This is where dogs compete to become "Champions" of record, the right to put a Ch. in front of their name. The dog is judged not only against other dogs of the same breed but against it's breed standard.

What follows here is an outline of how to get started.

Equipment needed:

Grooming:

This is very breed dependent but at a minimum for most breeds you will need a pair of scissors, a comb and a brush. If you are interested in showing a coated breed I would recommend observing some shows before hand to get an idea of how to groom your breed.

Showing:

A "Show Lead" - There are a wide variety of styles but the thing they have in common is that they tend to be fairly skinny and light weight. Generally the are less than 1/2 wide. Some handlers use the nylon "rescoe" type leash which is an all in one collar/leash, others prefer a seperate leather leash and a fine metal choke collar. The type of leash and collar that you will use in the show ring are not the ones that you would use at home for walking your dog. The reason for them being so light weight and fine is that you want them to be unobtrusive and not to distract the judges eye from the dog.

What to do

 When completing your entry:

1) Have your dogs registration papers handy.

2) Fill in the necessary information. Click here to see a sample entry form.

There are different classes available in which to enter your dog

6 month - 9 month puppy
9 month - 12 month puppy
12 - 18 months
Novice
Bred By Exhibitor
American Bred
Open
Best of Breed/Variety

On the entry form will be a box labeled Dog Show Class. You would list which class you wish to enter in that box. You should enter your dog in the class that you believe most matches the dogs age/experience and to some degree ability to win. For example, a judge is much more likely to be a bit more lenient with a puppy class entry acting like a puppy than if the same dog were entered in the Open class. Please refer to the AKC's web site for the specific rules regarding eligibility for each class if there is any question as to which class you should enter.

There is a box labeled Additional Class and if you wish to enter your dog in more than one class or in a non-regular class you would enter the additional class in this box.

At some shows the club will offer what is called a puppy sweepstakes in addition to the regular classes. These are classes for puppies only. The winners of these classes do not compete for any points but will receive a small cash award. Sweepstakes classes are usually good to get a little extra ring experience for a young dog. Many clubs limit the person handling a dog in a sweeps class to the owner or a member of their immediate family, so if you plan on using a professional handler for the regular classes you may not be able to enter the sweepstakes unless you plan to show the dog yourself.

Most people will enter a dog in only one of the regular classes since if the dog wins one class but loses in another it becomes ineligible for the points (points are only available to a dog that is undefeated).

3) Leave enough time before the close of entries to get the entry in the mail, or make sure you allow for the time needed if making your entry through one of the on-line services or by fax. These resources get bogged down just before entries close so if you leave it till the last minute you may miss getting an entry in.

When you get your Judging Schedule (usually about a week before a show):

1) Check your judging time and ring. If you haven't already made arrangements for lodging, if needed, do so now.

2) Check entry - Major or Minor points (may be important if you only need a major). But before you decide not to go because your sex isn't a major, check the following: Can Best of Winners get a major or can Best of Breed get a major. To see the point schedule for your breed go to this link for the AKC's point schedule and find your division and breed.

3) Check for change of Judge: If there is a change of judge listed in the premium list you can cancel your entry and receive a refund of your entry fee.

4) Check your entry information to make sure the dogs registration number and name are correct as well as the other information.

The day before the show:

1) Prepare all supplies you will need to bring with you. Load car, if possible, so things don't get forgotten. Do not load aerosol cans or refreshments (especially if the temperature will get very hot or cold) until just before you leave.

2) GROOM YOUR DOG -

Give it a full bath, clean ears, teeth etc.

Do major grooming at this time - trim feet, tail, nails, ears, etc.

The Day of the Show

Leave plenty of time for traffic or breakdowns.

Plan to get there early if you need to move a dog up to Best of Breed.

Arriving at the Show:

1) Check your ring

2) Groom the dog (and yourself - if needed)

3) Re-check your ring

Checking the Ring:

Make sure there is no change of judge. (This can happen due to illness, accident, etc.) If there is a change of judge it could change the time you are to be judged. If you choose not to show under the new judge you can also get your money back by filling out a change of judge form at the Superintendent or show Secretary's table. You must make the change before the scheduled start of judging for your breed. The refund check will be mailed to you. You must fill out the form or you will not get a refund.

Grooming:

Have all major grooming done at home prior to the show.

At this point remove all collars from your dog except the one that you will be using in the show ring. You do not want any type of buckle collar on the dog, nor any ID, or other tags.

Today you should just need to fluff & puff as needed, neaten any stray hairs and whiskers. Clean pants & tail feathers of bitches in season.

Re-checking the Ring:

If the judge is judging slowly, you don't want to be at ring side too early. If judging is fast,, you don't want to be late or miss judging.

If you have a male, It's best to have them at ringside during the Best Of Breed judging for the breed in front of you. Be there at least a few minutes prior to the scheduled start of judging for your ring if there are no other breeds ahead of you.

Don't wander the show grounds with your dog to meet friends, check out concessions, etc. prior to judging. Keep him quiet and on track. After he is done being judged for the day, if you want to wander, make friends, etc. then it's OK.

Note:

Indoor Shows: Grooming space is limited. You need to arrive at least 2-3 hours before judging if you expect to unload and set up grooming. Electricity is not always available. When it is -- The early birds usually get the hookups.

Outdoor Shows: Rainy days - grooming under the handler's tent is scarce. Hot days the same. If you only have one or two dogs, park close to the ring and groom by your vehicle.

Let the judging begin ....

If you are showing a male, make sure you have picked up your arm band and are ready to go in the ring. If you are not the first class to be judged, watch the judge's pattern. They are supposed to stay the same for all judging. Where does the judge have the dogs stand when they enter the ring, for individual examinations, what gaiting patterns do they use. Taking a few minutes to observe these things will make you look more prepared in the ring and less nervous.

Time for your class:

Most judges have the dogs enter the ring and stand in a line. Stack your dog so that it's front legs are straight under it's shoulder blades and in most breeds so that the hock is perpendicular to the ground.

Here is a picture of a dog that is properly stacked.

Here is a picture of a dog that isn't.

The judge will vary some in their techniques (which is why you should check what procedure they are using before you enter the ring) but in general most will take a quick look at all the dogs (sometimes from the middle of the ring - sometimes walking down the line) then they will ask you to take the dogs in a circle around the ring. You have your dog on your left side and gait it so the judge can see it's movement. The speed at which you move will depend on the breed and the individual animal. For specifics about your individual breed or dog you should check with established exhibitors of your breed and attend handling classes to learn how best to show the dog.

The judge will then bring the first dog out and do their individual examination. Again you want your dog stacked well so the judge will see it at it's best. Then the judge will have you move (gait) your dog in a specific pattern to best allow them to see specifics of movement. The two most common patterns are the Out and Back and the Triangle. The diagrams below show how those patterns would work. On the out and back you would move your dog in a straight line either to the side of the ring or to the far corner. When you do a triangle you would move in a straight line to the far side of the ring, across the far end, and then come back at the judge down the diagonal.

Here is a photo of what a dog would look like while gaiting. As in the group gaiting the dog will be on the handlers left side, usually even with or just ahead of the handler. One tip on handling. Use as long a step as you can, even with a small breed. To adjust your pace simply increase or decrease the number of steps you take. Nothing is more visually distracting to a judge than a handler taking tiny little steps. Most breeds are shown on a lose lead.

Most judges will have you move your dog to the end of the line. Some judges will do a pre-sorting and tell you to go to a specific location in the line. So pay attention to the judges instructions.

After going over all the dogs the judge will make their placements. First through fourth depending on the number of dogs competing in that class.

If your dog has gotten second in his class you MUST stand by until after the Winners Class has been judged. You might have to go back in for Reserve Winners.

If you are showing a female - make sure she is at the ring by the end of Open Dog judging. Winners class, unless at a specialty, usually goes quickly.

Winners Class:

All first place winners go back in the ring. The judge will pick one dog from this group to win the points that day.

Reserve Winners Class:

If you've gotten second place in any class, stand by. You never know what class Winners will come out of. Second must go back in the ring for reserve. If you fail to show up back in the ring you lose out on a chance for the reserve. Don't hold up judging any longer than necessary to bring up the second place dog. If you have to put one back in a cage, change armbands, etc. do this as quickly as possible and let the ring steward know you are coming. Holding up judging unnecessarily can hurt your chances at winning the reserve.

The Reserve Winner is important. You never know if the dog that won Winners might not be eligible for the points. If this happens, you would get the points. This does happen. Not too often, but it does happen. At one National Specialty, the Reserve Winners dog got the 5 point major when the Winners Dog was found to have been misentered in the American Bred class.

Best of Breed:

All entered Champions, Winners Dog and Winners Bitch compete for Best of Breed.

If you enter a show and your dog has qualified to be a Champion after the close of entries you can move the dog up to Best of Breed competition the day of the show.

Moving a dog up: Your dog is now a Champion (congratulations), but is still entered in open. You go to the superintendent's tent prior to the start of judging for the whole show. Example: 9AM all judging begins, you would need to fill out the form before 9AM, even if you are not being judged till 2 o'clock.

If your dog finishes Saturday and is entered Sunday. If the Superintendent is the same for both shows, you can fill the move up form out on Saturday. This way if judging isn't until 2PM Sunday, you don't have to be there first thing in the morning. Some superintendents will also let you move a dog up for any show they superintend, as long as entries have closed. If you have entered a show whose entries haven't closed, you will have to mail in a new entry changing the previous one.

If, according to your records, your dog has completed the requirements for it's Championship, you can enter your dog in the Best of Breed competition directly.

The making of a Champion

You need 15 points to complete your Championship, under a minimum of three (3) different judges. The number of points awarded at a show are determined by the number of dogs in competition (not entered, actually competing), with a maximum of 5 points at any given show. You must also have won 2 majors (wins of 3,4, or 5 points) under two (2) different judges.

Example 1	Example 2
Judge A: 5 Points (Major)	Judge A: 5 Points (Major)
Judge B: 2 Points	Judge B: 5 Points (Major)
Judge C: 2 Points	Judge A: 5 Points (Major)
Judge A: 4 Points (Major)
Judge D: 2 Points
Total Points: 15 Points (2 majors)	Total Points: 15 Points (3 majors)

In both cases, your dog has 15 points, with 2 (or more) majors, but is NOT a Champion!

Example 1

Judge A gave you both majors. Therefore, you still need another major under a different judge.

Judge E gives you a 5 point major, You now have a Champion!

Example 2

Judge A gave you 2 wins. But you need to win under a minimum of 3 different judges.

Judge C: gives you a 1 point win. You now have a champion because you got your 3rd judge.

In both the above examples you will have completed your Championship with more than 15 points. This doesn't matter. What matters is the two majors under different judges, and having a minimum of three different judges.

As an interesting note to example 2, if judge C awarded you Winners but there were no points available that day, your dog would still be a Champion.

Check the judge's pages prior to leaving the show. They are posted in the Superintendent's tent. If there is a mistake, it is easier to correct the day of the show rather than going through AKC. Keep your tear sheets (or catalogs), ribbons, and pictures. These will all come in handy if there is ever a question of your dog's points with the AKC. The AKC can make mistakes or mistakes can be made by the owner in placing an entry which will require ribbons to be returned..

You can check the AKC Awards magazine to confirm wins as they are published. This can prevent you from being surprised down the road.

Note: The Best of Breed Class can be the most important class of the day. If there is a major in dogs and not in bitches, the bitch wants to go Best of Winners. By going Best of Winners, she has now also gotten the major. If the Winners Dog or Winners Bitch goes Best of Breed they automatically get Best of Winners. If there was a major that day in either sex, they get the major. Also, if your dog goes Best of Breed from the Winners class, all specials in competition (including move ups) are added into the number of dogs you are considered to have beaten and can increase your points accordingly. If your dog/bitch goes Best of Opposite Sex to Best of Breed and there were specials of your dogs sex in competition then you add the dogs of that sex to those competing in the classes to determine the maximum number of points.

Examples:

Assume the following point schedules and entries:

Point Schedule: Dogs Competing

Winners Bitch earned 3 points by virtue of having defeated more than 21 bitches.

Winner Dog only earned 2 points by virtue of having defeated more than 13 dogs.

Examples of how the different wins in the Best of Breed Competition can effect the total points won:

Winners Dog goes Best of Winners:

By defeating the Winners Bitch for Best Of Winners, Both the Winners Dog and the Winners Bitch earn Majors.

Winners Bitch goes Best of Winners:

WB -3 points WD - 2 points as above. But now the Winners Dog does NOT get the major.

Winner Dog goes Best of Breed:

Winners Dog earns 3 points by virtue of having defeated more than 20 dogs ( 18 class dogs + 7 specials )

Winners Bitch still earns 3 points by virtue of having defeated more than 21 bitches.

Winners Dog goes Best Of Breed and Winners Bitch goes Best of Opposite:

Winners Bitch earns 4 points by virtue if having defeated more than 37 bitches (36 class bitches + 2 bitch specials).

Winners Dog, by going Best of Breed, now earns 4 points by virtue of having defeated the Winners Bitch who earned 4 points.

Onward and Upward: On to the Group

The Best of Breed winner now goes on to compete in the Group. Another very important competition. For the goldens this would mean competing against all of the other sporting breed winners (Setters, spaniels, pointers, etc.). If your dog came from the classes (Open, Am-bred etc) and goes on to win the group you earn, the prestige of the group win and possible wins towards a placement in the top standings, and the most points available in any of the sporting breeds. For example your Best Of Breed win only got you 2 points, but there was a 5 point major in Sussex Spaniels, you've now won a major by virtue of defeating the Best of Breed Sussex Spaniel (who defeated the 5 point winner).

Best In Show

If your dog was lucky enough to win Best In Show from the classes, you would win the highest number of points available in any breed competing that day. For example, your Best of Breed win only got you 1 point, but there was a 5 point major in Pharoah Hounds, you've now also won a 5 point major by virtue of defeating the hound group winner.