Show Dogs
 

Quick question: Does anyone here know someone who shows dogs (ie at the Westminster Dog Show, etc...)? I am very interested in getting into this and would like to know if anyone knows of any good websites, or has any sort of advice.....THANX!

sigmagrrl -

I would search on the web under the breed you are interested in - that would probably be the best place to start. What breed are you interested in? (I love dogs!!!)

My dad showed my dog for some time.(is that proper english?) Anyway-you can email me any specific questions you have & I'll try to point you in the right direction. There should be local dog clubs in your area that can get you started. There's also a "junior handler" type thing, but I'm not sure of the age limits for that. I'd say register with the AKC & you should get a newsletter about upcoming shows. www.akc.com
I'd love to help get you any other info, just let me know what you need!
Heidi

Actually, one of the best sites to go to, in addition to the AKC site, is the Westminster site itself.
http://westminsterkennelclub.org/

This is a demanding field and most handlers start young, that's not to say that you can't pick it up later in life. I would contact your local kennel clubs and ask for a list of local trainers, handlers, etc. and speak with them, too.

Barb

Sometimes I think it would be fun to get into agility competitions (Dog, that is, not human). I have a mut w/ a ton of energy..it would be a trip to see him tear through those weave poles!!!

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Phi Love,
AEPhiSteph

Hello! I have a friend who fwded me this thread from Greek Chat and I finally signed up so I could reply. She has sent me other things which I found interesting having pledged Alpha Sigma Kappa, but nothing so near and dear to my heart as dogs! FYI you can only be a Junior Handler until you are 18. After that you have to compete with everyone else. I trained and showed my first dog Splash in Obedience while in junior high and high school. When you are showing in Obedience, there is often an award for high Junior at the trial but you have to compete against the adults during judging and are held to the same standards. If you want to show dogs, any age is a good time to start!

To begin with, there are two major divisions of competition. The first is Breed, which is what you saw at Westminster; the second Obedience. There are other competitions that take place such as herding, tracking and retriving but they tend to be a bit more breed specific i.e. herding dogs do herding, gun dogs do pointing and retriving.

Agility and flyball are fun, but to me are a subset of Obedience, though some would debate me. You have to have a somewhat obedient dog, before you can teach them more advanced manuvers.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) is by far the dominating organization in this country when it comes to dogs. Their goal is specifically to promote the purebred dog, and the majority of their events are restricted to registered purebred dogs. This is a major pain for those of us who have mixed breed dogs that would love to compete in obedience or agility. There is an organization for people who have mutts! Go to www.amborusa.com and you will find the American Mixed Breed Obedience Registration. They have all kinds of opportunities for you and your dog.

To me, Breed competitions are gigantic beauty contests for dogs. Only purebred dogs can compete, and the AKC website has a very detailed description of how judging takes place. All dogs are judged against the ideal breed standard for their particular breed. This is even true when the different breeds are competing against each other.

I was originally a diehard obedience person and scorned Breed competitions, however I recently acquired a dog whose mother has won Best of Breed at Westminster for four years. She is a Cardigan Welsh Corgi and was on TV with the rest of them. So I have started competing in breed because it is an injustice to my dog not to show him! To get a dog that is capable of winning at breed is often a significant capital investment though. I just got really lucky. $500 is about the starting price and it goes up from there. If there is a breed you are interested in, find a reputable breeder and let them educate you about that particular breed.

If you get a purebred dog that is not "show quality" don't dispair. They can still compete in Obedience and Agility, they just won't win a beauty contest. A responsible breeder will require a "pet quality" dog to be spayed or neutered and include this stipulation in the sales contract. A pet quality dog is also generally cheaper than a show quality dog.

If you rescue a dog that appears to be purebred from a shelter, you can get what is called an Indefinite Listing Priviledge from the AKC and show it in Obedience competitions provided it is spayed or neutered.

The best thing to do if you are interested in dog shows is to attend one! There is a link on the AKC website under Dogs in Competition that helps you find shows in your area. Once you are there, talk to people, most of them are very friendly, if a bit dog-crazy. Generally, shows are sponsored by a local club and attending meetings of that club is also a way to get involved. A lot of clubs will periodically have handling and obedience classes to help you learn how to train your dog.

To get ready for showing obedience takes a lot more one on one training time with you and your dog than showing in breed. I usually work my obedience training time in to my dog's walks. It is loads of fun though and a great way to deepen the bond between you and your pet. If you have any other questions I'll be happy to answer them as best I can!

Anna Jo

This is off topic, but I think they should have an "Extreme Sports Pet Championship"...

My dog is a mut (and 10 yrs old) but hikes with me, runs with me while I mtn bike (dodging cactus, scrambling over rocks, running through creeks), camps with me, chases coyotes... I don't know about ya'll, but I would certainly watch! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Did you see the movie "Best in Show" ? Too funny!

Thank you so much, everyone, for all of your informative responses. I am going to take notes from all of the posts and start at the beginning, AKC!!!!

OK, so here are the events for Extreme Dog Challenge:

The cat chase - 100 meter timed from start point to the base of tree

The run by - dog is clocked running next to owner while mtn biking - course has various terrain.

The swim relays - amount of time it takes dog to swim into the lake to get the stick and bring it back

The frisbee relay - amount of catch and retrieve the dog can do without missing/dropping the frisbee

Water lapping contest - amount of water the dog can consume at one standing

The hole digging contest - the largest hole in a set amount of time

Got any other ideas...

dc1-

Don't forget the event of drag the owner around on a leash. Oh, and the biscuit dance is popular in my house, too!

I agree! But..no coyotes in this neck of the woods, so how about chasing cats up trees? It could be a timed event! Oh, and don't forget about the messiest mutt competition. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif


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Phi Love,
AEPhiSteph

Oh, and don't forget its not SHOW FRIENDS, its SHOW BUSINESS. (Sorry, I was watching Jerry Maguire, couldn't resist.) http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

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Phi Love,
AEPhiSteph

Jake, my dog likes to play fetch, anyone can throw the ball but he will only bring it back to me!

Don't forget the contest for the best "pet me I look pitiful" puppy dog eyes. AJ