
Doe-eyed dachshunds, push-faced French bulldogs and other nonsporting breeds circle the hallowed rings. A bracco Italiano receives a jowl massage. Spaniels get blow-dried. Everyone is prepping — lovingly, meticulously — for a hoped-for big moment.
With more than 3,000 dogs competing this week at the annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show, one of the world's most prestigious, sometimes it’s a competitor’s confident gait or self-possessed gaze that sets it apart from the pack.