If your child has told you they want to get involved in dog shows, you might feel confused about where to start. Unlike many sports or activities, you likely won’t get information about dog shows from your child’s school. While it may feel overwhelming if you’ve never shown a dog yourself, it’s not difficult to get your children involved in these family-friendly events.
In order to support the next generation of competitors, the AKC has the Junior Showmanship program. Junior handler is the term used to describe kids and teenagers under the age of 18 who participate in AKC dog sports. Junior handling helps kids to learn a variety of important life lessons including good sportsmanship, responsibility, and perseverance. Junior handling allows children to build and show off their skills working with dogs and build a special relationship with their canine teammates. Dog shows can also help build your child’s confidence and help them form new friendships with other dog lovers.
How To Compete in Junior Showmanship
When most people think of dog shows, they picture the conformation dog shows they’ve seen on TV. Junior Showmanship is a competition division specifically for kids aged 9 to 18 that helps prepare them to show dogs in the breed ring. The goal of Junior Showmanship is to teach kids and teens how to show dogs and help them to build a love of the sport. Unlike in conformation, where a dog is judged on how closely it aligns to the breed standard, in Junior Showmanship, the dog’s adherence to the breed standard isn’t evaluated. Instead, junior handlers are evaluated on how well they handle their dog. Specifically, they’re evaluated on their appropriate handling and presentation of their dog for the breed, not how closely the dog at the end of the leash aligns with the breed standard.
Junior Showmanship is divided into three age groups:
- The Junior level of competition is for kids who are at least 9 years old, but under the age of 12
- Intermediate is for kids who are at least 12 years old, but under the age of 15
- Senior level of competition are for teens who are at least 15, but under the age of 18
Within these age divisions, Junior Showmanship is divided into two competitive levels: Novice and Open. To enter the Novice level of competition, junior handlers can’t have won more than two first-place awards at a dog show. The Open level is a more competitive class for junior handlers who have more experience showing dogs. In order to compete at the Open level, junior handlers need to have won three or more first-place awards in Junior Showmanship.
Dog Sports for Young Children
If you have a child younger than 9 who is interested in showing dogs, it’s still possible for them to get involved! Some dog shows have an optional PeeWee class for kids aged 5 to 9. PeeWee competitions are pre-Junior Showmanship Special Attractions designed to be a fun way for young children to get involved in dog shows. In PeeWee competitions, a parent and their child are in the ring together with their dog to ensure safety of dogs and kids. Just like with Junior Showmanship, the goal of PeeWee competitions is for kids to get experience showing dogs. In PeeWee, no kids are “judged.” Instead, it’s about having fun and building mentorship, with the judge providing age-appropriate information about dog shows. Each child participating receives an award.
For even younger children who want to participate in dog shows, some shows offer “Plush Puppy” special attractions at their events where children under the age of 5 can go into the ring and “show” their stuffed dogs. These competitions are just for fun and a great opportunity to help young children get involved in dog shows.
Some kennel clubs will also allow children under the age of 9 to start attending handling classes to help get ready to start showing in Junior Showmanship when they are old enough. If you have young children who want to get involved, ask your local kennel club if they offer PeeWee or pre-PeeWee classes.
What Dogs Can Compete?
In order to be eligible to compete with a junior handler in Junior Showmanship, a dog must be registered with the AKC or have a Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) number. Unlike in conformation where dogs need to be intact, for Junior Showmanship dogs can be spayed or neutered and still compete. Similarly, spayed and neutered dogs may compete in AKC companion events, agility, AKC Rally, obedience, and tracking, as can All-American Dogs. These dogs can also participate in AKC Family Dog sports, which includes the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program, AKC Trick Dog, and AKC FIT DOG.
If your child comes to you saying they want to start showing dogs, you might panic, thinking that your family dog isn’t a show dog. Effective July 1, 2023, Juniors are no longer required to own or co-own dogs that they’re competing with. Many of us got involved with dog sports with whatever dog our family had, regardless of if they were considered “pet quality.” The Junior Handler program is about helping kids and teens gain experience and connections in the dog world, not about entering the ring with the highest quality dog. To support junior handlers, many breeders and dog owners are happy to loan kids dogs to show in the Junior ring. This allows junior handlers to participate if they don’t have their own dog, and it helps them to build experience and skills working with a variety of breeds. The best way to find mentorship for your child is to get involved with your local kennel club and junior handling events.
How To Get Involved in Junior Showmanship
If your child is interested in getting involved in Junior Showmanship, here are a few steps to get you started:
Go to a Dog Show
If your child enjoys watching dog shows on TV, it can be helpful to find a dog show in your area and attend as a spectator. These shows are welcoming to newcomers and a great opportunity to see different dog sports in person. Be sure to check the show schedule for when Junior Showmanship is taking place, so you can see kids in the ring with their dogs. Ringside is a great place to ask questions and meet people involved in showing in your local area. Attending dog shows can also be a great way to learn about handling classes and other training opportunities for your family to participate in.
Get a Junior Handler Number
In order to participate in AKC Junior Handler events, kids need to have an AKC Junior Handler number, which you can obtain online. Your child will use this number when entering a dog show, and it’s used to track their wins in the ring. For Junior Showmanship, the AKC will use this number when determining if your child is eligible to compete at the Open level, once they’ve earned three first-place wins. For performance sports like AKC Rally or agility, the junior handler number will be connected to the dog’s titles earned, and your child will be recognized as having handled that dog.
Attend Handling Classes
A great way to help your kids get started with showing dogs is to sign them up for handling classes. Many private trainers and local kennel clubs offer handling classes for people of all ages, including children. Many also offer junior handler-specific classes, which will help give your child the hands-on experience they need to learn how to properly show their dog.
In handling classes, kids will learn how to present their dog in the ring, in accordance with its breed standard. They’ll also learn about how the sport of conformation works, including commonly used terminology and what to expect at a dog show. Your child will learn how to showcase their dog’s strengths to the judge, as well as grooming and presentation tips.
Handling classes can also help your child learn how to keep their dog’s attention around other dogs and people. These classes are an important training opportunity for dogs to get used to ignoring other dogs and keep focusing on their handler. Handling class instructors can tell you when your child is ready to start competing and help junior handlers enter their first dog show.
Acquire Appropriate Clothing for Showing
Like any sport, your child will need some equipment in order to get started. Attend dog shows in your local area to get an idea of the clothing junior handlers wear when competing. In Companion events like agility and AKC Scent Work, the dress code is generally casual and athletic. For Junior Showmanship, the expected dress code mirrors conformation. Junior handlers will mostly dress in business professional or business casual attire that allows them to move comfortably in the ring. Clothing options include slacks or a skirt with a polo shirt or blouse or a dress. Kids should wear comfortable shoes with good traction to allow them to run around the ring and properly handle their dog. To help with the cost of show clothes, some kennel clubs host clothing swaps, so Junior Handlers can trade outfits with other juniors as they grow.
Explore Performance Sports
While many kids get started with Junior Showmanship, it’s not the only way to start showing dogs. Junior handlers can also participate in sports and events, such as agility, Field Trials, AKC Fast CAT, AKC Scent Work, obedience, AKC Rally, tracking, and AKC Trick Dog. Kids can get involved with these sports in addition to Junior Showmanship or just compete in performance sports with their dogs. Some kennel clubs will have junior-specific sports classes, or they may welcome junior handlers to attend sports classes with their dogs alongside adult handlers. With AKC performance sports, there are no minimum ages for kids to get involved and start competing, so long as they’re able to appropriately handle their dog.