More than 3,000 dogs are descending on Manhattan Saturday through Tuesday as The Westminster Kennel Club kicks off three events that culminate in the 140th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Monday and Tuesday, February 15 and 16. Also joining the dog show are two other dog sports, the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster and new this year is the Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster. All Westminster week events are presented by Purina Pro Plan.Westminster Week At-A-GlanceLisa Peterson - lifelong equestrian, show dog breeder and award-winning podcaster, communications professional and journalist - writes about horses, hounds, and history at lisaunleashed.com. Reach her at elvemel@gmail.com or @LisaNPeterson.

This 140th premier dog show drew an entry of 2,752 dogs. There are 197 breeds and varieties eligible for this year's show. The breeds with the largest entries are Labrador retrievers (51), followed by Golden retrievers (50) and French bulldogs (48). Plus, seven breeds are making their first Westminster appearance this year: Sporting Group - Lagotto Romagnolo (9), Hound Group - Cirneco dell'Etna (10), Working Group - Boerboel (11), and Herding Group - Berger Picard (20), miniature American shepherd (14), Bergamasco (8) and Spanish water dog (10). There are 130 foreign entries and 91 entries in Junior Showmanship. Dog show judging at the breed level, along with benching and Junior Showmanship preliminary competition, will take place on Piers 92/94 at 711 12th Avenue. Group and Best In Show judging, as well as the Junior Showmanship Finals, will be held at the world-renowned Madison Square Garden on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

The third annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster will take place on Saturday, February 13, at Pier 94. There are 330 dogs entered representing 28 states with the largest numbers coming from New Jersey (81), New York (75), and Connecticut (31). The competition will feature dogs of all breeds and mixed breed dogs. Finals will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 from 8 to 10 pm.

Along with the agility competition on Saturday will be the 7th Annual AKC Meet the Breeds. This is the second year for the popular Meet & Compete event. This a joint effort between Westminster and the American Kennel Club provides an opportunity for people to interact with more than 100 breeds and learn about responsible dog ownership. Due to strong response last year, AKC Meet the Breeds has expanded to both piers.

Monday marks the inaugural Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster. Competition will consist of existing AKC-approved Open and Utility Exercises with some modifications. Exercises will include hand signals, retrieving over high jump, and scent discrimination. There are 34 dogs from 17 states led by New Jersey and Ohio with five each. Golden Retrievers represent the largest entry with 13. Like agility, the obedience competition was open to both purebred and mixed-breed dogs at the highest level of the sport. Competition will be held at Pier 94.

The evening Group competition will be televised live each night from 8 to 11. Monday's telecast of the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups will be on CNBC. Tuesday's telecast will be on USA Network and will include the Sporting, Working, and Terrier Groups, as well as Best In Show. Televised since 1948, Westminster will once again be America's most widely watched live telecast of a dog show. Breed judging during daytime hours will be posted with live streaming video and results on westminsterkennelclub.org and the Westminster app. Tickets are still available through westminsterkennelclub.org.

3rd Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster

Saturday

Preliminaries: 8 am to 4pm

Championship Finals: 8 pm to 10 pm

Pier 94: 711 12th Avenue (at 55th Street)

Finals televised live on Fox Sports 1

7th Annual AKC Meet the Breeds

Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm

Piers 92/94: 711 12th Avenue (at 55th Street)

The Westminster Kennel Club 140th Annual All Breed Dog Show

Monday and Tuesday

Monday Daytime - Breed Judging & Benching

8 am to 4 pm

Piers 92/94: 711 12th Avenue (at 55th Street)

Inaugural Masters Obedience Championship

Monday 8 am to 4 pm

Piers 92/94: 711 12th Avenue (at 55th Street)

Monday Evening - Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting & Herding Group Judging

8 to 11 (benching area open 6 to 9 )

Madison Square Garden: 4 Penn Plaza

Tuesday Daytime -Breed Judging & Benching

8 am to 4 pm

Piers 92/94: 711 12th Avenue (at 55th Street)

Tuesday Evening - Junior Showmanship Finals, Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups, Best In Show

7:30 to 11(benching area open 6 to 9)

Madison Square Garden: 4 Penn Plaza

Westminster Television Schedule

CNBC: Monday 8 to 11 pm, Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding Groups

USA: Tuesday 8 to 11 pm, Sporting, Working, Terrier Groups, and Best In Show

Repeat airings:

Tuesday, 8 to 11 am, Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding Groups

Wednesday, 8 to 11 am, Sporting, Working, Terrier Groups, and Best In Show

UNIHD: Tuesday, February 23, 8 to 11 pm Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding Groups

Wednesday, February 24, 8 to 11 pm Sporting, Working, Terrier Groups, and Best In Show

Masters Agility Championship at Westminster

FOX Sports 1, Saturday, 8 to 10 pm Finals

Follow Westminster Online

Use #WKCDogShow

Web: westminsterkennelclub.org - live streaming

Facebook: Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Twitter: @WKCDOGS

Instagram: @westminsterkennelclub

Pinterest: wkcdogshow