This year New York’s Columbus Day Parade, on October 12, will include Italian dog breeds.

New York, NY – The American Kennel Club® is proud to announce its participation in the 65th Annual Columbus Day Parade, the world’s largest celebration of Italian-American culture, on Monday, October 12th from noon to 3:00 p.m. on Fifth Avenue between 47th and 79th streets. For the first time ever the parade will include a procession of rare Italian dog breeds, recognizing Italy’s great contributions to the dog world and celebrating the upcoming Meet the Breeds event at the Javits Center on October 17th and 18th where pet lovers can meet 200 breeds of dog and cat.

The one million parade spectators will enjoy a contingency of over 30 marchers and 13 furry friends including the Bergamasco, an ancient shepherding breed with a striking coat of dense, flat mats that reach the ground; as well as the Cirneco dell’Etna, an ancient dog used in Sicily for rabbit hunting; the Lagotto Romagnolo, a dog from Northwest Italy with thick curly hair and a history dating back to the 16th century and the only two native Italian gun-dog breeds, the Bracco Italiano and Spinone Italiano.

Read the rest of Italian Dog Breeds and the American Kennel Club Say ‘Ciao’ to New York City in the Columbus Day Parade.