PULLMAN, Wash. — Keen-eyed watchers of the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York last week might have noticed a familiar sight: Washington State University apparel and logos galore on humans and man’s best friend.
Dog owner/handler Luke Baggenstos attended WSU in the late 90s, and he said he always wears his colors.
“I am pretty recognizable at the shows in one of my many WSU sweatshirts,” he said.
“Showing dogs is my full time job,” he said. “After school I got a job at New England Financial and then for Met Financial. I worked there for a few years and decided I wanted to switch back to the shows as I truly love to do it. So now I go to 125 shows a year.”
Kid, the miniature bull terrier, could be seen wearing a WSU cool coat in a photo from The Guardian British newspaper. Baggenstos said a cool coat is wetted down and then put in a cooler and is used to keep dogs from getting too warm – they look their best for the shows when they are not panting.
“I continue to show dogs because I love working with them,” he said. “Every dog that comes to us to be shown becomes part of the family. We also show dogs from Thailand, Russia, Mexico and Brazil. So they are definitely with us long enough to get attached.”
And long enough to get to wear crimson and gray.
Baggenstos was also featured in a Behind-the-scenes video from Petco.