Meet the alpha dogs.
These are the seven champions who experts say have the best shot of winning their groups and going on to compete for Best in Show at the legendary Westminster Dog Show, which starts tomorrow at Madison Square Garden.
It’s a pretty sure bet one of them will conquer the dog-eat-dog contest and trot away with the most coveted prize in doggydom, leaving the rest of the four-legged field to exit with their tails between their legs.
All told, some 2,000 pampered canines will arrive in New York this weekend, by van, mobile home and private jet, along with their favorite squeaky toys and in tow a pack of manicurists, hairdressers, dieticians, handlers and animal psychics.
Dog show expert Allan Reznik, editor of “Dogs in Review,” cautions that the venerable 133-year-old competition is “known for its upsets.” Nevertheless, here are his favorites in the seven groups that compete for the ultimate prize, with odds from the Wynn Las Vegas casino:
Carly
Pembroke Welsh Corgi, California
Herding group
Life for Carly is about the same as the life of any human pageant contestant. She gets a manicure twice a week, enjoys facials and has her hair washed and dried at her local pet resort. To keep those pretty curves she works out on a mini-treadmill for 20 minutes and then takes a two-mile power walk each day. The hard work has paid off – the fourth-generation show dog is in the top 10 of all breeds and had some big wins this year.
But it’s not all work – there’s plenty of play because “it gives her a better psyche,” said owner Bill Shelton.
Yes
Standard Poodle, Manhattan
Non-sporting group
Yes, she can! At least that’s what owners Toni and Martin Sosnoff of the Big Apple hope. She’s had more than 60 Best in Shows, and in December, the 6-year-old won Best in Breed at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in LA. Her real name is Champion Rendenn Tristar Affirmation, but Yes is the perfect nickname to match her doggy-do attitude.
Noodles
Basset hound, Chicago
Hound group
Noodles – the most successful female basset hound in history – is a thief. “Her big thing is she steals toys,” said handler Bryan Martin. “She loves stuffed toys.” Noodles gets routine baths and manicures and travels in a mobile home. “She has a little couch that’s hers,” Martin says. “No one can sit on it.”
Spirit
Giant Schnauzer, Pennsylvania
Working group
She’s the No. 1 dog in the country, and boy does she know it. “She’s like the total diva,” said breeder Maryann Bisceglia. “Every day she’s pampered.” Spirit loves to pose and already has 91 Best in Shows at the age of 4. The goal is 100. “She thrives on the attention. She’s pure glamour,” Bisceglia said.
Charmin
Sealyham Terrier, Pennsylvania
Terrier group
Please squeeze this Charmin. He may have been named after the toilet roll brand, but this 4-year-old terrier loves to be hugged and is affectionate with everyone from toddlers to seniors at a nursing home, according to Charmin’s handler Margery Good. She “hand plucks” all of his stray hairs, which takes four hours a week.
Ross
English Setter, Georgia
Sporting group
This 6-year-old setter whose “tail never stops wagging” is known for licking faces, carrying around his “ridiculous” oversized baby-blue bone and tumbling off the grooming table after falling asleep. Ross will retire after Westminster and head back home, where he’ll be used for hunting.
Taser
Affenpinscher, Arizona
Toy group
Taser – named for the law enforcement tool that his owner’s sons created – has the most wins in history for this little-known breed, which resembles a monkey. The 4-year-old is a “clown” who is “very happy and playful,” said Susie Olivera. She and her husband, Jorge, act as Taser’s handlers.