PAMPERED PUPS GO FOR RIBBONS BEVERLY HILLS KENNEL CLUB HOLDS SHOW FOR FUR-SWATHED PETS.

Byline: Mariel Garza Staff Writer

WOODLAND HILLS - Antsy Chihuahuas, poofy poodles and their medium-size and big cousins - 964 dogs in all - strutted their stuff Sunday at the Kennel Club of Beverly Hills Dog Show.

Thousands of people traveled to the stadium at Pierce College from all over California to show and see the dogs in all sizes and more than 140 breeds.

As the sun beat down hard on the field, hundreds of owners primped and primed their dogs for the short walk around the ring in front of the judges.

Preparing a dog for its brief chance to impress the judges is serious business for Alice Carty of San Bernardino, who meticulously brushed and puffed one of her Shetland sheep dogs, 2-year-old Trelane Daval Wild Games, nicknamed Abby.

Seemingly enjoying the attention, Abby sat calmly on a grooming table Sunday morning as Carty worked on her.

``She likes this,'' said Carty, saying Abby has been raised from puppyhood to feel special.

The secret of bringing up successful show dogs, Carty said, is to keep them happy and healthy.

``They have to be happy or they don't look like a winner,'' she said.

The competitions went on all day in the eight show rings where dogs competed for titles such as Best of Breed, Best of Group - such as Abby's herding-dogs group - and finally Best of Show.

Tom Powers, president of the club, explained that what judges look for is a dog's conformance to the standards of top quality for its breed, plus the attitude that marks a champion.

``It's more like a cattle show than a horse race,'' Powers said.

Booths selling all manner of dog products - treats, collars, carriers and even jewelry - surrounded the rings.

Some people brought along their noncompeting pets for a gander at their coiffed cousins, and members of the California Canine DiscMasters brought their dogs to put on their own show - not on looks, but on catching a Frisbee.

As expected from would-be champions, the hundreds of dogs generally refrained from snarling and rear-sniffing.

Dancer, a 130-pound, black-and-white Newfoundland, stood contentedly taking in the whole scene while Erlene Whitehead of Riverside spent about three hours brushing his gleaming coat to perfection for his moments in the ring.

As a veteran of many shows, Dancer seemed confident about getting walked out to the ring.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Alice Carty of San Bernardino grooms her Shetland sheep dog at the Beverly Hills Kennel Club's show Sunday in Woodland Hills.

(2) Precious Sweet Pea, a Yorkshire terrier, inspects an index finger pointed her way at a regional dog show.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer