Companion Dog Show

These are very informal events and there are lots of them every week all over the country. A great place to start if you're band new to showing. Anyone can go with any dog and they are usually a good day out for you, your dogs and the kids.

So, how do you find out where these shows are. Companion dog shows are advertised each week in the dog newspapers Our Dogs and Dog World. You can get these publications from any newsagent but you will have to order them. They are printed on Wednesdays, distributed to wholesalers on Thursdays and are in the shops by Friday and usually advertise shows for the following week-end or the one after.

So, what will you need to take with you. Just about all you need is a poo bag. A couple of hundred dogs can make quite a mess if it isn't picked up. There are usually water dishes around for the dogs and most of the shows (but not all) will have some form of refreshments for us humans. You might want to take a few doggy snacks as well.

So, how do you 'show'. There will be a 'programme' available at the show either free or for about £1 or thereabouts and it will tell you the classes available for the day. A 'class' is the name given to the individual event held in the ring and will include a variety of events and will be divided into two sections. One is for pedigree dogs (although you will not need any papers, documents etc., relating to the dog) and the other section is for both pedigree and cross breeds. The types of Classes vary from show to show but here are some examples of what you can expect.  Best Long Hair Dog, Best Big Dog, Waggiest Tail, Best Mover, Prettiest Bitch, Clever Canine etc. Each one of these is a 'class' and you can enter as many as you like, there and then on the day at  a cost of £1 or £1.50 for each entry that you make. There are rosettes and prizes galore so you should come away with something.

When you enter the show ring, there will normally be 2 officials - one is the Judge and the other is the Steward. The Steward is the one that makes sure the class runs smoothly and the Judge is the one who will look at the dogs and decide on the awards. The Judge may want to run his/her hands over the dog and look at his teeth, so, if you have a dog that doesn't take kindly to this sort of thing, then DON'T ENTER IT.  As part of the Judges assessments he/she will ask you to take your dog around the ring (usually in the shape of a triangle) so that he/she can see the dog's movement. If you and your dog enjoy these events you may then want to consider the Open Dog Shows.