Indians who love to parade their canines

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-37641343

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Every winter, dog enthusiasts and "professional" breeders travel across India to participate in dog shows.

India has a rich and long history of these shows - the first one was held in 1896 and flourished under the patronage of the British colonial elite. Today, these are organised by the Kennel Club of India.

The average person may consider a dog show to be a glorified beauty pageant for dogs, but these canine owners and breeders take these competitions very seriously.

There is usually no prize money to be had but breeding a pedigreed dog can lead to big financial returns and many people aspire to be at the top of the dog show world in India.

The breeders spend great sums on importing pedigreed dogs, hiring professional handlers from abroad and flying these dogs to various shows across India.

Delhi-based photographer Karan Vaid, whose parents are dog show judges, has been travelling around India for the past three years, covering these events. Here are some photographs from his album.