IN PHOTOS | Backstage and in the ring: At the Westminster dog show

The 148th Westminster Kennel Club dog show, which kicked off Saturday with an agility competition, is underway at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Monday marked the start of the traditional judging that leads to the best in show prize, to be awarded Tuesday night.

This pooch pageantry considered U.S.’s most prestigious canine event