Calgary show dog ready for the bright lights of New York at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

A Calgary canine is headed to New York to partake in one of the world’s most prestigious dog shows, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

The event is in its 146th year, and six-year-old Frank, a Boston Terrier, is hoping to impress the judges.

“He likes to show off,” said his owner Dr. Tricia Knowler, a local vet at Castleridge Veterinary Clinic.

“He likes all the attention I think.”

Knowler says show dogs have always been a part of her life, but this is the first time one of hers will be at the high profile event.

“I’ve always had show dogs since I was a kid,” said Knowler.

“I got Frank about six years ago and he’s been shown off and on since he was a puppy. He’s been to California, he went to the Boston National in Denver, he’s been to Las Vegas.”

Knowler relies on handler Courtney Penner, who lives in Chilliwack B.C., but is currently at a dog show in Ohio.

Penner has attended Westminster as a professional handler before but this time will be even more special.

“This is the first time I have a dog that I actually bred going there, so it’ll be exiting to see how he does,” she said.

“One its such a high class venue, it’s sort of like the Super Bowl of dog shows. Everybody works all year, (it’s) really hard to get there and your dog has got to be conditioned properly, they have to look right and got to play the part.”

Knowler says Frank is quite the positive pup and very disciplined.

“His temperament I think, he’s a very happy, friendly dog and then his conformation, the way he looks as a Boston Terrier.”

But its not always about the show, he does have the opportunity to be just a dog.

“Mostly a spoiled house pet,” said Knowler.

“Lots of keeping up and conditioning, not much grooming with a Boston Terrier.”

The event runs June 20 to 22 at the Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, New York.

With nearly 3,500 entries in this year’s competition, only 58 are from Canada, with a select few from Alberta.

Judges will look for form and function and what makes the dog the ideal of what its breed should look, act and move like.

Boston Terriers have one of the top entries at the Westminster Kennel Club and 'Frank' will be showing against 29 other Boston Terriers in hopes of being 'Best of Breed'.

Penner plans on flying to New York for the completion, but Knowler and Frank will set sights on a cross-country road trip, with stops in Moose Jaw, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Toronto and Montreal before making their way south, across the border and into New York State.

The pair will leave Friday by car from Calgary, expecting to do the nearly 4,000-kilometre journey in just a couple weeks.