Artifact

By Harriet Barovick, Tam Gray, Daniel Levy, Lina Lofaro, David Spitz, Flora Tartakovsky and Chris Taylor

MUST GIVE US PAWS It was dog day morning and afternoon in New York City last week, when the 123rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show hit town. Despite the fact that it's no walk in the park to win best of breed in the Old English Sheepdog category, twice as many entered this year as in 1998. This is what made Yoshi, co-owned by Jere Marder, the leader of the herders.

NOSE Black and bulbous; Marder sometimes licks it to create a shine

TEETH Cleaned by vet one month before show; dental equipment used to eliminate tartar

COAT Washed in Treseme shampoo; sprayed with water, hair spray and cornstarch (to whiten it up); conditioned to help pesky split ends; and fluffed up during judging

BELLY Two meals a day of Purina Pro Plan, plus Milk Bones as a snack

GAIT Perfected by four years of running up and down Lakeshore Drive, and given a final polish in the hallways of the hotel

TAIL Chopped off three days after birth

TEMPERAMENT Must be vivacious and enjoy competing. Biting judges is bad form

CLAWS Trimmed, no polish

PAWS Hair neatened by owner with scissors