In his Devil's Dictionary, satirist Ambrose Bierce defined the dog as "a kind of additional or subsidiary deity designed to catch the overflow and surplus of the world's worship."

Well, the worship truly is flowing this week.

America has literally gone to the dogs, tuning in by the millions to watch the nation's ultimate canine competition - the 127th Westminster Kennel Club show, aired live by USA Network (www.usanetwork.com) .

About 2,600 top dogs, representing 159 breeds, are raising the woof at Madison Square Garden. The show began Monday and wraps up 8-11 p.m. today.

Westminster (www.westminsterkennelclub.org) has been televised live since 1984, but it's really caught on in the past few years, adding some commercial bite to its bark. In 2001, the show drew about 4.3 million viewers - a pretty hefty audience for a basic cable channel.

What's the attraction? It's a lively spectacle with dogs of all shapes, sizes and personalities. Most of us can relate to at least one show dog that reminds us of a beloved family pet.

But maybe it goes deeper than that. Here we are in the bleak midwinter, our minds sullied by talk of war, stories of crime, debate over the economy, all the miseries humans visit upon themselves. Dogs bring a certain purity we crave; as Sir Walter Scott said, they have "a share of man's intelligence, but no share of man's falsehood."

Think of some of the best qualities we aspire to - loyal, attentive, protective, affectionate, selfless - and you've just described a dog. Last year's Westminster, for example, opened with a moving tribute to the search-and-rescue canines that did such heroic work at the World Trade Center disaster.

And they can bring out the best in us. On Monday, the Enquirer's "Hometown Heroes" series profiled Paula and William Schuman of Green Township, who care for 60 dogs as volunteers at the Save the Animals Foundation shelter. The Schumans "just always go above and beyond," said a shelter official.

Westminster champions or not, these pets teach us lessons about caring for each other. They help us go "above and beyond."

Just ask a dog owner.