A pug gazes at others at the dog show at Dumurjala

Dumurjala Stadium was buzzing with woofs and wags from Sunday morning. Humans were far outnumbered by the canines, some 270 of them, who had gathered from all corners of the state to decide which was the prettiest of them all. The mirror on the wall was the first ever dog show hosted by Howrah Kennel Club on November 16 at the stadium grounds.

A Dalmatian at the dog show

There were Labradors, Grey Hounds, Dobermanns, Beagles, Spitzes, Dachshunds, Dalmatians, a Great Dane and a number of other breeds at the show. The dogs and their owners had arrived early, taking time to adjust to the new surroundings and the whole lot of new faces on the ground. Small enclosures on the ground had been made for the canines to rest, while waiting for their turn. A huge male Labrador, who had arrived early from Calcutta looked bored and tired. His show was scheduled later in the day so he would have to wait. He was contemplating a quick nap, when his master decided to take him on a wake-up walk around the ground. A family of four Golden Retrievers and Labrador puppies found place on the open ground. Their leashes were tied to the mudguard of a minidor to prevent them from moving around too much. A young Pomeranian started yawning in his master’s lap late in the afternoon.

German Shepherd Dogs pose for the judges

Such a conglomeration of dogs at one place is rare in Howrah and was a treat for dog-lovers. The dog show was divided into six categories, two for all breeds, one each for hound group, working group, gun dog group and pastoral group. There were events for dogs of all age groups as well as, for minor puppies, juniors, intermediates and adult dogs. There were three rings at the show, where different categories of dogs were called for judging.

A Pekinese drew attention of dog-lovers at the show

“The dogs were judged on their pedigree, posture, show manners and health including their coat and teeth quality,” said Mrinal Nandi of Howrah Kennel Club. The best and the reserve best from each category made it to the next round. Of the 12, eight were chosen as the best of show dogs at the end and the one with the highest score was the topper. This was bagged by a male Dobermann named Hammer who had come from Calcutta. There were also winners in other sub-categories like best minor puppy, best puppy and best junior in the show. “This is the first show organised by Howrah Kennel Club. We received a good response from different parts of West Bengal. We hope to do more of such shows in future,” said Nandi.

A tiny Chihuahua tucked away in its master’s arm

Beagles scamper around the ring

This Pomeranian cannot hide its tiredness

A family of Golden Retrievers and a Labrador take rest under a tree at the stadium ground

Dachshunds ready for the show

A wake-up jog for the Great Dane. Pictures by Gopal Senapati