Time to line up!
Time to Line Up!Matt lines me up with the other competing dogs for comparison of shape, size, proportion, and overall appearance.
I'm the one on the left, looking up at my master.
CloseMeet my master, Matt. Matt gets me into top condition so the two of us can compete in dog shows. But getting to the events is a lot of work!
First the basics
Dog shows reward the best dogs. At a dog show, dogs are judged by how well they match their breeds' traits, known as the "ideal standard."
At the end of every dog show,
just one dog is named "Best in Show."
Just one dog?Matt says there are more than 150 kinds of dogs, known as breeds, shown in the U.S.
Many shows have more than 2,000 dogs competing!
CloseBefore getting to the Best in Show competition, we dogs compete with others in our breed for the title "Best of Breed."
Best of Breed winners then compete in groups of similar breeds—working dogs, toy dogs, or hounds, for example.
Finally, the winners of each group compete together for the honor of being named Best in Show.
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 more than 120 pounds? That really scares me!
The Chihuahua, on the other hand, is the smallest breed, weighing no more than six pounds. More to my liking.
Close The American Kennel Club (AKC) is the largest organization devoted to purebred dogs in the U.S. Go to the AKC's website to find out about the more than 154 breeds it recognizes.
Behind the scenes
For Matt to succeed at dog shows, I must be a winner. And I need Matt to do that! Matt must:
- Feed me a balanced diet.
- Exercise me every day.
- Bathe and groom me often—I love it!
- Train me for showing.
Matt bathes me the night before the show.
All of this takes a lot of time. Matt has to plan ahead so he can enter a show before the deadline, which is always long before the date of the show.
Groom Your Dog Grooming your dog can either be easy or hard, depending on the dog's hair, called her "coat."
Grooming a Maltese, for example, requires a great deal of skill.
If you're not sure how to groom your dog, Matt says to ask other owners of the breed for advice.
All breeds will need basic grooming such as toenail trimming and mouth care. We don't care for that part of grooming, but it's over pretty quickly.
Close Matt takes time to get ready before a show. He says, "I like to allow an hour and a half before the show so that I'm not rushed to find my show ring."
Some shows have as many as 15 rings!
"The extra time also lets me take Wells for a walk and brush him one last time, which helps both of us to relax," adds Matt. I'm so glad that Matt has learned a lot of tips and tricks since his first show.
The Very First ShowMatt was excited and a bit nervous about taking me into the ring the very first time he entered a show. He says, "I thought I had planned for everything, but there was one thing I hadn't expected.
"I took Wells for a walk in the grass once we arrived at the show. It was early morning and the grass was wet with dew," Matt says.
When I walked out of the grass, my normally pretty, white feet were brown with mud.
Matt says, "I thought our day was all over! I knew I couldn't take him in the ring with a dirty coat, but a friend of mine knew just what to do. She showed me how to use no-rinse shampoo to get him clean fast."
I'm so glad Matt discovered that shampoo. I turned out looking fine and ended up showing very nicely that day.
Matt says, "What a relief!" I say, "Woof!"
CloseNext comes judging...
