Westminster Dog Show

The Westminster Dog Show started Monday morning and, to the owners of the 2,711 pooches who take part, it's the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500 of dogdom in the United States, one giant bark in the park. Matisse the Portuguese water dog with White House connections is one step closer to the best in show title at the Westminster Kennel Club.

Matisse won Tuesday in the breed judging round for the third straight year. He advances to the working group competition Tuesday night, and the champion will be picked around 11 p.m.

The 3 1-2-year-old Matisse is among the top-winning show dogs of all-time and ranked No. 1 in America last year. He's also a cousin of President Barack Obama's family pet Sunny.

The working, terrier and sporting champs will be chosen Tuesday night. Already in the best-of-seven final ring are old English sheepdog Swagger, who finished second at Westminster in 2013, and a shih tzu owned by Patty Hearst, the heiress whose 1974 kidnaping became a political flash point.

A 15-inch beagle and a standard poodle also are in the last ring.

Below is a selection from this year's Westminster Dog Show covered by photographers Mary Altaffer and Seth Wenig. 

Dog Show

A French Bulldog named Reba waits to enter the ring at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Dog Show

Rosie, a toy poodle, prepares to compete at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. The show starts Monday morning and, to the owners of the 2,711 pooches set to take part, it's the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500 of dogdom in the United States, one giant bark in the park. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Dog Show

Harry Bennett keeps an eye on a Havanese named Sierra before competing at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Dog Show

Papillons compete at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. The show started Monday morning and, to the owners of the 2,711 pooches set to take part, it's the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500 of dogdom in the United States. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Dog Show

A Komondor named Chauncey competes at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Dog Show

Sniper, a Keeshonden, waits in the benching area at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. The show started Monday morning and, to the owners of the 2,711 pooches set to take part, it's the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500 of dogdom in the United States. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

APTOPIX Dog Show

Armani, a xoloitzcuintli, is stands in the benching area of the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Monday, Feb. 16, 2015, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Dog Show

Matisse, a Portuguese water dog, competes at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015. The show started Monday morning and, to the owners of the 2,711 pooches set to take part, it's the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500 of dogdom in the United States, one giant bark in the park. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Dog Show

Sisi, a Norwegian Lundehund, won best in breed uncontested at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Dog Show

Vania Concolino holds her dog Lana, a standard poodle, while grooming her at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. The show started Monday morning and, to the owners of the 2,711 pooches set to take part, it's the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500 of dogdom in the United States. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Dog Show Agility

Nancy Borga, of Point Pleasant, N.J. takes a break from competition in the Westminster Kennel Club Masters Agility Championship, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015, in New York. Agility competitors span 74 dog breeds and varieties, and 15 hopefuls are mixed-breeds. The agility competition allowed them to return in 2014 to Westminster for the first time since the showís early years in the late 1800s. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Dog Show

Rocket a shih tzu co-owned by famed and infamous heiress Patty Hearst is inspected by the judge in the ring during the toy group competition during the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Rocket won the toy group. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Dog Show

Jim Grieco, a cameraman for the USA Network, films Bloodhound Nathan in the benching area of the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Dog Show

Foxy, a hairless breed called a Chinese Crested, wears a coat while waiting outdoors at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. The show starts Monday morning and, to the owners of the 2,711 pooches set to take part, it's the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500 of dogdom in the United States, one giant bark in the park. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Dog Show

Tools for a grooming lie next to a Maltese dog at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. The show starts Monday morning and, to the owners of the 2,711 pooches set to take part, it's the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500 of dogdom in the United States, one giant bark in the park. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Dog Show Agility

Bug, left, an Australian cattle dog and Highjack, an Australian shepherd watch the handler for a treat while waiting to compete in the Westminster Kennel Club Masters Agility Championship, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Dog Show

Lexi, a Pug, waits in the benching area at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. The show started Monday morning and, to the owners of the 2,711 pooches set to take part, it's the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500 of dogdom in the United States. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Dog Show

A Yorkshire Terrier named Massimo relaxes on his grooming table at the Westminster Kennel Club show in New York, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. The show starts Monday morning and, to the owners of the 2,711 pooches set to take part, it's the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500 of dogdom in the United States, one giant bark in the park. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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See more images from the Westminster Dog Show 

Text from the AP news story, Matisse the Portie takes early winning steps at Westminster, by Ben Walker. 

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