Train Your Dog for Dog Show Competitons

October 11th, 2009 at 8:48am

Dog lovers all over the world enjoy watching dog show competitions. Obviously, the owners of show dogs are very proud of their dogs, and they just love showing them off. Training for show dog competitions prepares you dog for his presentation to the judges, where he is examined for meeting his breed’s standards, and where he performs some obedience exercises. While the judge examines your dog he must remain relaxed and keep the correct pose throughout the examination.

There are several different categories that the show dogs will fall into, so they can compete with dogs having similar characteristics. The categories are divided up based on the types of activities each breed is most skilled at. There are 7 different categories including: sporting; non-sporting; hound; terrier; working; herding and toy. Besides have a terrific confirmations, the dog must be able to impress the judges with their obedience skills. Depending on the category the dog may need to run an obstacle course, or for herding dogs-work some livestock. Sporting dogs, such as Labrador Retrievers will be tested in field trials. As you can see, there is a niche for every breed of dog to show off his physical beauty and his particular skill set.

Here is a list of the various show dog categories-check out which one best fits your dog.

Sporting Dogs - Sporting dogs are breeds that were bred for hunting and retrieving game birds from land or water. Included in the sporting group are retrievers, Spaniels, Pointer and Setters.

Hound Dogs - These breeds of dogs were bred for hunting game using sight or scent. Hound dog breeds include: Beagles, Bassets, Dachshunds and Greyhounds and other hound varieties.

Working Dogs - These breeds of dogs were bred to help people out by guarding property, pulling a cart and even performing search and rescue services. Among the dog breeds included in this group are the Akita, Doberman, Boxers and St. Bernards.

Terrier Dogs-Terriers are breeds that were bred to excel in hunting and eliminating vermin from farms. There are quite a few breeds of these popular energetic dogs, including Scotties, Airdales, Jack Russles and many more.

Toy Breeds - The toy breeds were selectively bred to become the little household pets they now are. Among the many breeds included in the Toy group are Poodles, Pugs, Pomeranians, and Maltese.

Non-Sporting Dogs - This category is formed by a pretty diverse grouping of breeds that are primarily companion dogs who come in a variety of size and shapes, and includes Bulldogs, Standard Poodles, Chows and Dalmatians.

Herding Dogs - This category is made up of breeds specializing in helping herdsmen control their livestock, and includes dogs such as the German shepherd dog, Collies, Australian Sheepdogs, Old English Sheepdogs, and more.

You can train your dog to enter the dog show in his group if you are interested, and he is well trained enough. Check in with a local kennel club to learn more about upcoming dog show competitions, and see what you would need to do to prepare your pet for the show. A Kennel Club is a great place to meet other dog enthusiasts and also for enrolling in a dog obedience training class.

For example, if your dog is a working dog, you can talk with an owner who also has a dog in the same group as your dog, and find out what you’ll need to learn to prepare your dog for the competition. By watching and learning from a more experienced dog handler, familiar with dog show competitions, you will quickly learn the right way to perform the show dog training your dog needs to compete.

Unless you have already obedience trained your dog, you can’t get involved in a dog show. If you haven’t already fully obedience trained your dog, of course you will need to concentrate on that before even thinking about entering a contest.

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