Show Dog Competitions

Dog show competitions are enjoyed by lots of dog owners around the world.  Obviously, the owners of show dogs are very proud of their dogs, and they just love showing them off.  Training for show dog competitions prepares you dog for his presentation to the judges, where he is examined for meeting his breed’s standards, and where he performs some obedience exercises. Your dog not only needs to be a beautiful example of his breed and meet the standards of that breed, he also must be calm and maintain his perfect position during the examination by the judge.

The show dogs are divided into different competitive categories. The categories are divided up based on the types of activities each breed is most skilled at. The seven different categories include sporting, non-sporting, hound, terrier, working, herding and toy. In addition to having perfect confirmations, the dogs must also impress the judges with their abilities and obedience skills. Depending on the category the dog may need to run an obstacle course, or for herding dogs-work some livestock. Other types of dogs, such as a Labrador retriever will be field tested. As you can see, there is a niche for every breed of dog to show off his physical beauty and his particular skill set.

Here is a list of the various show dog categories-check out which one best fits your dog.

Sporting Dogs – These types of dogs were originally bred for hunting and retrieving game birds-either on land or in the water. Included in the sporting group are retrievers, Spaniels, Pointer and Setters.

Hound Dogs – These breeds of dogs were bred for hunting  game using sight or scent.  Hound dog breeds  include:  Beagles, Bassets, Dachshunds and Greyhounds and other hound varieties.

Working Dogs – These breeds of dogs were bred to help people out by guarding property, pulling a cart and even performing search and rescue services. Dogs included in the working group are Akitas, Doberman Pinschers, Boxers, and St. Bernards.

Terrier Dogs-Terrier breeds were developed to specialize in eliminating vermin from farms. The Terrier group includes dogs such as the Airedale, Cairn Terrier and Scottish Terrier, Jack Russell Terriers and many more.

Toy Breeds – These little dogs were bred to serve as household companions. Dog breeds included in the Toy group include Poodles, Pomeranians, Pugs, Pekinese, and Maltese.

Non-Sporting Dogs – In the non-sporting group there is a pretty diverse group of breeds, that mainly have become companion dogs, and includes dogs like Standard Poodles, Chows, Dalmatians and Bulldogs.

Herding Dogs – This category is made up of breeds specializing in helping herdsmen control their livestock, and includes dogs such as the German shepherd dog, Collies, Australian Sheepdogs, Old English Sheepdogs, and more.

You can train your dog to enter the dog show in his group if you are interested, and he is well trained enough. If you want to get more familiar with what’s happening in your area, you can check out your local Kennel Club to find out more about how to prepare your own dog for a show. A Kennel Club is a great place to meet other dog enthusiasts and also for enrolling in a dog obedience training class.

For example, if your dog is a working dog, you can talk with an owner who also has a dog in the same group as your dog, and find out what you’ll need to learn to prepare your dog for the competition. By learning from a more experienced dog handler, you will learn what you need to know much more quickly.

Unless you have already obedience trained your dog, you can’t get involved in a dog show. If you haven’t already fully obedience trained your dog, of course you will need to concentrate on that before even thinking about entering a contest.

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