Detroit dog show to attract 40,000 visitors

The Detroit Dog Show is set
to hit Cobo Hall this weekend. Held in Detroit since 1915, the show has
stayed true to its urban roots despite the spread of its audience.
“There’s been a lot of talk about moving out of the city, but we’re
Detroit. We’re the Detroit Kennel Club,” states Erik Bergishagen,
president of the Detroit Kennel Club.

Dog aficionados attend the show from all over Michigan and Canada, and
from as far away as New York and California. About 40,000 visitors are
expected.  “This really is one of the big dog shows in the United
States and it’s always been a Detroit happening,” Bergishagen says. “It
brings people who moved out of the city back downtown and of course,
people from Detroit come as well.”

The Detroit Dog Show is one of only six benched dog shows in the United
States, meaning that dogs stay on display the entire day of their
competition. “This gives people a chance to talk to breeders and really
see a lot of dogs, make up their mind what kind of breed they want.
They can see the dogs’ temperaments,” says Bergishagen. 
Approximately 150 breeds compete in the back-to-back show, with over
2,000 dogs participating on Saturday alone.

The Detroit Dog Show runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 18 and 19 and costs $12 per day.

Source: Erik Bergishagen, president, Detroit Kennel Club.