The Westminster Dog Show is the Best Competition of the Year

If there’s anything that can unite the internet, it’s a picture of an adorable dog. This year, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog show is out here melting hearts and eradicating the polarizing chaos of the last four years with the cutest, damn dog photos the world wide web has ever seen.

YouTube commenters and Twitter trolls be damned, these are some adorable, friggin dogs. Due to the Coronavirus, this year’s competition is being held outdoors, on the grounds of the regal Lyndhurst mansion in Tarrytown, NY, and the dogs appear to be loving it. Except for the Chow-Chow. I think it’s safe to say the Chow-Chow is an “indoors only” kinda dog. While the Chow-Chow rested in front of its personal leaf blower, the other dogs frolicked across the green grass and enjoyed life away from the harsh, bright lights of Madison Square Garden.

The midtown Manhattan arena has hosted the dog show for the last 100 years, but after watching today’s events, I’m not entirely convinced it should stay there. What can I say, there’s just something special about seeing a papillon tackle an agility course in the great outdoors. Those little pups are fast!

Over 2,500 dogs and 209 breeds are competing in this year’s competition. That includes four new breeds: the Barbet, the Biewer terrier, the Belgian Laekenois and the Dogo Argentino. On Sunday, the judges will award “Best in Breed,” then move on to “Best in Group,” and then present the grand prize of “Best in Show.” If past years’ results are any indication, the Standard Poodle will likely take home the top prize, but I’ve got my money on the Norwich terrier, because everyone knows, God loves a terrier.