AKC Dog Shows - Making A Dog Show Winner

AKC Dog Shows, Specialty Dog Shows, Conformation Dog Shows or All Breed Dog Shows are all competitions where owners of purebred dogs bring their AKC registered purebred dogs to a show ring to compete against other purebred dogs in hopes of getting points towards the dogs championship title. Each AKC dog show winner earns points towards its championship title. In order to get an AKC championship title a dog needs fifteen points, which includes two majors awarded by at least three different AKC dog show judges.

Each AKC dog show winner earns a point unless the dog show is considered a "major". An AKC dog show is considered a major by the amount of competing dogs in the show. Some breeds require a larger amount of competing dogs in the dog show to make it a major. Depending on the amount of competing dogs in the show, a major dog show winner can win three, four or even five points. So, if a dog were to win three five point majors under three different AKC dog show judges they can earn their championship in only three AKC dog shows. Although considered a rare feet, it has happened.

Both male dogs and females (bitches) compete and are judged separately within their respective breeds. Here is a list of the seven different classes that are offered, and are divided by the dog’s sex:

  • Puppy Class - For dogs that are not yet champions and are between the age of six months and twelve months old.

  • Twelve-To-Eighteen Months Class - For dogs that are not yet champions and are between the age of twelve months and eighteen months old.

  • Novice Class - For dogs who are six months of age or older, which have not won three first prizes in the Novice Class, nor won a first prize in either the American-bred, Bred-by-Exhibitor, or Open Classes, nor have won one or more points toward their championship title prior to the date of the AKC dog show closing of entries in which they are competing.

  • Amateur-Owner-Handler Class - For dogs that are not champions and are at least six months old. Dogs in this class must be handled by the registered owner of the dog who has never been a professional dog show handler, employed by any professional dog show handlers or were ever an AKC dog show conformation judge.

  • Bred By Exhibitor Class - For dogs which are handled by their breeder and owner, that have not yet won their AKC championship title.

  • American-Bred Class - For dogs that are not yet champions who were born in the United States from a mating in which took place in the United States.

  • Open Class - For any purebred dog which is at least 6 months of age or older.

For the AKC specialty dog shows, the AKC dog show judges must be licensed for the specific breed (such as German Shepherds or Golden Retrievers) they are to examine.

All of the first place winners of each class dogs will go on to compete again to see who the dog show winner is. Males and bitches will be judged separately. Points will only be awarded to both the best male dog winner (Winners Dog) and the best female dog winner (Winners Bitch). The Winners Bitch and Winners Dog will then move on to compete with the champions for the AKC Best of Breed award as well as two other awards. At the conclusion of the Best of Breed Competition, three awards are commonly given. They are:

  • Best of Breed - The overall dog show winner. This is the dog judged to be the best in its breed category.

  • Best of Winners - The dog show winners that came from one of the seven AKC dog show classes for the show. This is the dog judged as the better of the Winners Bitch and Winners Dog. The champions that compete for the AKC Best of Breed award cannot win this award.

  • Best of Opposite Sex - the best dog which is the opposite sex to the AKC Best of Breed winner.

In the German Shepherd specialty dog show, it is the AKC dog shows judges job to choose the German Shepherd which best meets the AKC standard for the breed. His #1 choice will be named the dog show winner or Best in Breed. The best place to find the specialty dog show results for specific shows would be to go to the breed’s parent club website. So if you were interested in finding all of the German Shepherds specialty dog show results for the year or you just wanted to find the dog show winners for a particular specialty show, all you would need to do is visit the German Shepherd Dog Club of America website.

The most popular type of AKC dog shows are the all breed dog shows. The best example of the AKC all breed dog shows would have to be the Westminster Dog Show. At the AKC all breed dog shows each of the specific purebred dog breeds will be judged like a specialty dog show. The winner of each breed will then go on to compete against all of the other breed winners within the group. There are seven groups in an AKC all breed dog show including, Sporting Group, Hound Group, Working Group, Herding Group, Terrier Group, Toy Group and Non-Sporting Group. So, the Best in Breed German Shepherd, which is in the Herding Group will go on to compete against all of the other Herding Groups Best in Breed winners such as the Collie, Border Collie, Belgian Shepherd, Old English Sheep Dog, etc.

At this point, the AKC dog show results have not yet been resolved. A Best of Show still needs to be chosen. Once the Best in Group dog show winners have been chosen they will move on to the final stage of competition which is to decide which Group winner will win the prestigious Best in Show award. The dog show judge’s job gets really tough because they must know what the standards are for each of the AKC purebred dog breeds they will be judging on that day. Remember, in an AKC dog show, the dog show judges will not be comparing the dogs that are competing against each other. The will be judging each breed against the AKC breed standard. The dog which is closest to the AKC breed standard is usually the dog show winner; although other things can come into play such as the way the dog shows for the judge and crowd. This is where the dog show handlers expertise comes into play. A lot of great dog show handlers have helped to sway the dog show results their way just by the way they have handled their dogs.

The AKC breed standards are set prior to each AKC dog show by the judges of that show. As I previously stated, during each show, the dog show judges select dogs, which best match the set AKC breed standards. This is an extremely difficult task because the choices made must be completely subjective. Most AKC dog show judges are breeders themselves and certainly have a preference towards certain breeds.  Not only are the dogs compared with one another as to how they are shown and presented by their dog show handlers, but the comparison of each and every dog to the judge's subjective image of the ideal dog which should meet the AKC breed standard as close to perfect as can be. The ultimate objective of each American Kennel Club dog show is to select a dog show winner, which most closely matches the AKC breed standards. Believe me when I say that it is much harder than you think.

The AKC breed standard is written down on a long list. This list is called a conformation point and all of the dog show judges meet up and frame the conformation point. The conformation point may vary from one dog show to another; however, there are particular requirements which are standard. Each breed has a list of major and minor faults that the AKC dog show judges must be familiar with. Some of the major faults can mean an instant disqualification for a dog. With most breeds, the dog's fur is the most important factor. The dog's color, length, pattern, quality and type are carefully observed for faults, as are the coats distribution, quantity and quality of the markings.

Having healthy skin without any pigmentation is also among the critical qualifying criteria. All the dogs in an AKC dog show should be clean and very well groomed. Many dog show judges often check for skin wrinkles along with measuring the flews. The color and shape of the dog's head must also lack any major faults. The dog's temperament and general attitude is very important and noted down by the dog show judges for each and every breed of dog. The temperament of a Newfoundland should be very gentle while the German Shepherd should be fearless and somewhat aloof.

A Major disqualifying fault in most breeds is missing teeth or an over-shot or under-shot jaw-line. In fact, the show dog's jaw-line along with the structure of the teeth and their alignment when the dog's jaw is closed are always compared. Many a dog show results have been negatively impacted due to a few missing teeth.  The shape and set of a dog's ears as well as the shape and color of the eyes are also closely observed by dog show judges. Each dog breeds gait while walking and trotting are also very closely observed. When standing still the position of a dog's feet are closely compared to the AKC breed standard as is the shape and length of the tail. For male dogs, a missing testicle or two always is a disqualifying fault.

If you intend on becoming a professional dog breeder, then winning AKC dog shows and getting a championship title on your dog or dogs is critical. Having a lot of dog show winners in AKC all breed dog shows as well as specialty dog shows can gain your kennel name a great deal of prestige. Having a Champion stud dog can bring in some hefty stud fees while having a Champion bitch bred to a Champion stud dog can double or triple the value of your puppies. If you are just starting out, then my advice to you is to get a very high quality bitch from a reputable breeder. The hardest part is in convincing the breeder to part with a puppy meant for a show home. All breeders want their best puppies in a qualified show home where they are sure the new owners are going to try hard to finish (get a championship) their dog. If a breeder knows you are sincere about finishing the dog they sold you then can almost always count on their help.

Depending on where you live or the breed of dog you have chosen to breed and show, be prepared for some AKC show dog politics. My advice to you is don't sit there and constantly complain about it. Instead, learn how to play the game and get to know all of the players. Get on their good side because it will help you to advance by leaps and bounds. So if some successful breeders or dog show handlers ask you to enter as many of your dogs into a local all breed dog show or specialty dog show in an attempt to turn the show into a major. Do it! They will remember what you did for them and may possibly return the favor in the future.

Join the local dog club and make friends with the members. They can tell you when it would be advisable to pay a professional dog show handler to show your dog and which dog show judges don't mind owner/handlers. Most of all, have fun. The best time of my life was when I was showing dogs. I looked forward to showing my dogs at every AKC dog show I could regardless of what the dog show results were. With that said, there is not a better feeling in the world than having your own dog show winner and you were the handler. See you at the next AKC dog show!

AKC Dog Shows

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