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The Wild, Wonderful World of Dog Shows

Have you ever wondered how you and your dog would do on the competitive dog show circuit? Here’s the doggies.com guide to all things conformance.

When choosing a show breed, find the one you will enjoy.

Choosing a breed to show

The best way to choose a breed to show is to choose a breed you would like to have live with you. Although not all owners live in the same home with their show dogs, you must feel passionate about the breed in order to put forth the effort and money required to produce champion quality dogs. The best way to do this is to find a breed you actually like.

There is some degree of strategy you can use in choosing a breed, such as by considering that the Westminster Show is dominated by the Terrier Group, which has won 45 out of 103 years. The winningest of the Terriers is the Wire Fox, which has won 13 times. However, if you don’t want to have terriers in your home due to their temperament you won’t enjoy the ride, so what’s the point?

If you are going to handle your own dog rather than hiring someone to do it for you, you’re going to be spending a very large portion of your life around the breed you choose, so choose carefully.

What makes a good show dog?

The foundation of a good show dog lies in his or her breeding. The very name of the sport, “conformance,” indicates that you are looking for a dog that best conforms to the breed standard. The breed standard is the listing of characteristics that the American Kennel Club uses to define a particular breed. Every aspect of the dog’s appearance is specified in the standard.

For example, the eyes of a Beagle must be “large, set well apart, soft and houndlike, with a gentle and pleading expression, and of brown or hazel color.”

The muzzle of a Brittany must be of “medium length and taper gradually in both horizontal and vertical dimensions as it approaches the nostrils”

The forequarters of the Dalmatian must fit the following definition: “The shoulders are smoothly muscled and well laid back. The upper arm is approximately equal in length to the shoulder blade and joins it at an angle sufficient to insure that the foot falls under the shoulder. The elbows are close to the body. The legs are straight, strong and sturdy in bone. There is a slight angle at the pastern denoting flexibility.”

So how do you find a dog that meets the breed standard? The best way is to choose a puppy whose parents meet the breed standard. Breeding stock for show dogs are usually identified as meeting the standard by virtue of their winning dog shows. The names of winning show dogs are preceded by the designation “CH” (champion) or “GCH” (grand champion), indicating that they have won a minimum standard of shows. These designations are your assurance that your puppy comes from a good pedigree line. The further back into the pedigree you can trace champions, the more likely that your puppy will be champion material.

How do you find a puppy that meets the breed standard? Examine the puppy's parents.

What’s required of a show dog?

The life of a show dog is not as carefree as one might think. Dog shows are held all over the country, and they last a long time. Your dog will only be the center of attention for a very small fraction of that time, and must be reasonably well-behaved for the whole time, not just when he or she is in the ring.

Show dogs must be able and willing to travel, which means you as the owner must either be able and willing to travel, or able and willing to hire a handler who will show your dog.

Your dog must also be willing to stand still while being groomed backstage and while being handled by the judge. The judge will want to look at your dog’s teeth and to verify that he has not been neutered. Both of these require the judge to touch your dog in sensitive areas, and your dog cannot bite the judge!

Finally, your dog must stand for being crated backstage while all the other dogs are judged, without causing an undue disturbance.

In order to be designated as a champion, your dog must win a total of 15 points, including at least two major wins. Each major must be won under a different judge, and at least some of the non-major points must come from yet another judge. The method of awarding points is very complex and beyond the scope of this article, but in order to collect 15 points, you would have to attend at least five shows, assuming all of them were majors and you won each of them. Given that it would be unusual to win the first five major shows you attend, it is likely you will have to go to many more than five for your dog to be crowned a champion.

Learning more

The very best way to learn about dog shows is to attend some. Look for a benched show, which means that the dogs will be available in the backstage area for you to review. Their handlers will also be available to talk to you about the specific breeds and about dog show life in general.

Narrow your preferences down to a few breeds, then wander around the backstage area and ask questions. Of course, you will not be welcome in the bench area for a breed that is just about to be shown, but you can visit with the dogs who have already been shown or with the dogs who are scheduled for much later in the day.

Find out about the grooming requirements for the breeds in which you have an interest. A lot of the time and expense that goes into showing dogs is due to their grooming requirements. For example, those long, gorgeous locks on a Yorkie will require you to keep the fur protected and wrapped in between shows. Other breeds, like the Poodle, require precise clipping to keep the coat within show specifications.

You can also use your time in the benching area to find out which breeders are well-respected for their knowledge of the breed and for their success in delivering championship dogs.

If you do make the choice to dive into the conformance circuit, we wish you lots of luck on your journey!