Jingle Belle is a hairless, wrinkled Sphynx cat.

The Providence Journal / Connie Grosch

Sassy and Bentley are two and three years old, respectively.

“They are my children,” says Rachel Wilson of Cranston. “They go everywhere with me.”

So this weekend, Sassy and Bentley will go to Providence. Wilson will look into her children’s vast wardrobe, pick out some stylish outfits, dress them up and take them to the Rhode Island Pet Show.

Sassy and Bentley are Chihuahuas. But they’re also runway models.

“I want to change people’s minds. I’m not crazy because I dress my dogs everyday. I’m not the only one.”

No, in fact more than 100 people applied to enter their dogs into the pet show’s fashion show. But in the dog-eat-dog world of modeling, only 28 pooches were picked.

“We did a casting call,” says Susanna Barrett of Park Ave Puppy’s in Cranston, the fashion show organizer. “We try to represent one of every breed. We want dogs that are good with children because it is a family event.”

It’s also a big event. The Rhode Island Pet Show, now in its 15th year, is two days, Saturday and Sunday, and is expected to attract more than 15,000 people. There will be nearly 100 vendors offering all kinds of pet products and services, everything from dog daycare to pet-cemetery plots.

It’s not just dogs, but cats, rabbits, birds, ferrets and lizards.

“It’s everything,” says Kathy Barnas, coordinator of the show presented by Osborne/Jenks Productions. “It’s a show for the whole family. It’s entertainment, education and shopping.”

There will be a cat call. More than 200 felines are expected to respond. The International Cat Association conducts a show, all day both days, organized by the New England-based cat club, the Chowder Chuggers.

“It’s an education for the public,” says Donna Madison, the cat show organizer. “And it’s an opportunity to see some beautiful cats.”

This is not just a presentation, but a competition, where cats are judged against standards for each breed.

“People are always breeding for perfection,” Madison says. “There is no perfect cat, but you try to get as close as you can.”

The pet show will also offer an exotic-bird show, and pony rides. There will be dog-agility demonstrations, and police dog demonstrations.

From a spectator point of view, much of the pet show is for the dogs. In fact, there will be a parade of them. It’s called the AKC Parade of Breed Dog Show. It’s not a competition, but a presentation.

“Our goal is to help people find the right dog for their family situation,” says Lynn Pray of the Canine Training Center in Rehoboth, who’s organizing the parade. “Different dogs have different traits.”

At least a dozen different breeds will be in each of three planned parades each day. And breeders will be there to answer questions.

There will be some small dogs, including a Papillon and a Pomeranian.

“We will talk about how they’re not disposable,” Pray says. “They’re still dogs and need to be trained. They can bite. They are often not appropriate for small children. If you drop them, they do break.”

There will be English cocker spaniels, which are good for children.

“They’re very smart and portable and like to be members of the family,” Pray says. “They’re food-oriented and will do anything for a treat.”

There will be a golden retriever, a Portuguese water dog and a Newfoundland, one of the biggest dogs.

“You may see a cute, fluffy puppy in a pet store, but that puppy will grow up to be a 150-pound dog that will drool and have to wear a bib. It wouldn’t be suitable for someone who lives on the 15th floor of a high-rise in Providence.”

Pray’s overriding message is that people may pick different dogs for different reasons, but everyone should subscribe to training.

“One of the reasons people turn dogs in to shelters is they don’t take the time to train them. When the dogs get older and are not cooperative, people get rid of them. It’s not the dog’s fault. People didn’t understand the responsibility of owning that dog.”

Five years ago, an organizer of the pet show approached Susanna Barrett, owner of Park Ave Puppy’s, with the idea of putting on a fashion show involving dogs. It sounded good to Barrett.

“Pets were becoming a bigger part of people’s lives. We were doing dog weddings.”

That first year, 16 dogs, the same as the number of applicants, participated in the fashion show that pairs dogs with human models. This year there were 120 applications for 28 positions.

“It shows how this has come of age,” Barrett says.

The show is 27 minutes, with each dog taking two 25-second trips down the runway, with two different outfits.

“We may send a dog out in a harness or a life vest,” Barrett says. “It’s not just frou-frou fashion.”

Collars, harnesses and other practical dog attire will be part of the show; but frou-frou steals the show.

Bella is pretty in pink. This is according to Diane Balducci of Cranston, owner of the eight-month-old Maltese-poodle mix.

“I think she looks good in pink. Obviously the dog is not going to tell me if she thinks so.”

But Balducci says Bella doesn’t seem to mind wearing her pink collars, dresses, bathing suit, you name it.

“I don’t put pajamas on her at night. That’s because I don’t have them. But I have ordered them.”

Balducci, who has an 18-year-old daughter, has her first dog in the 22 years of her marriage, after her husband finally acquiesced. Where Balducci draws the fashion line for her dog is footwear.

“I don’t put shoes or boots on her. That’s too much.”

Hunter Anthony Rinaldi, a 6-year-old Italian greyhound, owned by America Rinaldi of West Warwick, will be in the fashion show for the third year. Rinaldi enjoys it; and, she says, so does Hunter.

“He is an only dog, so he gets to be with other animals. He gets to socialize. He has a friend that he likes to see there, Blue, a little Boston terrier.”

Rinaldi says clothing is practical and important to Rinaldi, who weighs 14 pounds, has little hair and no body fat. He gets cold easily.

“When I dress him, he’ll pick up one foot and then the other. Before he goes out, he waits. He doesn’t like to go out without his coat.”

Or if it’s just a little cool, Hunter could wear one of his many sweaters; and if it’s mild, just a shirt and maybe some sunglasses. But for special occasions, Hunter steps out in a tuxedo.

Rinaldi is used to people’s reactions.

“They’ll say, ‘Oh my God.’ But then they’ll say, ‘When is the show?’ ”

It’s at 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. both days. This will be the third year in the fashion show for Sassy and Bentley. Wilson, who has no children, says “they are the king and queen of the house.”

Between them, Sassy and Bentley have 150 outfits: shirts, sweaters, jackets (a fur one and a leather one), boots, jewelry, etc.

“I have an armoire for them. What does that tell you?”

Wilson also has a $2,000 Louis Vuitton dog carrier for them.

“I got it to match my pocketbook. I dress them the way I dress myself. I’m high-maintenance, and so are my dogs. My husband would concur. If it’s new, they have it.”

What’s relatively new is the concept of a dog fashion show. And Wilson says it’s about time.

“It shows people that dogs aren’t something you keep in the backyard. They are part of the family.”

The Rhode Island Pet Show is Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Rhode Island Convention Center, One Sabin Street, Providence. Tickets are $8, $7 for seniors and $4 for children 12 and younger. For more information, visit www.osbornejenks.com or call (800) 955-7469.