"What are dog shows"

Conformation shows are like beauty pageants for dogs, in the sense that they are judged on their looks. But it is more complicated than just picking out the one who is "prettiest". Every breed has a written 'Standard', which describes to judges and breeders what the perfect dog of that breed looks like. Of course, everyone will enterpret the standard slightly differently, thus making things competetive, because the judge on one day may not like the same dogs that the judge of the previous day liked. Judges must adhere to the standard when comparing dogs, and breeders must try to breed dogs that fit the standard as closely as possible.

To earn an American Kennel Club(AKC) title of 'Champion', a dog must defeat a certain number of dogs of it's same breed to earn points towards the title. A total of 15 points must be won, under at least 3 different judges. The number of points won depends on how many dogs were defeated that day. A dog can earn anywhere from 1 to 5 points at one show, and any single win consisting of 3,4,or 5 points is considered a "major". The dog must win at least two "majors", each under different judges, with the balance of the 15 points being under at least one other judge. The number of points your dog can win depends on the number of dogs your entry beat that day, and that number varies from breed to breed. Boxers are a very popular dog, thus you need to defeat a much larger number of dogs to earn points than a dog of a very uncommon breed. Also, only one male, and one female of
the breed earn points at that particular show, so even if your boxer wins 1st place in his class, he must beat all the other 1st place winners (same breed & same sex) to earn the points. Major wins are hard to come by, and competition at a major show is tough. If a dog has earned the title of Champion, you can bet they probably deserved it!

Obedience trials are much different from Comformation shows, since your dog is judged on his performance alone, and can earn title regardless of how many or few dogs he defeats.. The AKC offers 5 Obedience titles-
Companion Dog(CD)
Companion Dog Excellent(CDX)
Utility Dog(UD)
Utility Dog Excellent(UDX)
and the Obedience Trial Champion(OTCh)

When first starting out, your dog must earn his titles in this order: CD,CDX,UD,UDX. The OTCh can be earned before or after the UDX, and due to the different requirements for the UDX and OTCh, many dogs earn one, but not the other. The Novice class consists of basic commands that must be obeyed by the dog both on and off lead. When your dog has earned 3 qualifying scores(called 'legs') in this class, each under a different judge, he will be awarded the CD title. The next class, Open, consists of some of the novice exercises, plus retrieving. Three legs in this class earn you the CDX title. In Utility, the dogs must execute very advanced commands such as scent discrimination, directed jumping and must obey hand signals without the use of your voice. Three legs in this class, called Futility by some, will earn you the UD title. After your dog earns his UD, he may continue to compete in the Open and Utility classes to try to earn the UDX title. In order to do so, he must qualify in both the Open AND Utility class on the same day in order to earn a leg. He must also earn 10 legs to get this title.
In order to earn the OTCh title, your dog must WIN a Utility class AND an Open class, PLUS a 3rd win in either class, and he must earn a total of 100 points, which are determined by how many dogs are defeated. You only earn points with a first, second, third, or fourth placement in the Open and Utility classes. The hard part about earning an OTCh is that you must defeat dogs which already have their OTCh's, so you know that this title is definately something special.

Tracking tests were developed to judge and reward a dogs ability to use his nose to follow the scent of another human being. There are three titles available: the Tracking Dog(TD); Tracking Dog Excellent(TDX) and the Variable Surface Tracker(VST) which is the newest title created by the AKC. Your dog must earn the TD before competing for the TDX or VST. The TDX is a considerably more difficult and complex version of the TD, whereas the VST judges the dogs ability to follow scent over several different types of surfaces, including concrete. All three titles require alot of dedication and hard work on the part of the owner. They are titles well worth having.

Agility is yet another sport you and your dog can have fun. It is the fastest growing dog sport in the world, mainly because it is exciting for both the competitors and the spectators. In Agility, your dog must negotiate a series of jumps, tunnels, and climbing obsticles with few or no mistakes, all while being timed! There are 8 titles in AKC Agility: Novice(NA); Open(OA); Excellent(AX); Master(MX); Novice Jumpers; Open Jumpers; Excellent Jumpers; and Master Jumpers. Each level varies in difficulty and time allowed. It gives the handlers quite a workout too, since you have to run beside your dog and direct him to the correct obsticles!

No matter what breed of dog you have, there is something for everyone. Look up your local All-breed or Obedience club to find out when there are shows in your area. Then pack up the family for a day of fun and excitement!