Making sense of dog shows
It is wonderful to see the great dog shows. These days many of them are on television. The best part is seeing all the different breeds. If you are not a dog enthusiast, there are always new breeds of dogs that you have never seen before. As the competition unfolds, I always start rooting for a few favorite dogs. It is sometimes bewildering how the judges decide between all the beautiful dogs in each group. So what dog show am I looking at? What are the Dog Olympics? It would be nice to know how they are organized so it would be easier to follow our adorable animal friends through these competitions.
Dog shows are held all over the world and are known as conformation shows. There are also many other competitions such as agility, obedience, hunting, tracking and others. At conformation shows, individual dogs are judged on how well they represent their breed, and thus their ability to pass on the quality of the breed to future generations. Each dog is judged on its Breed Standard, which is a detailed description of the perfect dog of each breed. If a dog deviates from the breed standard in any way, he will receive a violation or points will be deducted by the judge. Only purebred dogs are allowed in these competitions.
There are countless dog shows every year; some big and some small. Some shows are limited to a single breed. At larger shows, the various breeds are divided into 7 groups: Sporting, Hound, Worker, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding. In the UK these groups are called gundog, hound, working, terrier, toy, utility and pastoral. For example, a golden retriever is a member of the sporting group in the United States or the hunting dog group in the United Kingdom. Generally, one Best in Group winner will be chosen from each group. Then the last 7 dogs will compete in the final show ring for Best in Show.
The biggest shows, often on television, are all-race shows. These shows feature representatives from all breeds recognized by the National Kennel Club. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes more than 150 breeds and varieties of dogs. The poodle, for example, has 3 varieties: Miniature, Toy and Standard. In the UK, most shows are governed by the Kennel Club (KC), while the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) is the governing body for dog breeds in Australia. Different kennel clubs have different rules and may recognize different breeds. The differences between the AKC and KC breed standards are why American Golden Retrievers and British Golden Retrievers are slightly different.
What is the Super Bowl or the World Cup of Dog Shows? In the US, this event is the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Every year it takes place in New York at Madison Square Garden. The first event was in 1877. Only champion dogs can compete at Westminster. To become a champion, a dog must earn at least 15 points in AKC competitions, including 2 major wins. Champion status is permanent and a ‘Ch.’ appears before the dog’s name. Another major event in the US is the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. The 2011 event will take place in Orlando, Florida on December 17-18. Previous events have been held in Long Beach, CA and Tampa, Florida. Certain winners in AKC/Eukanuba qualify for Crufts.
The largest dog show in the world is Crufts, held annually in Birmingham, England. It is a 4-day event that takes place at the NEC (National Exhibition Centre). More than 22,000 dogs from around the world participated in 2008. In 2011, Crufts will take place from March 10-13. Winners of major shows from around the world qualify to compete at Crufts. For example, the winners of the 2010 FCI Asian International Championships in Tokyo qualified for this year’s event.
The World Dog Show is another major annual event. Rather than the AKC or KC, this event is governed by the Federation Cynologique Internationale. The FCI was originally founded by France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria in 1911. Today the FCI has more than 80 member countries. The breeds are divided into 10 groups instead of 7. The 2011 World Dog Show will take place in Paris, France, from July 7-10. This event can be held in any of the member countries around the world.
