Dog Shows and Trials

I

Introduction

Dog Shows and Trials, events in which purebred dogs compete for prizes and titles on the basis of their show qualities or training. Such events usually take one of three forms. Dog shows are exhibitions in which dogs are judged according to the standard of perfection for their particular breeds; obedience trials compare the ability of trained dogs to respond to verbal commands or hand signals; and field trials test the hunting ability of certain breeds of dogs. The main purpose of the events is to exhibit outstanding animals to the public and to professional dog breeders and handlers. Dog shows and trials are popular in a number of countries, notably the United Kingdom and the United States. Some major dog shows in the United States draw several thousand entries each year. Most dog shows and trials are associated with the American Kennel Club (AKC), the largest registry of purebred dogs. The United Kennel Club (UKC) is another major registry that holds dog shows and trials in the United States.

Among the U.S. shows with entries of more than 2000 dogs are those of the Westminster Kennel Club in New York, the International Kennel Club of Chicago, the Kennel Club of Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, and the Kennel Club of Philadelphia. Crufts, held in London, is the largest show in Britain.

II

Dog Shows

Dog shows are divided into benched and unbenched events involving one or more breeds, groups, and classes of purebred dogs. At benched shows, prior to and after judging, the dogs, except puppies, are displayed to the public on benches or platforms set up in individual stalls. At unbenched shows the dogs are exhibited in judging rings and around the grounds of the event. In all dog shows, the breeds are divided into seven groups—sporting, hound, working, herding, terrier, toy, and nonsporting. The regular classes within each breed are puppy, novice, bred by exhibitor, American bred, and open.

The standards for judging the entries differ with each breed. Typical criteria include shape of head, placement of ears, color, gait, and texture of coat. Dogs entered in a particular class are taken into the judging ring by their owners or handlers. After the dogs have been gaited, or walked at different speeds, and examined by the judge, they are placed in classes. The dogs placed first in each of the classes compete for winners, who receive points toward their championship based on the number of dogs in their particular breed that have been in competition at the show. To become an official AKC show champion, a dog must accumulate 15 championship points under at least three different judges, and these points must include two major wins, meaning 3-, 4-, or 5-point wins. Dogs that attain their championships are entitled to have the abbreviation “Ch.” carried before their name.

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Following the judging of the winners classes, dogs that already have won their championship compete, along with the winners for best of breed and best of opposite sex. Each best of breed competes in its respective group, and the dog placed first in each of the seven groups competes for the award “best in show,” which is the final judging at any all-breed dog show.

III

Obedience Trials

Obedience trials are competitions that test the ability of dogs to obey a series of verbal or nonverbal commands. Most obedience trials are held in conjunction with dog shows, which they resemble closely in organization and scoring. At obedience trials dogs compete in three progressively difficult test-classes—novice, competing for the companion dog (CD) title; open, for the companion dog excellent (CDX) title; and utility, for the utility dog (UD) title. Dogs may also earn tracking dog (TD) and tracking dog excellent (TDX) titles.

Six basic obedience skills are tested at novice trials. These skills include heeling on the leash,heeling free, the stand for examination, the recall, the long sit, and the long down. In heeling exercises, the dog paces along beside its handler, keeping its shoulder and head even with the handler's left hip. To stand for examination the dog must remain perfectly still on command and allow a judge to examine it closely. To execute the recall the handler orders the dog to sit, withdraws to a distance of 6 m (20 ft), and commands the animal to come. The long sit and long down exercises require a dog to sit or lie still for varying periods in the absence of its handler.

The open and utility trials require mastery of more difficult skills. Among these are retrieving, tracking of scents, jumping over hurdles, and responding to hand signals. A dog receiving qualifying scores from three separate judges in authorized obedience competition progresses toward a title in its competition category.

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Field Trials

Field trials are competitions designed to simulate the conditions of actual hunting. Of the many different types of field trials, the most popular are those for hounds, bird dogs, and retrievers. According to their age and experience, the dogs usually compete in puppy,derby, or all-age classes. Championship points are awarded to those reaching the winner level in open all-age trials.

Hound trials comprise field tests for beagles, dachshunds, and bassets. Each of the three breeds competes separately under slightly different rules. In hound trials, the dogs must run down and corner hares or cottontail rabbits. The hounds usually are released in teams of two, known as braces, or in packs and are followed closely by judges mounted on horses. Skills on which scoring is based at hound trials include keenness of scent, willingness to push through punishing thickets or undergrowth, and perseverance and accuracy in the pursuit of game.

Pointing breed trials test the dogs' ability to scent and seek out game birds such as pheasant, partridge, grouse, and quail. Typical bird-dog breeds include the Brittany; the English, Irish, and Gordon setters; the weimaraner; and various breeds of pointer. In competition, as in actual hunting, bird dogs range back and forth in the field until they scent a game bird. The dogs then track the bird to its hiding place in a thicket or other undergrowth and aim, or point, their bodies directly at the bird, standing still until the bird is flushed out of its hiding place and is fired at by the hunter. Bird dogs accumulating ten points in AKC trials become field-trial champions.

Retriever trials test the ability of trained hunting dogs to find fallen birds and to fetch them from both land and water locations. Depending on the type of trial, the dog may or may not be allowed to observe the bird's fall. When the fall is blind, the handler directs the dog to the bird's general location by means of various signals. The dog depends on scent to find the bird. There are also spaniel trials that test the ability of different spaniel breeds to flush game.

Breeds eligible for retriever trials include Irish water spaniels and Labrador, golden, and Chesapeake Bay retrievers. One or more of these breeds may compete in the same trials. The prize classes, or stakes, at retriever trials are based on the age and experience of competing dogs. To qualify as AKC champions, retriever-trial competitors must amass a total of ten points.

See also Domestic Dog.