Whether you’re just entering the world of purebred dogs or have been involved for many decades, there’s a dog club for you. Joining your local and national dog club is hugely beneficial if you want to compete in sports, are a breeder (or thinking of becoming one), or if you’re a pet owner who just loves your chosen breed. Dog clubs and related organizations can have a range of different benefits, but one thing is certain: you’ll learn more about showing dogs—and your breed—by joining one.
Your Local All-Breed Club
For people just entering the dog show world, joining your local, all-breed club is a great place to start. You’ll learn more about competing, starting from the basics. Find your nearest dog club, and reach out to introduce yourself. Ask to attend the next meeting as a guest. None of the members have the same breed that you do? That’s okay! The collective knowledge of raising and training dogs is beneficial for every dog owner. You’ll also learn more about how to train dogs for competition, and what it takes to put on a dog show.
Some clubs run weekly conformation handling classes. These are great for learning the basics of handling your dog in the show ring and building confidence with the idea of competing. They’ll also be able to inform you of upcoming shows and seminars. You’ll meet many people starting out at the same place as you, and make new friends. You may even find someone who’s a good mentor! Friendly faces and people to learn from are so important, especially when you’re first starting out.
Establishing Yourself in Your Local Club
People who have years of experience under their belt are the lifeblood of any club. They help new people get involved and comfortable. They can even act as mentors to new handlers. Once you’ve been a part of your local club for awhile, you can teach others what you know. If you’re willing to step up and help teach a session of a handling class, or take a newbie under your wing, you’re doing your part in helping dog shows and dog sports grow. This kind of involvement really allows the club to prosper and for the sport to carry on.
A local dog club probably contributed to your dog knowledge along the way. It’s important to pay it forward and help the club continue to help new handlers grow.
Your Regional Breed Club
A great next step once you get your feet wet at the local level with an all-breed club is finding your regional breed club. You’ll be able to meet people who share your love for your breed. These people will be from local clubs across your region, so you’ll get to meet all kinds of new people. They serve their beloved breeds at the grassroots level.
Experienced members are needed to help with events. They can help choose judging panels, put on annual specialties and organize performance events. Although everyone has life commitments outside of dogs, it’s important to support your club whenever you can, and that includes in ways big or small. This might mean you offer to help someone who’s in an elected role in the club, or you could run for an officer position yourself that makes great use of your skills. The love of the sport requires some work: guiding newcomers to success will also help them become mentors for others in the future. Treat people with respect and encouragement, and you’re doing your part to keep the sport growing and thriving into the future.
Popular Breeds and Group Clubs
Popular breeds are lucky to have a host of local breed clubs across the country. For breeds that are less popular, there are still options. There are usually regional Group clubs that offer knowledge for the seven dog groups. It gives breeder-exhibitors of Terriers, Hounds, Toys, etc., the opportunity to work on specialties and attend meetings. They may even have knowledgeable guest speakers!
Making friends in your breed and even in your group is incredibly beneficial for the learning experience. Even related breeds will broaden your circle. This kind of knowledge helps improve your grooming and handling skills. It also gives you the confidence to take on volunteering work for the club. This could be things like stewarding in the conformation ring, hospitality, writing the newsletter, or posting on social media accounts.
Your National Parent Club
Parent clubs exist for each breed nationally, and oversee the welfare of their breed. They host annual specialty shows, which are usually the largest breed events of the year. Some breed specialties, depending on the popularity of the breed, might even be several days long. These events tend to rotate in location around the country. They’ll often include everything from seminars, to field trials, to art auctions, to banquets.
Get Involved at the National Level
Some parents clubs are very inclusive, while others are less so. It’s always good practice to join a local or regional club first, to build your experience and involvement with the breed. While some parents clubs allow members in with little red tape, others may have a more formal process that requires new members to be voted on or vouched for by existing members. Some require prospective members to have five or more years of documented involvement with the breed.
Most all parent clubs offer an associate-level membership for newer people with less experience. They usually can’t participate in elections, but get all the same educational benefits and perks that regular members do. They can also volunteer on committees, and contribute to the club newsletter or magazine.
Which Club Should You Join?
Parent clubs approve the formation of regional breed clubs within their breed. It makes sense, if possible, to be a member of both. Newcomers who want to learn about their breed also get to know the established members of the breed club who helped shaped the breed. It’s good practice to introduce yourself to the club historian, the newsletter editor, and the specialty show chair. Volunteer your skills wherever you think you can contribute to get involved.
For established breeder-exhibitors, membership in the parent club shows longtime commitment to the breed. A club’s membership directory should read like a who’s who of noteworthy fanciers. Annual membership dues are often less than the cost of a weekend’s dog show entry fees.
It’s the clubs that put on events, and if that tradition is to continue, breeders and exhibitors must support our hardworking clubs. Whether a newcomer or revered breeder-exhibitor, there is a place for you in your local and national clubs.