b'DeLandAnd The Winner Is.TheAKCWestVolusiaKennelClubs annualdogshowwasheldSeptember 24-26, 2021 at the Volusia County Fairgrounds in Deland,Florida. AKC Conformation was held in the main building. Dogs weremeasured by how close they conform to the standard of their breed andmorethan100breedswererepresentedduringthethree-dayevent.Another building contained numerous grooming tables with groomersworking hard to get the participants show-ready. Outside, the DockDiving competition was pro-videdbyNorthAmericanDivingDogs. Dogsweresplashing,divingandjusthavingagreattime.Somecompeted for titles which areeligiblefortheAKCTitleRecognitionProgramandsome participated just for thesheerhappinessofdivinginto water. For the dogs thatdidnt want to get their hairwet, there was Fast Cat (FastShamrock receives some cold laser therapy after Course Ability Test) provideda massage from Dr. Judith Shae Gainer with byDogSportUnlimited.Gaining Wellness.SomedogscompetedforAKC lure coursing titles and some did it just for the fun of chasing thelures. There were numerous vendors offering items and services for dogsJunior Handler Gemma, who is 11 years old, and their humans alike, even acupuncture and chiropractic services forand her dog Phoenix, an 11-month-old both the two and four legged. It was a weekend filled with something forMiniature American Shepherd. every dog and human. Im sure that every dog that attended felt like aIt was the second dog show for Phoenix. winner and in my eyes every dog was.Rover reporting and photography by Denise CashinNothing like a little pre-show pampering to calm thenerves. Ginger is a one-year-old Shih Tzu.West Volusia Kennel Clubwww.wvkc.orgNorth America Diving Dogs (NADD) www.NorthAmericaDivingDogs.comDog Sports Unlimitedwww.DogSportsUnlimited.comwww.TheNewBarker.com THE NEW BARKER 79'