By Denise FlaimPosted: October 28, 2010, 2 a.m. EDT

Photographs courtesy
Gilles Mingasson ©AKC

Expecting dogs and cats to act like bosom buddies may be a little unrealistic. But for one high-profile weekend in Manhattan this October, the two species shared the stage in a celebration of purebreds both canine and feline.

The second annual “Meet the Breeds,” held Oct. 16 and 17 at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, was presented by the American Kennel Club and the Cat Fanciers’ Association and showcased 160 dog breeds and 41 cat breeds.

While each species had its own section, there was a little crossover, especially between breeds with related histories or features: This year, we caught a hairless Mexican Xoloitzcuintli hanging out outside the booth of the equally fur-challenged Sphinx cat.

Meet the Breeds was inspired by a similar event that AKC runs in tandem with its high-profile invitational show in Long Beach, Calif., each December – though the show moves to Florida after this year. But unlike its West Coast counterpart, the Manhattan event was an entity all its own, drawing tens of thousands of attendees.

Members of AKC parent clubs were responsible for setting up informational booths, which reflected the breed’s origins or abilities. Pat and Joe Borracci and their grade-school daughters Veronica and Morgan Rose of Dix Hills, N.Y., turned the Mastiff Club of America booth into a medieval castle, inhabited by, not coincidentally, two begowned princesses.

And over at the Pembroke Welsh Corgi booth, which re-created a mini-sized Windsor castle (complete with ivy climbing up stone walls and a scepter-holding Queen Elizabeth impersonator), the to-the-manor-born vibe earned the Best Booth award at weekend’s end.

But no matter what the backdrop or the props or the pop-culture references (the Cairn Terrier booth, in a nod to Toto, included a “Wizard of Oz” cast), in the end the focus came back to the individual dogs. Cell-phone cameras got workouts as Greyhounds greeted and Pugs posed. Fanciers of lesser-known breeds fielded questions as basic as “What the heck is that?”

“Someone asked me today if it comes in a miniature version,” said Denise Loeper of Frederick, Md., who was helping with the Otterhound booth, a breed so rare it is fourth-to-last in AKC registrations, 161st out of 164 breeds recognized.

“Yes,” she jokingly replied. “It’s called a PBGV” – short for Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen, a hound that has a similar shaggy coat, but way shorter dwarf legs.

Different breed, different aisle.

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With French Bulldogs set to take center stage in the release of “Due Date,” the American Kennel Club® (AKC®) and the French Bull Dog Club of America would like to remind moviegoers about the importance of making wise, educated decisions when it comes to adding a dog to the home.

“The French Bull Dog Club of America hopes that anyone who sees this movie and becomes interested in having a “Frenchie” as a family companion does their research to make sure it’s the right breed for their lifestyle,” said Jan Grebe, President of the French Bull Dog Club of America. “While these adorable pets are prized for their affectionate natures and even dispositions, potential owners need to remember just because you see a highly-trained canine actor do something on the silver screen doesn’t mean it is appropriate for pet owners to do the same with their dogs.”

The movie, distributed by Warner Brothers which opens on Nov. 3, follows the story of high-strung father-to-be Peter Highman, who is forced to hitch a ride with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay and his French Bulldog across the country. Often described as “a clown in the cloak of a philosopher,” the French Bulldog originated as, and continues to be used as a companion dog. The breed is small and muscular with heavy bone structure, a smooth coat, a short face and trademark “bat” ears.

French Bulldogs have played an important role in pop culture and our lives throughout the years. Here are a few fun facts from the AKC:

•Some movies staring Frenchies include: “From Hell” with Johnny Depp, “Secondhand Lions” with Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, and “Bringing Down the House” with Steve Martin and Queen Latifah. There is a shot of a French Bulldog in the movie “Titanic”. The dog is portraying the Frenchie that really was on the doomed ship.

•While most people picture “Toto” from “The Wizard of Oz” to be a Cairn Terrier, in literature the dog was illustrated as a French Bulldog. R.A. Neill, who drew the pictures for the books “The Road to Oz” and “The Emerald City”, pictured Toto as a French Bulldog.

•A member of the Non-Sporting Group, the French Bulldog is the 24th most popular breed in the United States, according to the 2009 American Kennel Club registration statistics.

•One of the French Bulldog’s ancestors was the English Bulldog. A large number of toy English Bulldogs were sent to France around 1860 and crossed with various other breeds to create what we now know as the Frenchie.
For more information about French Bulldogs, vist:

French Bull Dog Club of America

French Bulldog Rescue Network    FBRN’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home French Bulldogs in need from commercial breeding kennels, import brokers, public shelters, private rescue groups, owners or Good Samaritans.

Source:  American Kennel Club

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