In pics: Pawsome participants of North Calcutta Kennel Club dog show

Dog owners prepare their pooches for showtime at the North Calcutta Kennel Club, 54th, 55th Championship & 10th Obedience Dog Show on December 3. Hundreds of visitors flocked to the West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences (Belgachia) grounds to see dogs of several exotic breeds up close. Five out of 11 breed categories in the competition were present at the event on Saturday. “This is the 54th and 55th all-breed championship and we have Indian Kennel Club secretary, C.V. Sudarshan, as our judge. After Calcutta Kennel Club and Calcutta Canine Club, only we have the authority to hold such shows in Kolkata,” said Soumen Kumar Basu, the secretary of the North Calcutta Kennel Club

All images: Ashim Paul

Thanks to the event, the visitors and attendees spent a happy day interacting with adorable pups. Meet Bhombol, the three-year-old English bulldog who became quite the pop star with his friendly nature. Bhombol was also a star participant, having won every competition so far

All the four-legged participants were provided with kennels (top) to rest and take a breather in between their turns in the ring. Several dog owners, however, had made their own arrangements (bottom) and brought tents for themselves and their pooches

Kambal is a massive three-year-old Great Dane. However, he seems to be oblivious of his giant stature and can be often found trying to snuggle into his owner’s lap. Kambal was one of the most graceful participants and chief attractions of the show

Sayani Chakraborty clicks a selfie with her best friend, the three-year-old Cocker Spaniel Bicchu. The two share a precious bond and were not seen apart even in the ring. Sayani has taken up the responsibility of training her beloved pooch herself, instead of hiring a handler

While most dog parents were seen pacing the ground in anticipation of the results, their fur-babies were more focused on having fun with their four-legged friends. Seen in the picture is a Golden Retriever having a blast with a Beagle. Their owners jokingly remarked that the two were just blowing off some steam and getting the pressure of the competition off their shoulders

Two Cocker Spaniels warm up to each other at the event. Although many of the furry participants chose to enthusiastically interact with each other, several took a nice nap in their kennel or were content with suspiciously sniffing the ground