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Dog shows explained – Conformation and Obedience

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We have a nice collection of ribbons from dog shows. Not a huge collection Not even as big as we’d like, but we have them. Really, really expensive little strips of different colors of silk. 

We like green ones best, but the other colors are nice, too. Green ribbons mean the dog qualified (did really, really good.) Other colors signify placements, usually first through fourth.

dog show ribbons

Ribbons our dogs have earned at recent dog shows. Green is “qualifying” – other colors signify placements.

Ribbons are what you get at dog shows when you get what you want, while experience is what you get when you don’t! 

There are all kinds of dog shows and it’s confusing if you’re not familiar with dog sports. It’s particularly confusing because there are different organizations that put on shows. Because we’re American Kennel Club supporters, we’re just going to talk about AKC shows.

Conformation dog shows

First of all, the granddaddy of all is the “conformation” dog show. This is the beauty pageant of the dog world. Only purebred dogs are allowed, and each breed is judged separately. The judge compares each dog in the breed to a “standard” set by that breed’s “parent club.” Each one of the 150+ breeds recognized by the AKC has a “parent club” which represents that breed in the United States. Therefore, it’s the people who love the breed who determine the standard for their own breed. The dog most closely resembling that standard is the winner. That dog and the best dog of the opposite sex of the winner each earn “points.” Dogs need 15 point to earn a breed championship.

After each breed judging, the winners of each breed go into “Group” judging. Which breeds are in each group was determined by the original function of each breed. There are currently seven AKC groups:

  • Hound Group.
  • Terrier Group.
  • Working Group.
  • Herding Group.
  • Sporting Group.
  • Non-Sporting Group.
  • Toy Group.

In a conformation show, the winners of the seven groups finally go on to compete for Best In Show. The dogs really don’t compete against each other because they’re judged, at every level of the competition, against the breed standard. Therefore, the dog critiqued against a vision of the perfect example of the breed – that that perhaps exists only in the judge’s mind. The person showing the dog isn’t supposed to figure into the judging, although experienced “handlers” know how to show off the dogs to their best advantage. There’s lots more that goes into showing a dog in conformation (grooming, proper handling, ring readiness, etc.) but this is the basic outline.

Obedience dog shows

The next oldest type of dog show is the Obedience Trial. We’re passionate about obedience. Some people think watching obedience is as exciting as watching grass grow. Or paint dry. For us, it’s fun. At the Novice level of Obedience competition, the dog and person (handler) team are competing for the Companion Dog (CD) title. There are set exercises the dog/handler team must complete to “qualify” in the trial and earn a green ribbon! Three qualifying scores (170 or up to 200) earns the title. The exercises for the Novice competition include:

  • Heel on Leash
  • Figure 8
  • Heel Free (no leash)
  • Recall (Come when called)
  • Long Sit
  • Long Down

Obedience Trials look chaotic because so much is going on at once. Most Obedience Trials (shows) have several different “rings” going at the same time. A different judge presides in each ring. And each ring has a different level of competition going. After Novice, the dog competes in Open (CDX title), then Utility (UD). After that, dog/handler teams may compete for the UDX (Utility Dog Excellent), and the ultimate accolade – OTCH (Obedience Trial Champion).

Next time we’ll talk about Rally and Agility.

Not too big, not too little, just right!

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kissabletedWhen we were kids our mom would take us to the International Kennel Club show every year. It was one of the biggest dog shows in the country and one of the only ones where the dogs were “benched” – which meant that the dogs and their owners/handlers, whenever they weren’t actually showing, stayed in an assigned spot most of the day and the public could wander around, look at the dogs, talk to the people, and really learn about the world of dog shows.

We loved it. We’d spend hours admiring the dogs and asking a billion questions of the owners. (Another highlight was real fudge from one of the vendors.) And, as it turns out, years later, one of the wonderful dog owners who’d spent time telling us all about her Brussels Griffons, had become a Griffie friend – and we hadn’t realized the connection.

When I was a little girl my favorite breeds to admire (before we had a dog of our own) were Irish Wolfhounds and Bull Mastiffs. And Great Danes. And Scottish Deerhounds. These giant breeds just drew me like no others. As I learned more about dogs, and after we got our first Boston Terrier when I was nine years old, I realized it wasn’t to be – our house is small, our yard is small, and perhaps most importantly – we’re small people.

Even if we had a big enough house, a decent-sized yard, and the giant breeds didn’t break your heart with their unfairly-short life spans, I know now I’ll never own one. The what-ifs would haunt me. If something happened, there’s no way I could lift a 100 plus pound dog to get it to emergency care. There’s no way that I could control an animal that size if it “took off” on me during a walk. And even the best-trained dogs can have their moments.

I have found my perfect breed and I always intend to have at least one French Bulldog (or more!) by my side. They’re the right size and the right temperament for me. And, when I need to, or want to, I can lift and carry them. And squeeze them and hug them and cuddle them. Even if they don’t much like it.

A typical French Bulldog – kinda, sorta

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Torque is nine months old now – theoretically as tall and long as he’s going to get. He’ll still fill Torqueout, as all puppies do as they mature, but my little boy isn’t so little any more. In fact, he’s a bit taller and longer than Teddy. It seemed to happen overnight.
He’s my third Frenchie – and the one that most closely adheres to all the breed descriptions I carefully read before getting my first French Bulldog, Dax.

Frenchies are supposed to have poor tolerance for heat. Dax, also a brindle, adored the sun and would sun bathe as long as I’d allow it. Teddy is a fawn-colored Frenchie and not only loves lying in the sun, he loves the heat and rarely will even pant. I know this reflects his wonderful breathing apparatus as well as heat tolerance, but he’s truly a sun worshipper. The thing I worry most about with Teddy in the sun is those pink-interior ears getting sun burnt.
Torque loves sun bathing, too. But he’s not good at it. The 90 degree days we’ve had recently had him panting in no time. I’ve been prepared for Frenchie-in-hot-weather for years – but Torque’s the first one who’s actually needed the cool coat, the always-available water supply, and shade over his crate in the car.

Frenchies are supposed to be clowns – always up for a game, for play, for just being silly. Teddy is the most serious dog on the planet. Yesterday he actually played with a toy for 20 seconds and it was cause for amazement. Dax was occasionally silly, but was really too busy being queen bee to cast her dignity aside. Torque’s a goof. He wiggles his adorable butt in the air, races around the house, barks at the puppy in the mirror, and is a joyous little fellow. He even hugs – the first of my dogs ever to do that.

TeddyFrenchies are supposed to love everybody and be perfectly willing to abandon their homes and families to the first person waving steak in their faces. Dax and Teddy – both momma’s kids. I’ve worked pretty hard at training Torque to pay attention to me and come when called – but I wouldn’t bet a paycheck that the steak wouldn’t win. He’s a very sociable fellow and wouldn’t want to insult anyone by ignoring them.

Frenches are supposed to be flatulent. Fortunately, none of mine have been. I credit our willingness to keep trying different high-quality foods until finding the right ones to keep their digestive systems, and our noses, happy.

Every breed has certain characteristics that make it what it is. Every dog of a certain breed will look similar – to the point that most people won’t be able to tell them apart. In a room full of Frenchies, I’ll always know my dogs. But each dog is unique. Once you’ve done the research and decided which breed is right for you, there’s still a lot to learn about the individual dogs. It’s a lot of fun getting to know Torque – my French Bulldog.