Craig Howell LINING UP – Several Shiloh Shepherds line up with their owners and handlers Saturday during the specialty event hosted at the Holiday Inn Weirton-Steubenville Area.

WEIRTON – It was a dog-gone good time in Weirton over the weekend, as the Holiday Inn Weirton-Steubenville Area played host to some four-legged friends.

The International Shiloh Shepherd Dog Club welcomed more than 50 dogs, and their humans, to Weirton as part of the organization’s national specialty competition, with a variety of competitions, social activities, and showcases Friday through Sunday.

“This is a national event and the largest Shiloh shepherd show of the year,” explained Nikki McGaughey, event chair for the specialty.

According to McGaughey, the Shiloh lineage can be traced to the 1960s, breaking away from German Shepherds and officially being recognized as their own breed in the 1990s. They are bred to be larger, calmer and more family-friendly than similar breeds.

“My favorite quote is German shepherds are working dogs that can be pets, Shilohs are pets that can work,” McGaughey said. “They make great therapy dogs, and enjoy dabbling in many sports such as obedience, rally, herding, search and rescue, scent work and more.”

Craig Howell SHOWING OFF – An owner leads her Shiloh Shepherd through a demonstration during one of the conformation shows held Saturday as part of the International Shiloh Shepherd Dog Club’s national specialty event held in Weirton over the weekend.

The event kicked off Friday afternoon with a barn hunt activity, which tests a dog’s natural hunting instincts and scenting abilities. Saturday and Sunday each featured two conformation shows, where dogs were judged based on their breed standard. A Canine Good Citizen test – where dogs are tested on their temperament and behavior in public settings – also was offered.

This isn’t the first such event the Holiday Inn has hosted, and hotel officials feel it puts them in a unique position.

“Hosting previous national dog show events has positioned us well for success and increased our marketability in hosting the Shiloh Shepherd Specialty this year,” said Brad Degenkolb, director of sales and marketing. “Building on the success of past shows makes our hotel and surrounding grounds especially appealing to this type of market.”

Degenkolb noted groups such as the ISSDC look for locations convenient to their members and offering ample green space to host their events.

“With the flexibility of our indoor and outdoor event spaces, we have the capability to market not only the hotel, but the entire Tri-State area, to a wide variety of groups,” he said. “We absolutely see potential for continued growth in this market and believe more specialty events like this could continue coming to the Tri-State region in the future.”

McGaughey agreed, saying the weather for the region and it being centrally located for many of its community hubs also were selling points.

It typically takes between 16 and 18 months to properly prepare for such an event Degenkolb said, as the hotel works to take the vision of the group from paper to reality. He credits the hard work of each employee at the Holiday Inn in making it possible.

The Holiday Inn previously hosted the Spinone Club of America in 2021 and 2023 for that organization’s specialty event. Degenkolb noted such activities boost business for the hotel, but also other areas of the Weirton area, patronizing local vendors for food and beverage services, rental services to obtain outdoor tents, tables and chairs, and even a local hay supplier.

McGaughey offered her own appreciation to the services provided by the hotel and its staff.

“The Holiday Inn, Weirton has been absolutely wonderful to work with as well. We cannot recommend them enough for anyone looking for an event space,” she said.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)