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P U P P Y P A C K

during this process. You can have your friends simulate what a judge might do, touching the dog,
lifting his lips to view the teeth. This is good practice.

Understanding Dog Show terms for the beginner:

For a person who is a spectator or one who is interested in showing dogs, the terms used at dog shows
can often be confusing. The following is an attempt to remove the confusion so many novices feel about
dog shows:

1. Dog- Everyone has a dog right? Well where dog shows are concerned, only those owners or
handler of MALE dogs have a dog.
2. Bitch- Far from the derogatory term that comes to mind, bitch simply means a canine of the
female persuasion.

3. KC - Kennel Club. This is the best-known registry for purebred dogs in the United States. It is a
"club of clubs" that breed clubs, breeders, and dog shows turn to for rules and regulations, as
well as dog and litter registration.

4. Registration- Official shows have registration completed by a deadline before the actual date of
the show. A specialized form must be filled out with the dog's name, number, owner and class
entered.
5. Conformation- The judging of a dog on looks, structural build, gait, expression, and breed
standard. Conformation classes are broken up into groups, breeds, sex and ages.

6. Non-Sporting group- Made up of breeds that didn't seem to fit into any of the other
categories. This is where the Bulldog is found.

7. CH.- This is an abbreviation seen many times in pedigrees, newspaper ads and show books. It
stands for the term Champion. Receiving the set number of points the KC requires at several
dog shows will reward a dog the title of Champion.

8. Obedience- Classes where a dog competes against a perfect scorecard of 200. The dogs that
score 170 or better have points towards an obedience title. These titles include CD, CDX and
UD and each require a score of 170 at three different shows. They must be acquired in the
following order.

9. Junior Showmanship- A class in which 10 -17-year olds are judged upon their handling of
a dog in a conformation class atmosphere. The handler, not the dog is judge and it is a great
way for youngsters to learn about dog shows.

10. Best of Breed- All the winners in a certain breed's classes are placed together by sex. The pick
male and female will then compete against each other for Best of Breed title.
Reserve- The second-best dog of each sex. This dog will step up to compete if for some reason the
winner of the best of breed class can't continue competition in the Group classes.
Group- All the best of breed winners will then go into their respective group and compete against each
other. In other words, all the different herding dog winners would be in the ring at the same time. One
Collie would compete against one German Shepherd, one Corgi, one Shetland Sheepdog, etc.
Best in Show - After judges have picked the best dog out of each group, they then will compete in one
last class. This class will be Best in Show. It is up to the judge to pick one dog that he or she feels is
better than any other dog in the show. Not an easy task!

These are some of the most common terms used or overheard at a dog show and will hopefully help
you out if you decide to go and watch or even participate in a show. To find out dates and locations of
shows in your area, contact the American Kennel Club by phone or Internet.

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