by Jamie Rider

Created on: July 11, 2010

Beginner's Guide to Dog Shows

Whether you are attending as just a curious member of the public, or whether you are a new purebred dog owner considering showing your AKC registered dog, Dog Shows can be a confusing space. While it is clear that there is a firm structure and schedule, the mechanics of how a dog show works can be quite bewildering.

Basic Structure of Dog Shows: The Classes

Understanding dog shows begins with understanding their basic structure. The original intent of dog shows was to evaluate the quality of breeding stock so that dog breeders could include judge's opinions in their decision making for future litters.

The lowest level of dog show competition is referred to as "the classes". Dogs in the classes are seeking to earn points towards the title of Champion. In order to earn the title, dogs must earn fifteen total points, with at least two of the awards being 3 points or more in a single award. Awards between 3 and 5 points are referred to as "Majors". To become a champion, a dog must earn at least 2 majors under 2 different judges and earn at least a total of the 15 points. Some dogs do not earn their championship until they have 20 or more total points because they are "chasing their majors."

A dog who is entered in a dog show is sometimes referred to as "an exhibit". Because some dogs are common, like the Labrador Retreiver, versus a less common dog, such as the Pulik, the AKC keeps a "schedule of points" by state. In different states, each breed needs a different number of dogs to offer a certain number of points in the classes.

Classes are divided in a number of ways within breeds. The first division is by sex. Males or "dogs" are first judged against other dogs, while females or "bitches" are judged against other females. With the sexes, the classes are further broken down by age, origin, and in some cases variety. For example, there are "Puppy Classes" that consist of 6-12 month, 12-15 month, and 15-18 month puppies. There are "American Bred" classes where a dog must have been born in the US, "Bred by Exhibitor Classes" where a dog must be shown by a breeder of record for that dogs birth litter, and the Open Class, in which any registered dog may compete.

The Winner's Ring

Once the classes with males have all been judged, the ring manager or "steward" will recall the winning class males into the ring. The judge will then select his or her "Winner's Dog". Depending on the number of exhibits present, the dog selected will earn from

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