Spanning four days in Derby city, the Kentuckiana Cluster of Dog Shows in Louisville, Kentucky includes four days of dog shows hosted by the Mid-Kentucky Kennel Club, Evansville Kennel Club, Greater Louisville Training Club, and Louisville Kennel Club. More than 3,000 dogs will be shown during the four days of all-breed conformation shows. In addition […]

The first step in navigating any culture is learning its etiquette: Never blow your nose at the dinner table in Japan, avoid public displays of affection in Sweden, and expect to encounter close talkers in Spain. A vibrant subculture in its own right, the dog-show world also has unspoken rules of conduct that might not […]

According to a friend, Dr. James Price McCain started exhibiting dogs in the 1930s to “relieve the nervous tension of his medical practice and perhaps most of all to participate in an activity in which his success or failure would be determined in merit, not solely upon the color of his skin.” Dr. McCain’s merit […]

Conformation shows and other dog sport events are exciting occasions for both dogs and handlers. But they can also be stressful. Emotions do run high, but it’s important that everyone involved in dog sports demonstrates good sportsmanship. Unsportsmanlike behavior is not only unpleasant, but it also compromises the integrity of the sport as a whole. It’s important for […]

What do you think of when you hear the word Poodle? For many, it’s an overdone diva—big hair, polished toenails, and a phony French accent. Poodles are often described as “froufrou” dogs, a slur that means prissy and high-maintenance. The image has been widely embraced, even in the wonderful world of Disney, where dogs are […]

We all want what we can't have, and topping that wish list is a simple – if improbable – ask: Immortality, please. As no one has yet managed to live forever, the next best thing is keeping your legacy flickering long after your mortal candle has sputtered. This goal is often best accomplished with money […]

As you work up a sweat with your huge, loose-jointed Mastiff puppy, trying to hold up his mid-section while keeping all four of his feet pointed in the same direction, it’s not surprising you’ll watch the Doberman Pinscher handler with a touch of envy. The Dobe glides around the ring, head held high, then nails […]

A young family I know recently made a commitment to quality time by banning cell phones at the dinner table. It started as more of a dare than a serious lifestyle change. The husband is a marketing maven, the wife a high-powered lawyer, and the two kids own every electronic device on the market. One […]

Breeders and handlers are a study in contrasts. Breeders are big-picture and behind-the-scenes, planning and studying for the future. Handlers, meanwhile,  are front and center, focused on the competition at hand and those split-second moments that can make or break a win. And of course, we all know what dog owners do. Sometimes, those three […]

The 2019 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Dec. 14 and 15 had a record number of dogs in its 19th year. The competition began with 5,284 dogs each competing for best in their breed. Best in Group Best of Breed winners then advanced to compete in the group competitions. Each AKC-recognized breed falls […]

A record number of dogs are set to compete at the 2019 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Dec. 14 and 15. While 5,284 dogs will compete for the title of National Champion, a total of 11,008 dogs are entered across the entire weekend's events. Surpassing the AKC 1984 Centennial event, the AKC National […]

In the spirit of the holiday season, let’s stop for a moment to acknowledge the joy that the sport of conformation gives us every week of the year, and the people who contribute to that joy. Let’s be thankful for: Judges who are students of their dog breeds, know their standards, smile, and don’t look up […]

On Friday, Feb. 1, at 5 p.m., I received a call that would change my life. "Hello, Ms. Stephenson?  This is Officer Penny with the Burleson County Animal Control.  We have your dog." We all cringe at the sound of those words. But this one was something else. “Officer Penny, where is Burleson County Animal […]

When you become a “dog person,” don’t forget the second part of that phrase I don’t know where I picked it up, but it elicits a chuckle each time I repeat it to someone new. “God made dogs,” the joke goes, “and the Devil made dog clubs.” If you are involved in dogs outside the […]

For better or for worse, the ways we communicate have been changed forever by social media. Snail mail, faxes (remember those?), and long-distance telephone calls have largely been replaced by the ease and speed of online chatting. Still, convenience is not without its pitfalls. For novices and experienced fanciers alike, there are smart ways to […]

Rory is a well-versed Collie with 12 titles in dog sports On his dam's side, Rory's litter represents 13 generations of Kaye's Chelsea Collies Give Rory, a sable and white Collie, the chance to compete in a dog sport, and he struts his athletic stuff with fluff and finesse. The 13th generation of AKC Champion […]

Donna and Douglas LaBarge always dreamed of traveling the U.S. with their Conformation dog, Branson the Belgian Tervuren After Douglas' sudden death, Donna and Branson went on the road trip in his honor The breeder/owner/handler and her dog traveled more than 107,000 miles to U.S. landmarks and dog shows Shortly before Douglas LaBarge retired in […]

The 2019 Greeley Kennel Club Dog Show takes place August 17-19 at Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley, Colorado. Want to watch or stream? Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch the Greeley Kennel Club Dog Show. Greeley Kennel Club Dog Show - What to Expect This year's event includes the National Owner-Handled […]

Step lively, stand and stay put, and allow the judge to scrutinize every inch of you. Shimmy the tail, act dignified and thoughtful, but exude enthusiasm. Such is the job of a show champion. Grand Champion Riley, a 5-year-old Clumber Spaniel bred by Sarah Beaird and Dennis FitzPatrick, is a top-10 champion who finds winning […]

Brielle Duprat was two-and-a-half when her grandmother Karen took her to her first dog show. She remembers watching all of the different breeds, and the grooming prior to competition. Then, at four years old, her aunt Lori had Brielle show her Havanese, Maggie, in the Pee Wee Juniors class. "That started my handling career," says […]

Sit down and stay awhile. That porch-rocker philosophy used to be prevalent at dog shows, which for the first half of the 20th Century were all-day affairs for exhibitors. Back then, shows were benched, meaning that dogs were required to stay on elevated wooden benches so they could be viewed by the public. Captive audiences […]

Watch a dog show in action this Easter. The Kennel Club of Beverly Hills Dog Show in Pomona, California will be televised Easter Sunday, April 21, on NBC affiliates nationwide. It’s at the top of every breeder’s wish list: the once-clueless “pet person” who is now willing – even eager – to show their promising new […]

Picture this. A couple is sitting at a Seattle sidewalk café with their young daughter and a pair walks by with a “distinctive” dog neither of the parents recognized. Whoa! What ensued was an introduction to the Rhodesian Ridgeback and it wasn’t long before this "Dogless in Seattle" family was hooked. Annie Wickham recalls that […]

From the time he was three weeks old, curled up with his littermates in a Minnesota breeder’s whelping box, Nathan made quite the impression on Janis Dibert, who had recently lost her husband Dennis. A Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever owner for 17 years, Dibert says, “Usually puppies are matched to you based on the information you […]

Pedigrees are the breeder’s roadmap. They tell us where we’ve been, and they can help guide us in the future. What kind of traveler are you—the adventurous type who takes off without a map and explores unknown byways, or the planner who carefully maps a journey with a very specific destination? Or are you so […]

Native New Yorkers tell it like it is, and Elliott B. Weiss — the Best in Show judge at this year’s AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin — is no exception. “I was a teenager, and I grew up without a dog,” he explains about how he got involved in the sport of purebred […]

It’s been a decade since Uno (Ch. K-Run’s Park Me in First) put his paw print on Westminster Kennel Club and American dog-show lore with a crowd-roaring triumph on the green carpet of Madison Square Garden. The 15-inch Beagle, who bayed and barked his way into fame and died recently at age 13, will be […]

I recently participated in my local all-breed kennel club’s annual show weekend. As always, it was a friendly, laid-back event, less than 1,000 dogs — although the entry was up by 150 this year — and the shows drew some nationally ranked Top 10 canines from many far-flung states. I made myself useful stewarding each […]

As all dog breeders know, you’re only as good as your latest generation. After all, those promising newbies are the ones on which you build your future. The sport of dogs is governed by the same principle: Newcomers in all venues — from conformation to obedience to agility, not to mention breeding — are vitally […]

Ever wonder how handlers get into conformation? Well, many of them start out in Junior Showmanship. And it turns out the kids have a lot to say! We chatted with 12 youngsters ranging from the ages of seven to 16 years at the annual Seattle Kennel Club (SKC) Dog Show at Centurylink Field on March […]