Dogshow ABC's Part II

So! You've entered a show and are eager to go and see how you will do! You have butterflies in your stomach but the dog is enjoying this game of running and baiting and you're pretty excited.

One thing not covered so far is the various classes which you might enter at a show. All dogs are divided by sex - in the classes all dogs compete against only dogs of their own sex - dogs against dogs and bitches against bitches.


Dog Show Classes:

1) Puppy classes. These are divided by age: 6-9 months, 9-12 months, and some clubs offer a 12-18 months class.

2) Novice class - this is a class for dogs who have never earned a first place ribbon. Normally this class is for dogs who are too old for puppy classes but perhaps not mature enough for the Open class.

3) American bred - this class is for dogs who were born in the United States. Again, normally this class is only used for dogs who are too old for puppy or not ready for Open. It's also a class used sometimes at Specialty shows when folks wish to enter more than one dog from a litter, but can't show them both in the same class.

4) Bred-By Exhibitor - this is a class for dogs bred and owned by the person showing them. It's a class breeders use to showcase their stock by showing the dog themselves.

5) Open - a class for dogs of all ages. Usually this class is for adults who have not yet finished their show championships.

6) Best of Breed - this class is for dogs who already have their AKC Championship. No points are awarded for this class, but the Best of Breed dog will go on to compete in the Group against dogs from other breeds.

If your dog qualifies for the puppy classes, it's useful to put them into the puppy classes. Judges will expect a fair amount of silliness from puppies and forgive it in those classes more readily than in classes which also have adults entered. Also, if your puppy is somewhat immature (as puppies often are!) this will help the judge to know why.


Getting ready for the show:

1. Naturally you will want to make sure your puppy is trained to stack (stand squarely to be examined), to be examined and to move cleanly on the lead.


2. Your puppy should have a bath and have his nails trimmed. Many people remove the whiskers from the face of their showdogs. We do not personally do this as we feel they use their whiskers in the field. Also we like them! We've never had a judge tell us that if only we had removed the whiskers they would have chosen our dog. However, it is your choice.


3. You want to bring a few things along with you to the show:

• Food for baiting the dog (whatever your dog likes - many people used cooked liver)
• Your show lead
• A chair - many shows do not provide chairs ringside so if you plan to sit and watch, you will need to bring one
• A rag and something to clean your dog should she become dirty
• A crate for your dog - you might want to leave the dog to eat lunch or watch another ring
• Water & Ice - many summer shows can be very hot and it's a good idea to bring along water and some ice so the dog doesn't become overheated. Always have a crate in your car so that you can leave the dog in the car with the windows wide open and the dog will not become overheated. Never leave your dog in the car on a hot day without everything open to the air. Be sure to check on your dog frequently to make sure she is not too hot and that she has plenty of water.
• You may wish to bring lunch with you - some of the shows have limited vendors and you might only be able to get a hot dog or rather nasty foods at some shows. Others have great vendors with wonderful snacs and meals. You just never know!
• Your judging schedule and entry that were sent from the Show Superintendent.

Arriving at the Show:
Once you've arrive, you want to be sure you have all your equipment, and possibly your lunch. You've taken a look at the judging schedule and brought along your paperwork in case it's needed.

You want to park with the exhibitor parking (if it's summer try to find a shady spot, even if you have a ways to walk). Many clubs will charge a few dollars for parking. Show venues are hard to find and often the parking fees are what makes the difference between a club being able to afford the site or not.

Check which ring you are in and take a look at the schedule. A typical ring schedule might look like this:

Ring 2

8:00 Am

Setters (English) 4-5(1-2)

Setters (Gordon) 3-1(1-3)

Pointers - 3-5 (1-1)

What this means is that there are 4 males, 5 females, then 1 male champion (in the parentheses) and 2 female champions (parentheses) for English Setters - for a total of 12 English Setters to be judged, then another 8 Gordon Setters before Pointers will be judged. If you figure about 2 minutes per dog for judging, it's likely Pointers will not be judged before 8:30 or 8:45. Because some dogs might be absent, it's a good idea not to wait too long before heading to the ring, but this is a rule of thumb to help you figure out when you will be showing.

Getting back to Pointers, you can see from the entry that there will be 3 males, then 5 females judged in the classes. The dogs numbered in the parentheses are the champion dogs competing for Best of Breed. These dogs do not compete for Championship points because they already have the necessary number and are already AKC Champions.

Arriving at Ringside:

When you arrive ringside, you will see two people in the ring; the judge and the ring steward. The steward gives out the numbers, helps the judge to keep the records and calls each class into the ring when it's time for them to be judged. You will want to get your number from the Steward. The number is listed on your entry return which came with your judging program in the mail, but it will also be listed in the show catalog, which the steward will also have ringside.

The steward might be busy giving out ribbons to the judge or recording the results of a previous class, so you might have to wait a few minutes to get your number. It's important that the result be recorded accurately, so be patient! Once you have your number, you can attach it to your arm using the rubber bands provided. It's customary to put the number on your left arm.

Competing In the Ring:

Now you will wait until the steward calls your class into the ring. Watching beforehand can help you see where the judge would like you to stack your dog, and how he or she is moving the dogs. When you are called into the ring, normally you will be placed in "catalog order" according to the numbers you have been assigned. Leave space if there is to be a dog in front of you, then stack your dog, taking your time. Rushing and acting particularly nervous will make your dog worry and she's less likely to stand quietly and more likely to fidget. Normally, the judge will take a moment to look at all the dogs stacked together as a group, then send everyone around the ring together. The first dog in line will then be examined. If your dog is fidgeting, and you are not first, it might be helpful to practice stacking the dog until it is your turn. When it is your turn to have your dog examined, stack her, taking your time. Try to move out of the judge's way as he is examining your dog, but also try to keep your dog still. If she moves, calmly put her back as she belongs. Next the judge will move your dog by herself, usually expecting the dog to free-stack (stand on her own) using bait or a toy so he can see how she looks on her own, and evaluate her expression. Then the judge will send you around the ring to the end of the line.

Once all the dogs have been examined, the judge will assign the placements. There are up to 4 placements for any given class. Whichever dog is first in her class will need to be ready to go back into the ring again.

Winning a class gains you a blue ribbon. No points are assigned for class wins. Once all the different classes are judged for a particular sex (dogs or bitches) the first place dogs from those classes will go back into the ring for what is called the Winners Class. From these first place dogs, the judge will choose his Winner for the day (Winners Dog and Winners Bitch). The "Winners" will be given championship points. How many points are given depends on how many dogs are entered. A win of 3, 4 or 5 points is considered a "Major."

In order to attain an AKC Championship, you need to earn 15 championship points, including two "Major" wins of 3, 4 or 5 points. You must earn these points under 3 different judges.

Once the Winners are chosen, that dog will leave the ring. The second place dog from the class that the Winner was in will enter the ring. From those dogs left (the other first place dogs and the second place dog from the class in which the Winner was entered) the judge will choose a Reserve Winner. No points are awarded for Reserve Winner, but in case the Winner is disqualified for any reason (entered in the wrong class, a paperwork issue, etc.) the Reserve dog will be awarded the points instead. This happens only rarely.



If you are lucky enough to be chosen as Winners Dog or Winners Bitch, you will be heading into the ring AGAIN for the Best of Breed Class. Only the "winners" will be eligible to compete in Best of Breed against the Champion dogs.


Best of Breed:

The Best of Breed class is used to determine the best pointer entered on that day. Usually this title is given to one of the dogs entered that is already a Champion, however, both the Winners Dog and the Winners Bitch are eligible for this award. No points are given for Best of Breed. In this class, the judge will also assign a Best of Opposite Sex award. This is for the dog who is best of his sex that was NOT chosen as the Best of Breed. For example, if Champion Pointer X is chosen as Best of Breed and she is female, Best of Opposite sex will be a male.

Also chosen is an award for Best of Winners. This title is awarded EITHER to Winners Dog or Winners Bitch. The purpose of this award is to give points to an outstanding animal in the case that there is a discrepancy between the points. For example, if there were a large number of bitches entered, there might be say, 3 points available to the Winners Bitch. If only 1 or 2 dogs were entered, there might only be 1 point available to Winners Dog. If the judge feels that the Winners Dog is superior to the Winners Bitch (and he may not!) he can assign Best of Winners to the dog, who then will also be awarded 3 points. The Winners Bitch does not lose her points. She will still have 3 points.


Calculating points can be confusing, and knowing when to head back into the ring can be confusing. Listen for your number and hopefully some of the other exhibitors will help you.

If you like, you can have a photograph taken with the judge at the show. Most people only get photos taken if they have won points on that day, but it is your choice. Normally you will need to wait for a break in judging and ask for the judge to pose for photos with you. A photographer will be called and you can have the photo taken at that time. You can check with the steward to see when the judge will be taking a break.

Now what?

If you've won - congratulations! Go home, tell all your friends and your breeder and have a celebratory dinner!

If not, don't despair. Learning the ropes can take time. Judge's opinions of what makes a correct pointer vary. Some judges will not choose puppies for championship points. Some judges prefer one color over another (even tho they are not supposed to!). Sometimes your dog misbehaves - they are not robots. There is always another show.

If you find that you are losing consistently, it might be helpful to talk with your breeder or other show folks to see what they think. You might need some more training. Your dog might need to put on or take off some weight. Or, your dog may have a fault that is preventing him from winning. It's a good idea to get a second opinion or two if you feel you aren't winning when you should. You might get some good advice and be able to improve your results.

Most important is that you enjoy the time with your dog. An AKC Championship is a nice title to earn and your breeder will be grateful for the help this gives their record as a breeder. However, in the end, it is still only dogshow. What matters most is that you enjoy living with your dog and spending time with her.

Introducing Puppies to the Gun

It's important that your puppy learn about the sound of the gun in the most positive way possible. Many a good birddog has been ruined by improper gun training.

There are many dogs who will simply ignore the loud noise without much fuss and require very little in the way of introduction to the gun. Others need to have this introduced slowly and carefully so as not to spook them and put them off their birds. Remember you are working with a puppy, not an adult dog, so no matter how outstanding their temperament is, you don't want to give the puppy a poor first experience.

You will want your puppy to have seen birds a few times, and be very interested in the birds and eager to hunt and find them. If your puppy has not reached this point, it is not yet time for gun training.

Some important DON'Ts:

1) Do NOT fire the gun while the puppy is eating

2) Do NOT fire the gun directly over the puppy for the first time

3) Do NOT take your puppy to a firing range (unless you can have playtime at a sufficient distance that he can be hearing the noise without it frightening him.)

If possible, it can be helpful to have a trained adult dog with your puppy the first time the gun is fired around him. Puppies learn a lot by example, and seeing the adult react in a postive way or not at all to the gunfire can help prevent him from becoming concerned about it.

It's useful to have a low-calibur blank pistol to begin with. A .22 is perfect. We have also used a .32 blank pistol. Both are available from dog supply catalogs and online.

You will also need some birds - the more the better. It's also useful to have a second person to fire the gun so you can work near the puppy and the other person can fire the gun on your signal (a raised arm usually works).

What you want to do is plant a few birds for your puppy. Allow him to hunt and find them (you might want a checkcord on your puppy so you can control him). Have your gunner ready at a good distance away (20 yards is not a bad distance, further if you will be using a shotgun or larger calibur gun) and make sure that person knows when to fire.

Once the puppy is pointing, you may go in and flush the bird (make it fly). Or, if the puppy has jumped the gun and flushed his own bird, this is the time to fire. The gun should be fired shortly after the bird has taken off. Have the gunner point the gun away from you and the puppy, and fire once. Hopefully, the puppy will have no reaction, or simply look around in surprise. Whatever his reaction, DO NOT SAY ANYTHING and DO NOT become concerned if the puppy spooks. Just pick up the checkcord and move on to the next bird. If the puppy has had little or no reaction, it's fine to fire again on the next bird, as it is flying. If the puppy has had an extreme reaction such as bolting or cringing, do not fire the gun this time. SImply allow the puppy to find his next bird and watch it fly away. You might do this a few more times until you are sure the puppy is again enjoying his birds. IF he is not up and going quickly, tail up, ready to hunt, leave off the gunfire for this day. Let him have the positive experience of the birds in his mind when you quit for the day.

If his reaction has been mostly positive and unconcerned, you can continue firing the gun as each bird flushes while the puppy continues to hunt. Let the puppy begin to connect the birds with the gunfire without becoming worried about the noise. There is NO RUSH to work your way right up to the puppy on this first introduction to the gun. Plan on 3-4 experiences combining the gun and the birds before reaching a point where the gunner is close enough to have actually shot down the flushed bird. It's useful to work your way up to the puppy with the blank pistol before moving on to the shotgun. We normally progress to using a .410 before going on to a larger calibur shotgun. It's important when moving "up" in calibur (and therefore noise level) to have your gunner begin again at a distance to the puppy with the louder gun, working his way closer so long as the puppy continues to work without concern. Don't be afraid to stop firing and allow the puppy some birds without the noise if he begins to worry even after some progress has been made. Make sure always to put the puppy away after a positive experience.

Sometimes you might have a reaction you were not expecting and have to dispense with the gunfire for the day after several positive sessions without incident. Don't react - just use your head and make sure that day ends on a good note. Usually on the next session, working at a greater distance will bring the puppy back around. Often a few days to reflect on a training session will lessen a negative experience and you can move forward.

One of our early dogs was gunshy. She spooked and cowered at the sound of the gun and we had to work very hard to repair the damage we had done by rushing her gun training. It took about 2 months of weekly sessions, birds and blank pistol at a distance, to bring her around. A good deal of patience and time were required but she finally understood that the noise was not going to hurt her. Gunshyness can be fixed with many dogs, but it is time consuming and doesn't always succeed. It is best to avoid having to correct a problem. Do not be in a rush due to upcoming hunting season or upcoming field trials or hunt tests. The time you spend in the beginning will be far less than you might have to spend if you rush too fast for your puppy and ruin his desire to work.

Ideally no pointer should be gunshy, but the reality is that individuals vary and puppies can go through periods of less confidence as they are learning. You want to take your time and be sure your dog progresses with confidence and always enjoys his work. Remember never to react to your puppies fears by coddling or being upset. Ignore his worries and think carefully about each next move so as to build his confidence, not burden him with your concerns.

Happy hunting!