Meet Baylee, the dog who will bring glory to Toronto at the Westminster dog show

Canada's top Brittany, a 6-year-old pup named Baylee, is headed to New York City to compete in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show next week.

"He loves it. He lives for it," said Baylee's owner Jay Sobel in an interview with CBC Radio's Metro Morning.

The dogalready has Canadian Brittanys licked, having been awarded more breed wins and group placementsthan any other Brittany in Canada.

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Now, he's heading south for the Oscars of the dog worldon February 13 and 14.

Baylee made the cut for Westminster by beating out 49 other American male Britannys at a dog show in Fort Smith, Arkansas last November.

Sobel is unique in that he shows Baylee himself rather than hiring a handler.

"We try to treat a dog like a member of the family, and when you do that you develop a certain rapport," he said.

He said that Baylee is a "pet first" and has plenty of downtime whenhe's not competing or preparing for a show.

As for advice for dog owners, Sobel's is simple: "Love your dog, and treat it almost like a human being. It's going to reward you with the types of behaviours that make him a good member of the family."