Dogshow ABC's - Part I

Quite a few of our puppy people have expressed interest in dog showing, but some confusion about what is involved. We thought it might be good to give a VERY basic introduction to dogshows and what is involved.

What is a dogshow?

A dog show is an event which you enter with your dog, to be judged (by a licensed AKC Judge) regarding how well your dog meets the AKC standard compared to the other dogs entered on that day. The AKC breed standard is a description of the breed and its traits, written by the national breed parent club (For example, the Pointer Standard was written by the American Pointer Club) and approved by AKC.

What is the purpose of a dogshow?

Dog shows are intended to evaluate breeding stock. Having an AKC championship means that you have acquired 15 AKC Championship points (more on this) and have been evaluate by at least 3 AKC licensed judges and deemed to be better than a number of other dogs of your same breed. A championship doesn't necessarily mean you should run out and breed your dog, but it does go a long way to proving your dog has the qualities asked for by the breed standard and that your dog has something to contribute in a positive way towards the gene pool of your particular breed.

Dogshow is also a fun activity for you and your dog, can be a nice social outing, and a good experience for your children. It can also be political, frustrating and time-consuming. But mostly it's fun!

How do I find out about Dogshows in my area?

It's a good idea to contact a local all-breed club in your area to learn more about shows around you. An all-breed club is a dog club that has members from many different breeds. These people work together in their community to educate people about dogs, often host training classes in both conformation (showing) and obedience and host and run dog shows.

Another source for shows in your area is the various Show Superintendents. These are organizations that supply equipment for shows (tents, rings, tables, ribbons, etc.) and manage the paperwork involved (keeping records and providing them to the AKC to keep track of the results at a given show.) Getting in contact with show superintendents can help you be put on their mailing list for upcoming shows.

What does my dog have to do during a show?

For conformation (the "beauty pageant" part that you see often on TV such as Westminster Kennel Club's annual show) your dog must stand squarely for the judge to look at him. He must stand quietly while he is examined all over - head, ears, body, tail, testicles for males, sometimes even his feet and legs are touched. Also the judge will need to pull back his lips and look at his teeth, so he must tolerate this. Next the judge will ask you to move your dog around the ring so he can evaluate how he moves and uses his body. Moving the dog is done at a trotting pace - this gives the judge the best view of how the dog is using himself. The judge will want to see your dog moving away from him, towards him and from the side. He might send you in various directions to be able to see this: normally away and back in a diagonal line across the ring, and then around the perimeter of the ring so he can watch the dog move from the side. Often after the dog has moved away and back to the judge, your dog will need to stop and stand squarely on his own (you can use food to teach him how to do this - it's called "baiting") so the judge can see how he stands on his own without you placing his legs and also so the judge can see his face and expression.

Your dog will need to be accustomed to moving thru a crowd, being around other dogs, hearing and seeing strange noises and sights, and being touched.

How does my dog learn all this?

Much of this can be practiced at home. YOu can teach your dog to stand, to have his mouth and head and body examined, and to move on the leash in your own house and yard. However, it's helpful to attend a "show handling" class (many all-breed clubs hold these classes) and to get out and about in general to become socialized to new people and places.

I'm interested! My dog and I know what to do, now what?

If you've trained your dog and taken some classes and have a good idea of what you will need to do in the ring, you will want to enter some "match shows." These are practice shows, run very much like a regular dogshow, except that there are no points awarded (as they are not "official AKC" shows) and the judges are often learning just like you and your dog. They help you see how your dog is doing with his show education, and help you to get some experience working with your dog in a "show" environment. Ribbons are awarded and it can be fun to see how your dog stacks up against his competition, even if it is practice!

Once you've entered a few matches, you might be ready for a show! First, your dog must be 6 months of age to enter a show. (Often matches allow puppies as young as 3 months to enter.) He should have a bath and have his nails trimmed and in general be in good condition and tidy all over. (Pointers don't require a lot of grooming so you're off the hook for a lot of the work required by other breeds like Poodles, shih tzus and other coated breeds). Since the judge will be looking at the dog, you will want a slightly lightweight show lead so as not to distract the judge from your dog. Most people dress up a bit for dogshows - business casual or slightly nicer is the rule of thumb - but it's ok to wear comfortable, safe shoes so you don't fall in the ring!

So? How do you enter? Once you've contacted some all-breed clubs or show superintendents, you should be able to get your hands on what is called a "Show Premium." This is a pamphlet that lists an upcoming show, the date, location, and who the judges will be for each breed. At the back of this pamphlet will be an entry form. You must fill out ALL of the information to enter the show, and send this form with the fee (listed on that page) to the show superintendent in charge of teh show BEFORE THE CLOSING date of the show. THis closing date is usually 2-3 weeks before the actual date of the show. The entries are needed well in advance so that the judging scheduled can be planned based on how many dogs of each breed are entered.

Usually the week before the show, you will receive in the mail a Judging Schedule which will tell you in what Ring you will be showing, what time, how many dogs are entered for each breed, and what your Show number is. The judge is not permitted to know the names of the dogs entered, so you will be given a number to put on your arm while showing your dog. You will want to be sure you have the correct number so when the results are recorded, you get credit for whatever your dog has done at the show that day.

Coming up: Part II - Attending the Show and What are all those Ribbons For???