The cat walk and the dog walk had equal billing in NYC this week with fashion week and the Westminster Dog Show showcasing faux and fur. Central to the latter was the Hotel Pennsylvania on seventh avenue, which has kenneled the best and fairest for many years. The hotel caters specifically to canine clients, with an in-house doggy menu, a specially situated relief station on the lower ground floor, and an on-hand photographer working around the clock. Funniest of all is that dogs and their best friends descend on the hotel from all over the country so there were mountain dogs, great danes and boxes of toys waiting to check in alongside carers, groomers and admirers – it was more like a carnival than a competition.

The stakes are high. While people I spoke to came for the pride of it ( one woman drove from Phoenix because the marvelous mush on her champion could have been damaged in crated flight ), the opportunity for immortality nevertheless makes for emotional moments. A competitor with yellow arm-band and leopard-skin coated whippet rushed to the lift without a moment to pose or pause for a treat. Perhaps the lucrative commercial contracts of winners eluded them – maybe mixing with other celebs at Sardi’s or the walk-on part in the Broadway hit musical ‘Kinky Boots’ was now out of the park for them. But there’s always next year. Just look at how fellow dog-lover Patti Hearst ( who won with her shih tzu called Rocket ) made a comeback after 1974.

Back on the street a curly haired retriever was taking in the sights after a winning tour down under in Brisbane. He wasn’t fussed at two fashionista’s being stranded by the parking police – with a perfect coat and a practiced point he had a show to go to…