AJ stands for Andrew Jackson, our 7th president. His reputation for toughness earned him the nickname "Old Hickory." A hero of the War of 1812, Jackson has appeared on the $20 bill since 1928.

Author Matt Brown is walking down and back with Wells.Down and Back

In the photo, I'm doing what's called a down and back with Wells.

Down and back is when I walk him away from the judge and back so that the judge can see the dog's movement in the rear and front.

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It's five o'clock on a Saturday morning. Most people are still asleep.

But many special living beings are getting into cars full of gear, and hustling out the door to travel—sometimes long distances—to fairgrounds and hotels.

Excited, they arrive and meet familiar faces (not all of which are human, mind you.) With their best friends at their side and numbers tied to their arms, they wait in line to do what looks to be a dance.

"Seven, Nineteen, and Twenty-one, please come in." They enter and listen to a voice call off the steps: "Around once." "Down and back, please." "Around again and stop there."

What causes this strange activity? It's a love for dogs and dog shows.

First the basics

Time to line up, Wells! Time to Line Up!

In the photo, I'm lining up Wells, standing (Wells is the dog on the right), with the other competing dogs for comparison of shape, size, proportion and overall appearance.

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Dog shows reward the best dogs. They are called "conformation shows" because dogs are judged by how well they conform to an ideal standard. (How well they match their breeds' traits.)

At the end of every dog show, just one dog is named "Best in Show".

Just one dog? There are more than 150 kinds of dogs (known as breeds) shown in the U.S. Many shows have over 2,000 dogs competing.

Even though dog show judges are trained to compare many dogs, it would be impossible for one person to judge that many.

So they divide the breeds among many judges, and the shows run smoothly. Dogs in the same breed compete first. Then, one dog is named "Best of Breed".

Best of Breed winners then compete in groups of similar breeds.

Groups of Similar Breeds

Did you know that the tallest breed of dog, the Irish Wolfhound, is nearly three feet tall at the top of the shoulders (known as the withers by dog breeders), and weighs over 120 pounds?

The Chihuahua, on the other hand, is the smallest breed of dog, weighing no more than 6 pounds.

The American Kennel Club is the largest organization devoted to purebred dogs in the U.S. Go to the AKC's website to find out more about the 154 breeds it recognizes.

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For example, the Herding Group consists of dogs that have been bred for herding. The Sporting Group is made up of dogs that have been bred for hunting.

The winners of each group compete together for the honor of Best in Show.

Dog owners work hard if they want to do well in dog shows...

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