Your First Dog Show: Some Basics and Helpful Advice

Author: G de Gouveia

For Championship shows, remember that entries are done online with a firm closing date, so don't miss out!

You can find the entry link on ShowAssist.

Make sure to fill this out correctly and send it to the show secretary. Once your entry is submitted, the club secretary should email you to confirm receipt and let you know if everything is in order or if there are any issues.

For the day of the show, it's essential to bring shelter for yourself and your dog, like a tent, umbrella, or gazebo, as it can get quite hot.

Our breed, Australian Shepherds, belongs to the Herding group. Groups are usually judged alphabetically, so we'll generally be after Australian Cattle Dogs if any are entered.

When you hear "dogs," that refers to male dogs, and "bitches" means female dogs. In each age class, the "dogs" will be judged first, followed by the "bitches," starting from Baby Puppy through to Veteran.

Inside the Ring

The ring steward is your go-to person for any questions. They'll also call you into the ring by your entry number. Listen carefully, as they'll call your number up to three times. If you miss your call, your dog will be marked absent. The steward will guide you on where to go in the ring.

The judge will then assess each dog individually. They typically start by looking at the dog's head and then check the teeth. It's really helpful if you can teach your puppy to show their teeth or at least stand still while the judge examines their mouth – it takes practice! #patience

Next, the judge will feel the dog's body, from the neck down, to evaluate their bone structure, angulation, and coat. They might also check under their paws and between their pads, which can be a bit ticklish for some dogs.

After that, the judge will check the dog's sex (males must be intact; females can be spayed) and then the tail, or the bob if they have a natural bobtail.

Once the individual examination is complete, the judge will ask you to do an "away and back." This means you need to run your dog in a straight line away from the judge and then back towards them, so they can see how your dog moves. After the "away and back," you'll usually be asked to move your dog around the ring to join the back of the line if there are other dogs in your class.

If you were judged first, the judge will then assess the other dogs in the class. Once they've seen all the dogs, they'll have you all move together again and will then award 1st, 2nd, and sometimes 3rd or 4th place.

If you win 1st place in your class, you'll need to go back into the ring to compete for "Best of Breed" within your specific breed. If your dog was the only one in their class, they automatically win the class.

Later, you'll be called back for the "Group Finals" (BIG - Best in Group), competing against the winners of all the other breeds within the Herding group, regardless of their age class. If you win 1st place in the Group Finals, you'll then proceed to "Best in Show," where you'll compete against the winners from all the other breed groups.

Remember: the day is a success no matter where you place! Always let your dog know they're a winner – because to you, they are. This should be a fun experience, not overly competitive. While we all hope to win, our dogs don't need to feel that pressure.

Just a heads-up: like any competitive activity, dog shows can sometimes have their share of politics. My best advice is to stay in your own space and be mindful of who you become friendly with.