Hundreds of dogs have invaded Orlando for one of the top dog shows in the country.
- AKC National Championship in Orlando this weekend
- Kicked off with the Puppy Stakes
- Show opens to the public on Saturday
The American Kennel Club National Championship Dog Show got underway at the Orange County Convention Center Friday with the first-ever Puppy Stakes.
Puppies as young as six months and as old as 18 months competed in rings normally reserved for seasoned champions.
Watch: Facebook Live from the AKC Puppy Stakes
On Saturday and Sunday, the halls are opened to all dog lovers, with daytime conformation competitions among breeds and classes of dogs -- hundreds, if not thousands of them from all over the world.
The AKC show also features competition for Agility, Dock Diving and Obedience. The "Meet the Breeds" area gives you the chance to meet dog breeds before beloved and exotic and ask breed fanciers what it takes to raise these dogs. There's also a Kids Fun Zone.
In the evenings the top dogs will compete in the AKC National Championship, an event comparable to the Westminster Dog Show. That competition will air on Jan. 1 on Animal Planet.
More information about the AKC National Championship can be found on the AKC website. The site is also live streaming different events all weekend.
Tickets to the AKC show are $10 for those over 12 if you buy online on the AKC website. Kids under 12 are free, as are those with an active military ID.
Parking is also $10 a day at the Orange County Convention Center.