Dogs strut their stuff to win best in show at competition in Summerland

The Skaha Kennel Club’s 42^nd annual dog show was a sight to behold.

Hundreds of dogs, short and tall, furry and not-so-furry, gathered at Dale Meadows Park in Summerland to compete for the coveted award of best in show.

Show secretary Kathy McLaughlin said the competition is similar to a pyramid.

“You’re going to start with all the breeds,” McLaughlin said. “They’re going to work their way down until you get to one, which is your best in show.”

While there were some newbies, many of the dogs on display were past winners, including Romeo, a three-year-old boxer.

Romeo is the number one boxer as well as the number one working dog in all of Canada.

His handler, Michelle Yeadon — who is also his owner — has been around dogs her entire life.

“I was born into this,” Yeadon said. “When I was a little kid I was brought to the dog shows with my parents. It’s a love for the animals. That’s the biggest part of it. They love what they’re doing so you love what you’re doing.”

Yeadon, a Langley resident, attends close to a hundred shows a year. She also breeds dogs.

The dog handler encourages anyone interested in participating in a show to prepare in advance.

“What you need to do first is research the breed that interests you and talk to breeders,” Yeadon said. “You need someone to mentor you and then you just sit and watch and learn.”

Another dog handler who has trained some winning dogs is Calgarian Larry Clark.

“It’s just like raising kids,” Clark said. “What you’ll let them get away with when they’re little is how they turn out when they get older.”

This is the third year the Skaha Kennel Club has held the show in Summerland.

Recently, the municipal council of Summerland approved the kennel club’s request for a five-year rental which means the dog show will be held there until at least 2023.