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Starting next Monday, February 2, towering 20-foot inflatable pups will begin appearing around midtown Manhattan during Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show week, turning the area around Madison Square Garden into an unexpected, highly photogenic canine takeover.
The larger-than-life installations are part of a pop-up campaign by The Honest Kitchen, timed to coincide with Westminster’s return to its traditional February schedule. While the dog show celebrates elite breeding, perfect grooming and championship ribbons, these inflatables are doing the opposite: spotlighting dogs that look like the ones New Yorkers actually live with, walk and dodge on crowded sidewalks.
Before landing in midtown, the giant pups will “cruise” the city’s waterways, floating past both the Hudson and East Rivers. From there, they’ll touch down at Plaza33, just steps from the Garden, where Westminster’s Best in Show will ultimately be crowned.
From February 2–3, Plaza33 will effectively become a temporary dog park-meets-art installation. The inflatables will be on view from early morning through late evening, offering prime photo ops for commuters, tourists and anyone who suddenly finds themselves staring up at a cartoonishly oversized pup on their way to Penn Station.
Pet parents passing through can grab free samples of The Honest Kitchen’s Wholemade dehydrated dog food, along with limited merch and accessories. On Monday evening, February 2, the plaza will also host a dog-lover meet-up at 6:30pm, inviting New Yorkers and their pups to mingle and snack together.
Inside, at Westminster, hundreds of dogs will be benched, judged and scrutinized according to strict breed standards—a tradition that dates back to the 19th century. Outside, these inflatables lean into a more relaxed, come-as-you-are idea of what makes a great dog and, by extension, a great city.
You don’t need a ticket, a pedigree or even a leash to take it in. Just look up.