This is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to dog shows. Just some basics for new exhibitors who want to show one of AKC’s newest breeds that has moved from the Miscellaneous class to Regular status.
Why Show?
First of all, what’s the point? From the AKC website:
The official term for dog shows is conformation — as in, the act of conforming or producing conformity. While a dog show may look like a beauty pageant, it’s not. Dogs are not being compared to each other; they’re being measured by how closely they conform to the standard of their particular breed. Why? Because the closer a dog’s appearance is to the breed’s standard, the better that dog’s ability will be to produce puppies that meet the standard. It’s also the reason why mixed breeds and spayed or neutered purebreds are ineligible to compete in conformation.
For those who are interested in showing their dogs in conformation shows in hopes of earning an AKC Championship, a title that will be attached to your dog’s name on registration certificates and pedigrees and be respected around the globe, here are some answers to questions I have recently received plus just some information you might find useful.
Counting Championship Points
The Dogo Argentino is now regular status with the American Kennel Club and eligible to earn an AKC championship. For information on how points are calculated, here is a link that explains that: https://www.akc.org/sports/conformation/resources/counting-
Find a Show
If you are new to all this, you might be wondering how to find a show where you can exhibit your dog at AKC shows.
All AKC shows can be found on the AKC event calendar. It can be a little hard to figure out at first, but every AKC show can be found there. Here is the link to the AKC Event Search: https://webapps.akc.org/event-search/#/search
Shows have a superintendent and their websites are a great place to find shows but they tend to list only the shows they are handling.
To superintend events held under American Kennel Club rules, an individual must hold a license from AKC. The following is a list of Licensed who send out information regarding upcoming shows for which they are responsible. You may wish to contact the superintendent and request to be placed on their mailing lists.
Written by: Bonnie Blink