Canines enjoy lap of luxury at New York's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Hundreds of canine hopefuls treated to steak dinners and hot tubs in top hotels
At New York's swanky Manhattan NYC hotel, an elite clientele mingled in the frosty air on a turf-lined terrace before retreating into a warm suite filled with fine food and doting handlers who saw to their every need.
This was the weekend before the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and some of the world's most valuable purebred canines were enjoying the royal treatment at one of three hotels that specialise in accommodating them before the big event.
"He loves coming to New York. I think he gets excited about being admired," said Lois Claus from Yamhill, Oregon, talking about her enormous Tibetan Mastiff, Stevie. A tiny hairless dog dressed in a cheetah-print jumpsuit cowered behind her owner at the sight of him.
The canines, ranging from 45kg Borzoi hounds to pint-sized Papillon spaniels, are competing in the prestigious two-day event that starts today.
Manhattan NYC, an Affinia hotel, and two other properties partner with Westminster to provide both canine and human participants with a place to stay and a lot more.
The hotels, including Hotel Pennsylvania and the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel, create lavish accommodation for the dogs that include canine room service, exercise areas and hot tub equipped spas for the show dogs.