1 Sharkey! Come quick! Look what I swiped - er, uh, what I found!

2 It's the packet for the 136th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show! G.K. has been gearing up for this for months!

3 You're not going to believe what's in here!

4 Two press tickets! One for you and one for me!

5 We need to sneak in and surprise G.K.! How great would it be for us to be there, cheering him on! He'd be sure to win with our support!

6 This yellow area shows us where the photographers get to be. Right up front! How do we get in there, Sharkey?

7 Franny, I'm one step ahead of you! I found the special press passes in the kitchen!

8 They're for Martha's TV show. Her crew will be there filming G.K. at the event! See Franny, one is a photo pass, so we can get into that photographers' ring and take great shots of our brother!

9 There, we'll walk right in! Just pretend we're with the media! Wait, Franny, we ARE the media! We do have our own blog...why wouldn't the Daily Wag be at the Westminster Dog Show?

10 Don't worry, Sharkey. Just let me do all the talking! I'll get us right in!

11 Right, and I'll take Martha's Canon S95 camera and take all the photos!

12 Francesca, we need a plan. Let me look through the judging program to find when G.K. will be showing.

13 Let's see, the schedule says that the Chow Chows are in Ring One on Monday at 10:15am...so that's where we'll find G.K.

14 Sharkey, how are we going to get to Madison Square Garden in New York City for the show? Oh wait, I know! Let's call Uncle Carlos! He'll be sure to take us!

15 Sigh, Uncle Carlos isn't answering his cell phone. And besides, it's already Monday and it's after 10:15! I wonder if G.K. won?

1 I've been doing a lot to prepare for Westminster next week, like staying in shape in Karen's exercise yard.

2 There are lots of toys for me to play with here, as well! Toys keep dogs minds stimulated, keeping us sharp and smart!

3 There are also other Chow Chows for me to socialize with at Karen's house, which also prepares me to be around all the other dogs at the show, both big and small!

4 It's hard to believe that the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show begins on Monday! We've just received all of our official documents for the show.

5 This is my offiicial identification card.

6 As a precaution, Karen took me to the Blue Ridge Veterinary Office to get microchipped. I was a little nervous because I wasn't sure what that meant, but Vet Tech Melani Bowman and Dr. Carol Filchner made me feel at ease!

7 Another vet tech, Lisa Wenner, filled out my paperwork and explained that a microchip would be implanted under my skin between my shoulder blades. If I ever get lost, a vet can scan the microchip and find out who I am!

8 It's a very common practice these days and more reliable than tags. I don't usually wear a collar around the house because of my thick fur and a microchip clearly states that Martha is my owner!

9 First, they scanned my body to make sure I didn't already have a microchip. Like I'd forget about having a microchip!

10 The microchip is smaller than a grain of rice and fits inside a syringe. I thought it was going to hurt - who likes getting shots? The vet techs were so nice and quick, I didn't even feel it!

11 The vets showed me a photo of Martha holding a Jack Russell terrier who is owned by Dr. Edward Shelly from the veterinary clinic! What a small world! By the way, all kinds of pets can get microchips. It's a really good idea!

1 Sharkey, what are they guys doing in the vegetable garden? It usually doesn't see much action this time of year! Let's investigate!

2 Normally, in the depths of winter, the ground is so frozen you couldn't possibly dig like that. Plus, it's usually covered with snow!

3 That's right, Franny! This has been an exceptionally mild winter, allowing for the guys to get a head start on garden preparations for the spring!

4 At the start of every growing season, the garden gets turned over, meaning the first ten to twelve inches of soil is dug up and flipped.

5 But, before that happens, any weeds are cultivated out and discarded in the compost pile. There, those weeds get 'cooked' by the heat of the decaying organic matter, killing their seeds.

6 Once that job is done, the digging begins, a process that aerates the soil. You could even spread a layer of compost first to incorporate more nutrients into the soil. You can smell that this soil is very nutrient-rich!

7 Phurba, you're doing a splendid job! Franny, aerating sounds like a good idea, but it seems like so much work. Why is this done for the garden? Isn't it just...dirt?

8 Think about it, Sharkey! This isn't just dirt, it's what plants live in! Aeration helps replenish nutrients and provides a loose soil for vegetable roots to grow deep and strong.

9 Right! It's all coming back to me now, Francesca. It also helps with good water drainage. Is this the next section to turn?

10 Yikes!!! No way, Sharkey. This is Martha's prized asparagus and rhubarb plot. This section never gets turned!

11 Sharkey, all this talk about vegetables and nutrients has made me hungry! Let's go find a snack!

1 Sharkey, do you remember that hysterical commercial during the Super Bowl with the French Bulldog? The dog that looks like you? Well, I found it online, so let's watch it again!

2 Oh Franny, who could forget this one, about the Frenchie racing against greyhounds? It's kind of making fun of our breed with our stout bodies and short legs. We don't much look like the racing type!

3 Then, along comes Mr. Quiggly! Sharkey, he really looks so much like you!

4 Hmmm...Yes, there is a strong resemblance, but he seems to have many more wrinkles around his neck.

5 You're right, Sharkey. And besides, Mr. Quiggly is a handsome male and you are a beautiful lady.

6 Sharkey, what about those running shoes he's wearing? They must have special powers to make him run so fast!

7 If we order shoes like that, do you think we'll run as fast as Mr. Quiggly? Just think about it - the squirrels around here wouldn't stand a chance!

8 I've seen shoes for dogs before to protect paws from harsh elements, but I've never seen dog shoes for running!

9 Besides, Francesca, you can't believe everything you see on television! I think this is just a clever commercial. Staying healthy and fit is what will keep us in shape for squirrel chasing, not shoes!

1 I chased a squirrel right into this big hole in this apple tree! There's a bird feeder nearby and the squirrel has been eating the seeds!

2 You're right, Sharkey! It's too dark to see him, but I can certainly smell the critter!

3 Hmm, it smells like a common gray squirrel, right Franny? They don't hibernate in the winter like many other animals. But they often take shelter inside hollow tree trunks to stay warm and to stay near a food source.

4 Hey, squirrel!!! Come out of there! You're eating all the birdseed. You know, there's no such thing as a free lunch around here!

5 Maybe if we both shove our heads inside the hole at the same time...

6 Wait, Sharkey! There's a hole at the top of the tree, too!

7 Say, I have an idea...let's flank him! You stay down at the bottom and I'll just jump up to that one. He'll have nowhere to go!

8 One, two, three - jump! Such athleticism!

9 Aw, come on, darling sweet little squirrel! We just want to play with you!

10 Franny, I'm beginning to feel like a foolish Frenchie. I think we've been had by that squirrel. I think he used that top hole as a back door and now, he's outta here! Probably sitting in another tree laughing at us!

1 Francesca! GK! There is something strange outside! It appears to be some sort of green animal about Frenchie size!

2 I'll just wait here, where it's safe, while you girls investigate. That green color is kind of disturbing.

3 Hmmm, it's shaped like one of the miniature donkeys except that it's much more miniature! But our mini donks are the smallest size there is! And they definitely don't come in green! We need a closer look.

4 Well, Francesca, would you look at that! It's a topiary in the shape of a donkey!

5 Topiaries are often made by trimming trees, shrubs, or bushes into shapes. This is a different type of topiary.

6 Oh I see, the donkey shape is actually a wire frame, which appears to be filled with sphagnum moss. Sphagnum is often referred to as peat moss, as it's often found growing on top of peat bogs.

7 You know what? I can pose like that, too. Why doesn't someone make a topiary of me? The art of topiary has been around since Roman times. What better way to be immortalized?

8 How about this, Sharkey? Is this a good pose?

9 Or should I look off this way, like I'm daydreaming?

10 Just think, people all over the globe could decorate their lawns with Topiary Francescas! This could be big, Sharkey!

11 Oh Francesca, you're so silly. We don't need a topiary version of you—one of you is enough!

1 Vivaldi! Verdi! There's something different in the canary cage. Do you see it?

2 There seems to a stranger trying to blend in with the flock, but the vivid color of these Red Factor canaries makes it difficult.

3 What they eat affects their pigmentation, so they are fed foods like carrots, oranges, and berries to keep them bright.

4 It's the same reason pink flamingos are pink, you know, because of all the shrimp they eat.

5 So if I eat a lot of shrimp, I might turn pink as well? How silly I would look! But Bartok, what were you saying about a stranger in the canary cage?

6 All I see that's different are these newly cut apple branches for the birds to perch on.

7 Wait a minute, what's that? Hey, that's no canary!

8 See? I told you. That's a blue parakeet that Martha bought as a songbird for her granddaughter, Baby Jude. While canaries make lovely pets (and snacks), parakeets can be trained to sing and talk.

9 Bartok, when did you become such a know-it-all? You sound like the Frenchies with all of those facts. I'm trying to nap in this ray of sun over here!

10 What? The dogs think they're so smart...I'm just trying to show that they aren't the only ones with brains in this house! We know things too!

11 Oh fine, I'll stretch out and nap in the sun, too. See if I ever try to better you again!

1 All right, GK! Sharkey and I are going to make sure you look your best for the next show, which is Westminster, of course! Let's see what tools and products we can use.

2 GK, you don't need a full shampoo because you've had a bath recently. It's important not to bathe dogs too frequently as it can wash away too many of our natural oils. Those oils keep our skin healthy and our coats shiny!

3 We Frenchies don't have problems with tangles as we have easy to manage short hair, but the thickness and length of Chow Chow fur can cause mats! Let's use this natural botanical conditioning spray to make it easier to brush him!

4 While you go to a professional groomer, and you also have Karen Tracy taking care of you for shows, it's a good idea to keep brushes on hand at home for in between maintenance.

5 Ah, see, GK? No tangles means no tears! Grooming should be a good experience that brings owners closer to their pets.

6 Thanks, Sharkey! You brush my back and I'll brush yours! Doesn't that feel great?

7 I'm going to run this comb gently through to pick up some of your undercoat. Regular brushing also reduces the amount of shedding, keeping hair off clothes, furniture, and floors!

8 GK, you're starting to look really good! But let's not just worry about the outside. We have to take care of the inside, too!

9 That's right Sharkey. We use this ear cleaner to clear waxy buildups and stop infections before they start! Pups with floppy ears are especially prone to infections, so they should definitely clean their ears frequently!

10 Gee, girls! You always take such good care of me! It's so nice of you to help me look and feel my best!

1 Sharkey! Do you smell what I smell? I think we're on the trail of a red fox! I'm told that the red fox has a variable diet, favoring the seasonal availability of small mammals and birds.

2 Francesca, I heard some of the crew say that they saw a couple of foxes recently right near our house! That's why the cats are locked inside and why we need to be especially careful out here!

3 Sharkey, I also heard that red foxes are the leading animal hunted for the fur in the winter, so they need to find a good hiding spot. Where would you hide if you were a fox?

4 In the winter, foxes live in dens or burrows underground to keep their litter of pups warm. They usually stay close to a source of water for drinking...Hey, I have an idea!

5 Francesca, I don't know about this. Do you really think a fox would take shelter in a drainage pipe? I'm too scared to look!

6 Hello? Are there any foxes hiding in this drainage pipe? Sharkey, I don't see a thing in there!

7 What is it, Franny? Did you pick up the fox's scent again? If there really is one here, we should be able to smell where he's been marking his territory. Too bad he doesn't realize this is our territory!

8 Sharkey! Look! I was tracking something all along...it's...a jaw bone!

9 Let's take a closer look at this!

10 Hmm, judging by the length and by the placement of the incisor and canine teeth, I believe this is definitely the lower jaw of a fox! What do you think, Sharkey?

11 I think you're correct, Franny! It looks like one poor fox has met its end! But that also means that there's something bigger than a fox out there to worry about!

1 Hey Verdi! Why are all the cats hiding in the laundry room? Are you all scaredy-cats?

2 No, Francesca, being scared has nothing to do with it. We're all waiting for our turn to be groomed. This is more than just a laundry room, you know—it's also our salon!

3 Laura and Maria are brushing out Empress Tang right now and then it will be my turn.

4 I see there's a whole shelf of grooming products for dogs and cats. Wait, is a kitty salon really necessary? It seems like all you cats do is sleep and preen!

5 Yes, Francesca, it's true that cats need ample beauty rest and we do like to preen. But, we also need baths and grooming, just like you stinky dogs!

6 Long haired cats, like all of us, should really be brushed once a day to stave off mats, remove dirt, and distribute oil throughout our coats. Short haired cats need brushing, but just once a week.

7 Plus, when you have an experienced brusher, like these two ladies, it also feels really nice. Ah yes, that's the spot!

8 There's a whole line of Martha Stewart pet grooming brushes at PetSmart for both dogs and cats.

9 Long haired cats like Persians and Himaylans actually have three layers of hair called guard hair, awn, and down. The short guard hairs shed and can get tangled with the longer down hairs, causing mats, like dreadlocks!

10 Believe me, we cats hate when our hair gets matted, but we also know that regular brushing really helps to avoid mats altogether. We welcome our grooming sessions.

11 There, how do I look? Purrfectly gorgeous, no?

12 Empress Tang, I must admit that you do smell good and your that your fur is very soft! And thanks for the lesson about cat hair.