GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - A good show dog is groomed for competition early.
“It all starts with training,” said Carl Grotton with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Kennel Club, co-sponsor of the Southern Harvest Cluster Dog Show. “You start training a dog from the time they’re three months old to start becoming a show dog. They can enter the show ring at 6 months, and from there, the sky is the limit.”
They got to show off their skills Mississippi Coast style. The dog show held this weekend at the Harrison County Fairgrounds had competitions in seven categories.
Carriere native Russ Bergeron treats his AKC grand champion Pomeranian like royalty.
“This is Kate, and she is indeed a princess,” he said.
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Bergeron likes Pomeranians.
“The cliché is absolutely true,” he said. “They are very big dogs in very small bodies.”
According to Bergeron, he enjoys shows like this because it creates a special relationship.
“It’s a wonderful hobby,” Bergeron said. “And when you work with the dog in the ring, it builds a wonderful bond between the handler and the dog.”
Callie Hernandez has a similar description for her award-winning Chihuahuas.
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“They are little dogs, with mighty attitudes,” she said with a laugh.
After more than four decades of showing dogs, these little nuggets are her favorites.
“As we get older, our dogs get smaller.”
The 850 entries this year represented some of the 200 breeds approved by the American Kennel Association.
One of the newest breeds in competition is a Dogo Argentino.
“This was actually my husband’s dream for the past 10 years,” said Louisiana resident Heather Daney. “He researched the breed and decided he wanted Dogos for their heartiness, for how strong they are and just overall a good family dog.”
In fact, most of these dogs have double duty.
“They are show dogs first, they are pets second,” Grotton said. “And in some cases, some of these dogs even have jobs around farms and things like that: herding cattle, protecting flocks.”
When all is said and done, this is where is where Hernandez wants to be.
“Dog shows are my happy place,” she said. “I get away and I enjoy my friends. I don’t show dogs for a living; I show dogs to make me happy.”
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The show also was co-hosted by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Working Group Club.
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