Dog shows provide more than a simple beauty pageant for their participants; they help breeders improve both physical and behavioral attributes in their animals, as well as function.

Each dog in conformation events is judged based on how closely its features match up to the official standard for its breed, meaning crossbreds and spayed/neutered purebreds are not permitted to compete.

The Basics

Though casual viewers might mistake dog shows for mere beauty pageants, conformation events take dog shows very seriously. Their goal is to judge dogs according to how closely they match the official breed standards; such standards define everything from thickness of paw pads and temperament. The closer a canine conforms with its breed standard, the higher its chance is of producing puppies who also match it; thus making only purebreds unaltered or spayed can compete in conformation events.

First, to become champion, a canine must win best in breed at its breed level. Next comes a semifinal round where winners of seven “group” categories such as terrier, sporting, working herding hound and non-sporting will be judged against one another; these seven group winners compete head-to-head to determine who will earn best in show honors.

Rules

Dog shows may give the illusion of beauty contests, but their main focus should be to evaluate each canine against standards set by its breed. The closer a canine fits these standards, the better. These standards include physical structure and muscle tone as well as teeth, coat, gait and temperament of each breed.

Breeds are judged in groups of seven, to select the finest representatives for each breed. Afterward, those from each group advance to compete in the Best in Show competition.

Non-regular classes, which primarily take place at specialty shows and feature individual breeds that display multiple variations–for instance poodles can come with toy, miniature and standard variations. Each winner of these non-regular classes competes for one of several ribbon colors offered by their judge as prizes; winners also receive prize certificates.

Classes

Most dog shows offer “conformation” classes, in which dogs are judged according to how closely they match a written description of an ideal specimen of their breed (known as the breed standard). While most modern-day breeds no longer need to perform hunting or herding functions, judges still scrutinize every aspect of a dog’s appearance to make sure it fits its role as intended.

First-place winners from each judging group advance to the Best in Show competition, where only those with the most championship points compete for top honors. Purina Pro Plan has provided 15 Best in Show winners since 1988 and this year serves as Presenting Sponsor of this year’s event.

The winning dog receives a rosette, ribbon/plate and cash prize, along with grooming tools and various food/bedding products as prizes.

Prizes

Every year, millions of dogs die in shelters. This show seeks to encourage more people to adopt instead of shop; winners receive grants for animal welfare groups as well as cash prizes.

Winners of conformation classes progress to an intermediate round of judging against other winners in their group – such as hounds or herding dogs – in order to ascertain which animal best resembles its ideal, or standard, for that breed.

Paula Abdul, Leslie Jordan and Yvette Nicole Brown are among the many judges at each competition; their lengthy titles reflect its various criteria and include notations about breeders and qualifications (for instance: “GCHS CH Grandcru Giaconda CGC”). At the conclusion of each show, one winner will be announced.

Getting Started

If you’re thinking about showing your canine at events, it is essential that you understand their purpose. Breeders use them to assess breeding stock — which explains why crossbreds and spayed/neutered purebreds cannot compete – while judges evaluate every aspect of a canine’s body such as size, structure, skeleton, teeth, coat movement and temperament that might come into play; even minute differences could cost points!

Begin by training your canine to remain calm while being evaluated by a judge, inspecting their mouth, torso, and testicles (if male). Practice hand-stacked or free-stacked positions as well. Next step should be entering all-breed or group competitions so your dog can gain points towards its championship title; first place winners of each group move on to compete in Best in Show competitions where traditionally, winners receive red, white and blue ribbons as awards for winning first prize in show.https://www.youtube.com/embed/4dPAqEoKOa0