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Conformation
The basic purpose of dog shows
is to facilitate the evaluation of breeding stock for use in
producing the next generations.
Judging And Standards
Each breed's parent club creates a STANDARD,
a written description of the ideal specimen of that breed.
Generally relating form to function, i.e.,
the original function that the dog was bred to perform, most
standards describe general appearance, movement,
temperament, and specific physical traits such as height and
weight, coat, colors, eye color and shape, ear shape and
placement, feet, tail, and more.
Some standards can be very specific, some can
be rather general and leave much room for individual
interpretation by judges.
This results in the sport's subjective basis:
one judge, applying his or her interpretation of the
standard, giving his or her opinion of the best dog on that
particular day.
Standards are written, maintained and owned
by the parent clubs of each breed.
Benched Shows
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is one
of the few benched dog shows in this country.
Originally, most shows were "benched" in some
fashion, where the entered dogs were required to be in
assigned areas (on benches) at all times when not being
judged in the ring.
This allowed for interaction of dogs and
their owners with spectators and other owners and breeders
as an educational process.
Groups
SPORTING: These are
gun dogs that were developed to assist the hunter, and
generally have high energy and stable temperaments. Pointers
and Setters point and mark the game, Spaniels flush the
bird, Retrievers recover the game from land or water.
HOUND: Hounds were originally
classified as Sporting dogs, but were assigned their own
group in 1930. These dogs are hunters that bring down the
game themselves, or hold it at bay until the hunter arrives,
or locate the game by tracking it by scent. Sighthounds hunt
by sight, Scenthounds by tracking with their superior
olfactory senses.
WORKING: These dogs are generally
intelligent and powerfully built, performing a variety of
tasks, including guarding homes and livestock, serving as
draft animals, and as police, military and service dogs.
TERRIER:
"Terrier" comes from the Latin word, terra (ground) as these
determined and courageous dogs must be small enough and
agile enough to "go to ground" to pursue their quarry (rats,
foxes, and other vermin). All but the Australian Terrier and
the Miniature Schnauzer were developed in the United
Kingdom.
TOY:
Toy
dogs were bred to be companions for people. They are full of
life and spirit and often resemble their larger cousins
(e.g., Pomeranian as a Nordic breed, the Papillon a little
Spaniel, and the Toy Poodle the smallest variety of the
Poodle).
NON-SPORTING: The AKC originally
registered dogs as either Sporting or Non-Sporting. Hounds
and Terriers split off the Sporting Group, Toys and Working
from the Non-Sporting, and later, Herding from the Working
Group. The remaining dogs, with a great diversity of traits
not fitting any of the above, comprise the Non-Sporting
Group.
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The 2010 Best In
Show Trophy for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was awarded
to
CH Roundtown
Mercedes Of Maryscot
also known as
"Sadie"
a Scottish
Terrier
Date of Birth: April 02, 2005
Breeder: Mary O'Neal & Anstamm Kennel
Sire: CH Anstamm Like A Rock
Dam: CH Maryscot Painted Black
Owner: Amelia Musser of Michigan
MORE DOG SHOW PHOTOS
CH Dansyn Toast with Cristal
Breeders/Co-Owners: Elaine Dempster and Fred & Louise
Becker
Judge: Kenneth Berg
Presented by Cheri Schmitz
SUBMIT YOUR DOG SHOW PHOTO TO
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HERDING:
This group split off from the Working Group in 1983. Herding
is a natural instinct in dogs, and their purpose is to serve
ranchers and farmers by moving livestock from one place to
another.
MISCELLANEOUS:
The breeds currently eligible to
participate in the Miscellaneous Class are still enrolled in the
AKC Foundation Stock Service. FSS enrollment is maintained until
the AKC Board of Directors accepts the breed for regular status.
Authorities acknowledge
that throughout the world there are several hundred distinct
breeds of purebred dogs, not all of which are AKC recognized
breeds. Those officially recognized for AKC registration appear
in the Stud Book of the American Kennel Club. The AKC provides
for a regular path of development for a new breed, which may
result in that breed's full recognition and appearance in the
official Stud Book as an AKC recognized breed.
Terminology
BEST OF BREED (BOB):
The dog selected or the award made by a judge to that dog
chosen as the best representative of the Breed. Similarly,
Best of Variety (BOV) is the same award given to the best
representative of a Variety exhibited that day (see
VARIETY). In either case, those dogs selected BOB and those
selected BOV each advance to their groups.
BEST OF OPPOSITE SEX
(BOS): The dog selected as the best in
competition of the opposite sex of the BOB or BOV winner.
This dog does not advance.
VARIETY:
A division of a breed based on coat, color, or size. For
example, Poodles (size: Standard, Miniature, Toy), Cocker
Spaniels (color: Black, Parti-color, ASCOB) Collies (coat:
Rough, Smooth).
AWARD OF MERIT:
At the discretion of the judge, an additional award made to
outstanding entries that are not judged to be either BOB /
BOV or BOS.
BEST IN SHOW (BIS):
The award or the dog selected from among the seven finalists
as the best dog among all entries.
CHAMPION: A title or the
dog that has earned a certain number of points (15) in
competition with wins in AKC shows. A dog must be a champion
to enter Westminster.
BREEDER:
The owner of the dam when she was bred to produce the dog.
BREEDER-OWNER-HANDLER: An individual who bred,
owns and handles that dog. Similarly, an Owner-Handler is
someone who handles a dog that they also own.
BREEDER-JUDGE:
Someone licensed to judge dogs of their breed.
PROFESSIONAL
HANDLER: Someone who handles a dog for a fee.
ALL ROUNDER:
An individual licensed to judge every breed.
STANDARD:
The written description of the traits and movement of the
ideal specimen of a breed, generally based on form and
function. Each parent club creates and maintains their breed
standard. Judges are to judge dogs by comparing them to the
standard for their breed.
CONFORMATION:
The structure and physical characteristics of a dog.
STACK:
The pose itself or the posing of the dog by a handler in its
natural stance.
GAIT: The
action of movement of the dog. Generally speaking, a sound
and balanced gait usually indicates proper conformation and
structure.
BREED TYPE:
The manifestation of those unique traits and characteristics
of a dog that distinguish it as a particular breed.
BENCHED SHOW:
A show where dogs are required to be on assigned benches
while not being shown. This allows all concerned -
spectators, breeders, handlers and owners - the opportunity
to interact, ask questions, and share information about the
various breeds.
LIMITED ENTRY:
Where the entry is governed by certain parameters set by the
club, such as total number of dogs or champions only; or in
Junior Showmanship, a certain number of qualifying wins for
the handler.
CATALOG:
The compilation by breed of all dogs entered in the show,
listing armband numbers, birthdates, sire and dam, breeders
and owners.
A KC ANNOUNCES GRAND CHAMPION SELECT RANKING!
Located in the
new
Grand Championship section
of the AKC website, the
Grand Championship Points
Ranking
lists the top 25 dogs in each breed in a drop-down box
format. The ranking is based on the number of Grand
Championship points garnered at shows by achieving Best of
Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, Select Dog or Select Bitch.
How to Count Grand
Championship Points at AKC Dog Shows
(PDF)
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