Dog Show Events
The Fun Place to See Dogs in Action!

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Dog show events are a really fun way to spend a day out. If you are a dog lover but you've never been to a dog show, what are you waiting for? In fact once you get started, I'm certain you'll be hooked.

Start out with an all-breed show. That way you'll get to see many different dogs. You'll probably not see all the dogs in one day, but you can catch the ones you missed at the next show. The AKC shows draw about 2 million entries a year, so there are numerous dogs shows being held around the country all year long.

There are several different types of dog shows, but the ones where you'll see hundreds of good looking pure bred dogs competing, are the conformance shows. At these shows, the dogs are being judged for how closely they match the breed standards as set by the AKC (American Kennel Club). Most dogs are being entered by their owners to gain points toward the designation of Champion. Champions are the dogs judged best to parent future generations, thereby passing along the best traits for that particular breed.

The Show Dog Hobby

Dog show hobbyists are a friendly and fervent group of people - it's like a close knit club. After attending a few dog show events, you'll recognize some of the same owners in attendance chatting to each other and catching up on how their dogs are doing. If you are interested in learning more about what's involved in owning and showing dogs, most owners are more than happy to talk with you. In fact talking about their dogs is usually their favorite subject! You can also ask the handlers or the owners to explain about the judging, the different ribbons, how the points are earned and most of all how much work is involved.

If you decide to join the show dog hobby group, you and your dog will have years of fun and socializing together and you can't beat that.

Trying to Choose a Family Dog?

Perhaps you have been reading about different dog breeds and having family discussions trying to decide which one would be the best fit for your family. A dog show will help you immensely in making a decision. You can get up close and personal with any breed that strikes your fancy (except don't pet them without permission - they have to look perfect for the ring!)

Once you start having closer encounters with various dogs, you will get a more accurate picture of their personality, intelligence, activity level, bark pitch, coat maintenance, and the chemistry that appeals to you or doesn't.


If you are interested in getting a purebred dog, dog show events are great places to do your homework. You can meet the breeders, find out about their breed stock and when they are expecting the next litter. You can also learn about how well their dogs have done in competition. Of course when you are ready to buy a dog, you'll want to talk to more than one breeder and have some specific questions to ask.

Dog Show Events - Just For he Fun Of It

The most fun part of a dog show events is visiting with all the different breeds and watching them do their stuff in the ring. You'll find yourself trying to pick the winners and it's hard because they are all adorable and all want to win. Most dogs seem to know that they are competing and really turn on the showmanship once they get in the ring. You'll also surprise yourself by falling in love with a breed you didn't previously find appealing.

An amazing thing about dog shows is how little barking is heard. And the dogs are very well-behaved around each other which is definitely a vote for the advice to socialize your dog early in its' life. Most dogs start entering shows at six months of age.

When it comes to looking good, the grooming for dog shows is, and has to be, perfection. All around the perimeter of the show area you will see scores of grooming tables with dogs patiently submitting to hair drying, spraying, combing, brushing, and clipping right up until show time. It's quite a sight to see. Even the handler will carry a comb or brush in his pocket for a hair that gets out of place at the last minute. If you watch for a slow period, you can talk to the groomers and get a lot of good advice and tips for grooming your own dog.

When going to your first dog show events, try to arrive early so you'll have a chance to see many dogs. Most start around 9:00 a.m, and finish up around 3:00 p.m. They are often 2-3 day events, sometimes 5 days.Spending the day means walking and standing around a lot so wear your most comfortable shoes. And if you have folding chairs, take them along too, which is what most people do.

Be sure to get a program so that you will know which events are taking place and when. You might also want to purchase a catalog so that you can identify the breeds and jot down notes about what you see. The catalog will also have the name and contact information of breeders which may come in handy later.

When you break for lunch, this is a good time to stroll around and browse the many vendors that are usually present. You'll find a wide range of dog products including some very unique and innovative ideas.

After you get the hang of attending dog show events, check out some of the other fun dog shows that focus on a particular type of training such as agility trials, obedience trials, field trials, rally, herding trials, tracking, flyball, coonhound and earthdog events. As you will learn, our canine friends are multi-talented!

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