MP's lone borzoi brings the house down;canine celebs strut their stuff at dog show

Bhopal: Sunshine, wagging tails, and a parade of paw-some personalities made Sunday Kennel Club of Bhopal dog show a tail-wagger's dream. At a sprawling city ground, on Hoshangabad Road, furry divas and dapper dudes showed off more than just perfect postures — they dished out swagger, charm and behind-the-ears scratches with equal aplomb. The official rounds were all business: Precise gaits, intense eye contact with adoring pet parents and ears pricked to attention. But the moment the judging ended? Cue the chaos of butt wiggles, joyous zoomies and delighted pants as each star got brushed, spritzed and lavished with love.
The undeniable crowd favourite was Captain, the only Borzoi in Madhya Pradesh — a tall, elegant Russian wolfhound with the kind of aristocratic air that stops conversation mid-sentence. The breed, once nearly wiped out after the Russian revolution, today fewer than a dozen Borzois live in India, making Captain nothing short of canine royalty. Owner Suyash Sharma beamed: "He's a very sensitive boy. Everyone has to speak slowly around him. He loves sunbathing but only for a few minutes — otherwise his nose starts bleeding because he's built for sub-zero weather! Now that he's senior, our whole life revolves around his naps and walks." Other four-legged stars turned heads too. Mahesh's cane corso won a legion of fans, while his three golden retrievers soaked up affection (and treats). "It's not just good food — they need us there, always. I even made a temperature-controlled pool at home, but I have to get in first or they won't budge!" The message of the day, in one woof: Love your dog like family, not a showpiece, said pet parent and ardent animal lover Vishnu Dutt Tripathi. There were slobbery licks from a bear-like Saint Bernard, cool calm from a Rottweiler with a soft heart, and picture-perfect poses from black German Shepherd Avatar and his twin-lookalikes. And little Luchi, the two-year-old golden retriever? She struck poses like a pro — tantrums and all, as proud dad Arjun Chopra laughed: "She's an Indian champion, elegant even when she throws a fit!"