If you tune to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show tonight, be sure to watch for Geneva, a German shepherd bred and handled by James Moses of Carrollton.

That's because Geneva is not only the top German shepherd in the country, she's also the top dog in her AKC group — the herding group.

Steven Ross / Special (ENLARGE)

Movi, a bichon frise owned by Judy Houston of Warner Robins, just returned from showing in Australia.

John Ashbey / Special (ENLARGE)

Look for Justin tonight. Westminster judge Bruce Schwartz awarded the Welsh terrier best of breed in 2006. Handler Tracy Szaras Deloria proudly shows off the pooch.

Vicki Allenbrand / Special (ENLARGE)

Jackson the bull mastiff may be a 140-pound 'baby' at home, but in 2007 he also was named the No. 2 bull mastiff in the country.

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"This is her last show," said Moses, who has raised German shepherds for decades and is known for having champion dogs. "After this, she's going home to have babies."

Geneva took the breed at Westminster last year and placed second in her group. This year, she should also be one of the top Georgia dogs at the show. Westminster, held in Madison Square Garden in New York City, is the oldest dog show in the country and the most prestigious to win. That's why 2,627 dogs are entered, including 60 from Georgia.

One of those is Justin, a Welsh terrier owned by Sharon Abmeyer of Powder Springs. Justin, whose full name is Shaireab's Just N' Time, will be back at Westminster for the third year, taking the breed in 2006 and 2007.

"He excels in movement and type," Abmeyer said. "And he loves to show. When he's in there, he just pretty much owns the ring."

Another top Georgia dog is Jackson, the No. 2 bull mastiff in 2007, who will be attending Westminster for the first time this year. His owner, Vicki Allenbrand of Dacula, calls her 140-pound dog "a big baby."

"A lot of people are afraid of him because of how he looks, but he's really a very playful dog," she said. "He'll kill to get a toy, and he always wants someone touching him. If you don't, he'll bark."

The No. 2 toy Manchester terrier in 2007 also is from Georgia. Cosmo, or Ebet's Absolut Cosmopolitan, is owned by Donna Young of Marietta. Young was showing Cosmo herself but then tried him with a professional handler in July.

"He went from the No. 12 Manchester terrier to the No. 2 in six months with Harry [Bennett, the handler]," Young said. "I'm just so excited Harry is taking him to Westminster this year. They just have this connection."

Some of the dogs at Westminster have traveled more than a lot of people. While dogs campaigning for top positions in their breed often travel throughout the United States 45 or more weeks out of the year, many show dogs also go to other countries to show as well.

Judy Houston's bichon frise, Movi (short for JuJu's Move it On Over), just got back from showing in Australia. Houston said she fell into showing dogs about five years ago.

"I just wanted a little pet, and the next thing I knew I was into all this show stuff," said Houston, of Warner Robins. "I hate letting him go, but he's just born for the ring and I don't want to hold him back."

And Andrea Holsinger's flat-coated retriever, Thor, is on loan for a year from the Netherlands.

"He came here about nine months ago for stud and to get his junior hunter title," Holsinger said. "He was No. 7 last year in breed points. We'll just see what he does at Westminster."

And then there are the people and dogs really new to the show world. For them, a trip to the Garden, as the show is known in the dog world, is a dream come true. That's the case with Dr. Lori Jones Morrison, a Fayetteville veterinarian.

Morrison's greater Swiss mountain dog, Lincoln, was the No. 4 Swissie last year. He also was a wedding gift to Morrison and her husband, Joey, in October 2005. The couple had been high school sweethearts, then lost track of each other for more than 30 years. They met again when she was throwing a 50th wedding anniversary party for her parents and married a year later.

"My mom and dad, my sister, the breeder, we're all going up there for the show," Morrison said. "We have 16 people going. He's going to have his own cheering section. I guess you could say we're pretty excited he's going to be at Westminster."

For a video of two of the Georgia dogs going to Westminster, go to ajcpets.com.