Yahoo Lifestyle Corn Starch, Hairspray, and More Secrets from the Grooming Routines of National Dog Show Contestants (Exclusive)
PEOPLE speaks with handlers about the best tips and tricks to get your pup dog show-ready
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Jack Russell Terriers get groomed for a dog showExcellent grooming goes a long way at the National Dog Show.
Handlers at the 2024 National Dog Show Presented by Purina spoke exclusively with PEOPLE about getting different breeds ready for the big event and the amount of primping required.
Over 1,800 dogs from more than 180 different breeds attend the National Dog Show, and each handler and dog duo has its own tools, tips, tricks, and techniques for looking camera-ready.
Tristen Lawrence, whose family breeds American Foxhounds, says grooming for this particular breed is simple. "These guys are really wash and wear. He gets a bath and a blow dry, and his nails and whiskers are taken care of. That's about it," Lawrence says.
"[We] want to make sure he has a well-rounded diet," Lawrence adds of the preparation required for the dog show. "We're big ProPlan fans. He eats a lot of Purina, but, you know, he has to get plenty of exercise."
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Lisa Miller and Jewel, the American FoxhoundRelated: 5 Simple Ways to Help Any Pup Get Professional Show Dog Manners
Kara Janiszak, who handles Pembroke Welsh Corgis, explains the "simple" process for grooming the breed before showtime. "They bathed before we came to the show. So we get them up, and I'll mist them down with some water. Then we'll brush that in, and then we'll use a blower to fluff the coat and then just comb them out straight."
Janiszak also adds a tip for brightening a pup's fur. "Many of us use a little bit of chalk or corn starch on the feet to brighten the white and make the fur stand out, and that's really about it," she explains.
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Corgis getting groomed at the National Dog ShowRelated: Stache the Sealyham Terrier Wins Best in Show at the 2023 National Dog Show
For French Bulldogs, Perry Payson — whose dog Winston won Best in Show in 2022 — says that everything about this breed's grooming is "shape and smooth lines."
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"What you do is you get your scissors and follow the hair. You trim all that real nice and smooth," he explains.
To make French Bulldog's ears bigger, "you trim the hair inside," Payson adds.
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Winston the French BulldogRelated: Sculpted, Dyed And Blow Dried: A Look Inside the Colorful World of Creative Dog Grooming
Each breed has different standards, and the French bulldog standards stipulate "short toenails." And the secret to keeping Frenchies clean all over? Baby wipes. "We get baby wipes, and we wipe their little faces and under their jaw because when they eat and drink, you get a little slobbery," Payson says.
Adam Bernardin, who has a Giant Schnauzer, tells PEOPLE that every breed is different, and so are the grooming rituals. "The Giant Schnauzer that we're showing that's top dog all breeds, he gets washed three times a day, dried three times a day. Hair sprayed minimum twice a day."
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He also says that his Giant Schnauzer loves the grooming process. "He loves it. He's just very exuberant about life, and that's why he's very vocal and tells everybody how much he loves it."
The 23rd annual National Dog Show Presented by Purina airs after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, Nov. 28, at noon on NBC and Peacock.
