New Member Columnby Jeremy Thompson |
A dog show is a competition to determine which dog comes closest
to a judge's mental image of the perfect dog as described in the AKC
breed standard.
It may be a formal AKC licensed event called a point show at which
your dog can win points toward the title of Champion (Ch) or an
informal event called a match show where no points can be won. A
point show may be called a specialty show if it's tailored to a
specific breed. Specialty shows usually have special prizes and
additional classes not seen in regular point shows. Puppy sweepstakes
(just for puppies up to 18 months old) and Veteran sweepstakes (just
for veterans 7 years old and up) are the typically added classes. The
Katahdin club usually runs a specialty show for GSP's in conjunction
with a larger point show.
How can my dog win the title of Champion ?
A show judge looks at how a dog's physical structure, condition,
gait, and temperament conform to the AKC breed standard; hence these
are referred to as the dog's conformation. So if your AKC registered
GSP looks and acts like a GSP, you have a chance in the ring.
Below is a diagram of the sequence of a show's judging. It's not as
confusing as it looks! If you see a brag in our newsletter stating
"Spot went BOB in the show", you can see from the diagram that the
dog won First Place in its class, then went Winners Dog, then won
Best of Breed. You can also see, however, that the dog only needed to
get Winners Dog to receive points. And only by collecting points can
a dog become a Champion. The number of points awarded to Winners Dog
is dependent on the number of entries in the show. If the dog only
bested a few dogs to win, it may get only one point. Had more dogs
entered the show, two or more points may have been awarded. When a
certain number of entries is reached, the show may become a major.
This is important because a dog needs 15 points to become a Champion,
and these points must include two wins in major shows under two
different judges. The number of dogs needed to make a major varies
from breed to breed and year to year due to breed popularity. In
2003, 10 male or 13 female GSP class entries made a major show.
Dog shows are a world unto themselves, and this is only at best a
brief (and oversimplified) intro, but don't be discouraged; There are
many helpful people in our club willing to lend advice, many shows
nearby to see, and much info available out there.
O.K., so where do I get the info ?
Free AKC publications such as "Getting Started In Showing Your Dog",
"A Beginners Guide to Dog Shows", and "The Rules Applying To Dog
Shows" can be had by calling the AKC at 919-233-9767. On-line,
InfoDog.com has show info, schedules, directories, and on-line entry
forms. AKC.org also has info. Our club calendar lists the dates and
locations of many local shows, and we actively participate in the
running of several each year. You're more than welcome to lend a hand
at one of our club's events. What better way to learn what its all
about! See you in the ring this year!
