Westminster dog show 150th couples.

A show dog named Valli gets groomed at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Couples at the Westminster show bond over dogs, and each other

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show spotlights bond between people and dogs. But reaching the United States’ premier canine event also can be about another kind of love. Just ask professional dog handlers Bill and Taffe McFadden. He’s a two-time Westminster-winning handler. She handled the second-place winner in 2019. He says it would be very hard to hard to do the job without someone just as vested in it. The McFaddens were back Monday for the 150th annual Westminster show. The multi-round, breed-by-breed competition is underway. Best in show gets awarded Tuesday night.

Read More »