Dogs from great Danes to terriers head into the ring at Westminster show

Big dogs are having their day at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, where a bunch of massive breeds are being judged Tuesday.

Although Great Danes, mastiffs, Newfoundlands and others classified as “working” dogs are competing, so are terriers, the mostly small vermin-hunters known for their outsized personalities. Also up are an array of retrievers, spaniels, setters and other “sporting” dogs that traditionally worked alongside hunters to bag birds.

The best in show trophy will be awarded late Tuesday to one of seven finalists at the storied show.

Four finalists were chosen Monday: a bichon frisé called Neal, a whippet and repeat runner-up known as Bourbon, a shih tzu called Comet who’s been a finalist before, and a German shepherd named Mercedes, who came in second last year. Three more contenders will be selected Tuesday evening.

Whatever happens in the end, it’s a last hurrah in the show ring for Mercedes, who is retiring after Tuesday.

“A good German shepherd is an all-purpose dog,” says co-breeder Sheree Moses Combs of Wardensville, West Virginia. Some of her pups have become service dogs for wounded veterans, she said.

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“Dog shows are fun, but that is what our breed is all about,” she said.

Regardless who gets the trophy at Westminster, there are others who also score points with the crowd. As the semifinals returned Monday night to Madison Square Garden for the first time in five years, spectators shouted out the names of their favorite canine competitors as if they played for one of the pro teams that call the Garden home, the NBA’s New York Knicks and NHL’s New York Rangers.

“Love you, Lumpy!” someone yelled to a Pekingese named Lumpy, who earned laughs for his ambling gait. Calaco, a Xoloitzcuintli, got huge cheers for a focused, confident performance that also earned him some recognition from the judge. Xoloitzcuintlis (pronounced shoh-loh-eets-KWEEN’-tlees), are hairless dogs with deep roots in Mexico.

Every dog at Westminster is a titled champion, but they also are household pets. Some do therapy work, search-and-rescue or other canine jobs.