There is plenty of time for dogs to act doglike at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show while other dogs are being judged.

On Monday night, as she awaited her turn, a greyhound named Gia with piercing, hypnotic eyes scanned the crowd (and nearly left the floor of Madison Square Garden to join some of the formally dressed patrons), gleaned treats from her handler and acted with such endearing playfulness that I wondered if she knew she was at work.

Perhaps this was her warm-up act, her way of getting her game snout on.

But then, as if persuaded by a word or a tiny gesture from her handler, Gia shifted into the gear she needed during her turn in the hound group ring. She stood still — playtime was over! — and allowed her handler to nudge her legs into the ideal pose.