Dogs on display

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia's National Dog Show, opening Saturday, will feature 2,000 dogs representing more than 175 breeds, all of the animals certified by the American Kennel Club.

And then there's Vivian.

She definitely has some Staffordshire terrier blood in her, most likely some Boston terrier, possibly some beagle. While she's no longer the emaciated, ailing, fearful animal caged in a shelter, she still bears scars on her snout from the days when she was used as bait to train fighting dogs.

But keep an eye out for Vivian, a three-year veteran of the show, when she prances around the ring with owner Michele Pich. Watch the proud therapy dog ambassador soak in the applause and cheers. She may even give a bow at the end, putting her front paws flat and nodding her head as she has done in the past.

"She's such a ham. She's a favorite there," said Pich, a veterinary grief counselor at the University of Pennsylvania's Ryan Veterinary Hospital. "The human/animal bond is so incredible that it doesn't matter if you fall in love with a full breed or a mixed breed."

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia and its predecessors have been staging dog shows since 1879. While kennel clubs across the nation have canceled their competitions in recent years, the Kennel Club of Philadelphia's expo is still going strong. Thousands will see the show live at Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks this weekend. Others can catch it on NBC on Thanksgiving, when it's broadcast after the Macy's parade. More than 24 million viewers enjoyed the televised program last year.

One big reason to see the show live? It's "benched," which means dogs and their handlers are on-site and on display all day. Visitors can see the animals up close and learn more about the breeds. Petting is allowed; just ask the owner first.

The interactions between audience and competitors can clear up misperceptions some people have about show dogs, said Wayne Ferguson, Kennel Club of Philadelphia president.

"The dogs are usually very affectionate, very well trained, and, of course, extremely well groomed. Yes, they're taken care of and pampered, but it's a myth that they live in glass houses," he said. "They're in homes, roaming around with children, sleeping on sofas. They live pretty normal lives."

In his role of announcer, Ferguson calls out each dog's name and breed and "every single one of them looks me right in the eyes. It's the most amazing thing," he said. Dogs do smile, he said. He has seen many of them grinning when they circle the ring.

"I tell the audience, 'Folks, these are show dogs. They love applause.' And the dogs do look around and respond to it," he said.

Two new breeds will join the competition this year, the coton de Tulear in the nonsporting group and the wirehaired vizsla in the sporting group. The coton de Tulear hails from Madagascar, where it's considered the aristocracy's pet of choice, and sports a cottonlike white coat, thus the "cotton" part of the name. The wirehaired vizsla is a hunting dog, with a weather-resistant, dense wire coat. Judges will make sure the winning vizsla has the breed's distinctive eyebrows and allow for rougher-looking animals with "honorable scars" resulting from its work. Since 2003, 33 new breeds have been added to the show.

Think purebreds don't make good therapy dogs? Think again. The coton de Tulear, for example, is well-suited to the work because of its soft, touchable, hypo-allergenic coat and outgoing personality, said Eileen Boyer Narieka of Leesport, Pa. She adopted Mercer, her first coton, 17 years ago after her children left home, and found "the perfect little dog." Her 11-month-old coton pup is named Triomphe.

"A coton can do so much for your life," she said. "You can't help but be happy with a coton around."

Not convinced? Then you don't know Rufus, Ferguson said. This bull terrier won the "triple crown" of dog shows six years ago - the National Dog Show, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and the Morris & Essex Kennel Club Show in Somerset, N.J. - before retiring from the circuit and finding a second career as a therapy dog.

Vivian's fellow therapy dog ambassadors include three AKC dogs: two Dogues de Bordeaux, Li'l Abner and Stella, and a Belgian sheepdog named Waylon. (Waylon's sire, Eli, comforted people at ground zero after 9/11.) The crew are weekly visitors to the two Philadelphia Ronald McDonald Houses, spending time with sick children and their families.

"A lot of times, the therapy dog visits are the first time you'll see a smile out of a child all day," said Jennifer Shipman, director of marketing and communication for the local branch of the nonprofit. "A lot of the children have traveled far from home for treatment and left their dogs behind and they can't see them or pet them. They'll spend all day at the hospital, receiving treatments and taking tests, and then they come back to the House for pet therapy."

Vivian's imperfections, like her snout scars, are beneficial to her work.

"The kids have scars, too," Pich said. "They really bond with her, knowing that despite what she's been through and despite her scars, she's so loving and having a great life."

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia's National Dog Show, Saturday and Sunday, Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Ave., Oaks.

Times: 8:30 a.m.- to 6 p.m. Saturday; 8:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets: Adults 13 and up, $14; children 4 to 12, $7; 3 and under, free.

Information: http://nds.nationaldogshow.com/kcp.php. EndText

The National Dog Show

Noon, Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, on NBC10EndText