Calgary dogs merit attention of judges at Westminster show

Calgary's Sheila McAvoy and her boxer DOC won best of breed in the boxer group at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Tuesday night in New York (Photo: Twitter@CKC4thedogs)

The Best in Show was chosen at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Tuesday and while their dogs didn't win, some Calgarians did very well.

The big winner was a dog named after a famous rock and roller from the fifties, Buddy Holly, a petit basset griffon vendeen, who bested six other finalists on the grounds of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York City.

PBGV's are described as independent, but charming. They were originally bred in France to hunt rabbits.

Calgary's Sheila McAvoy and her boxer DOC won best of breed in the boxer group.

And Gail Forsythe and her chow-chow Mars took home an award of merit in their breed group.

Late in April,  before departing for New York, Forsythe explained the mystique of Westminster for dog owners and trainers in an interview with CTV News' Kevin Fleming.

"It's considered probably the most prestigious show in North America," Forsythe said. "The dogs that are permitted to compete must already be American champions, you're not allowed to just sort of show up and compete as you might with a local show."

With files from Kevin Fleming