Great American Dog Show to feature debut of Great American Puppy Show
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Great American Dog Show is back and it's cuter than ever, thanks to a new event involving puppies.
Future show dogs or not, the little critters require a lot of care.
Inside VCA Blum Animal Hospital in Lakeview, Dr. Jared Cohen worked with Rosie, who will do tricks for a fee. Food is her motivation, and that's A-OK.
"Whether it's training for good behavior at home, training for tricks, training for house breaking – that's a really good tool to use," Cohen said.
A special treat of peanut butter is saved for a special task like nail trimming. That high-reward bribe got baby Rosie used to a bath.
"If a dog's not quite listening or paying attention to what you want them to do, to have something else available, something that's maybe a little bit more smelly, so they can focus on what you're getting them to do," Cohen said.
Repetition is important, especially when it comes to teeth brushing, which should be done at least five days a week. Then there's something called socialization – introducing a young dog to other dogs.
But veterinarians often order pet owners to avoid furry friends until their pet is fully vaccinated – usually around 16 weeks.
"The difficult thing is that's a really impressionable time for puppies. It's kind of like their little adolescent phase. So I like to recommend that dogs go to training facilities where they're around other puppies," Cohen said.
Anyone not sure if they're ready for puppy parenthood can get a taste at the Great American Puppy Show during the Great American Dog Show on Saturday in Schaumburg.
"Puppy chaos is part of the fun," said James Donahue, vice president of operations for the International Kennel Club of Chicago, which is running the Great American Dog Show, an event filled with glitz, glam, and grooming.
For this year's show, adding a puppy-only competition to the lineup was a no brainer and not just because they're cute.
"It's a great way to meet breeders and exhibitors in that breed, get some contacts," Donahue said.
More than 200 four- to six-month-old pups will be roving the ring.
"For us in the show world, it's really important that that training starts early," Donahue said.
Puppy practice might not always make perfect, but a little treat and a lot of training can go far.
The Great American Dog Show will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for kids, and $20 for seniors and members of the military. Parking is free.
