The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show took place recently, and just like every year, my fellow dog lovers are in a tizzy about all of the different breeds of dogs on display. In fact, a friend of mine admitted to tracking the competition so closely, I compared it to how a sports fan might care for their fantasy football teams. People are really passionate about their favorite breeds around here!

As I gain experience in the world of dog training and behavior, I continue to encounter and learn about new breeds every day.

As much as I love my mixed breeds (my own dog is a beagle/terrier mix), I will admit that I always get excited when an uncommon breed walks through our door. I’ve thought about starting a checklist for myself - how long will it take for me to encounter all of these different breeds? When will I meet my first Kuvasz, Puli, or Xoloitzcuintli?

Coming up at the end of this month, Chicago will host its own major canine convention, of sorts - the International Kennel Club Dog Show at McCormick Place . AnimalSense has a booth, and I’m going to take advantage of our presence there by walking the grounds and getting to see and meet as many dogs as possible. Last year, I fell in love with a harlequin Great Dane named Maksim, and vowed that my next dog would be just like him. The year before that, it was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Lou. I’ve also been known to chase down French Bulldogs, Dalmatians, hounds of all varieties, and the occasional Neapolitan Mastiff. My name is Carol, and I’m a dog-a-holic.

If you can’t come see us at the IKC show next weekend, you can still get to know all of these different breeds a little better. Here’s a great gallery from the Westminster show - it features most of the different champions who won “Best in Breed” in large, color photographs - so much better than the illustrations in my dog breed books.

And for those of you who fancy yourselves “pooch perfect”, I give you a challenge. Take this quiz and see how well you know your dog breeds. Much to my relief, I got 10 out of 10. Phew!

Now, it’s your turn - let us know how you scored on the breed quiz, and tell us all about your favorite breeds - either those you’ve owned, those you’ve dreamed about owning, or maybe even those you’ve just chased down the street to get a closer look at.