Tricks, no treats - hungry Leonberger charms at Westminster

NEW YORK (AP) Dario the big Leonberger wanted a treat. So what if he was right in the middle of the show ring at the Westminster Kennel Club?

The persistent and playful Dario became an instant sensation in the dog world Tuesday night, delighting a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden with his antics.

Not to be denied, Dario kept gnawing at the suit pocket of handler Sam Mammano as he romped all the way around the ring. He wouldn't stop, and the fans went bonkers.

Tricks, no treats.

Dario missed out on an award in the working group, but the 2 1/2-year-old certainly earned a place forever in dogdom lore.

Mammano, of Rochester, New York, could only smile afterward.

''Good comic relief,'' he said. ''He's a young, silly dog and was just having fun.''

And exactly what treat was in that left pocket Dario kept digging into?

''Nothing,'' Mammano said, laughing. ''The food was on the other side.''