilgan Ozdil—Anadolu Agency/Getty Images  Bichon Frise dogs get groomed backstage at the 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at The Piers in New York on Feb. 12, 2018. 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