It is extremely easy for pet owners to spoil their dogs. Dogs truly are our best friends. They are always at home waiting for us. They are always by our side. Of course they never talk back. It’s no wonder that Dog Accessories have become more and more available and mainstream. It is not unusual today to see a puppy walking outside with Small Dog Clothes covering his fur. We love them so much there is nothing wrong with dressing them in Dog Clothes. It is so pleasurable to give them the best of life’s little pleasures. While it is fun to pamper our pooches, it is not necessary to do so for a dog to be judged fairly at a prestigious dog show?
In the universe of dog owners, dog shows have become a very popular way of competing. Thousands of dogs as well as their owners (or handlers) enjoy competing in local, national and international shows. The most celebrated shows are for animals registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC). For those that are not purebreds there are dog shows also. Obviously, a mutt is not registered with the AKC, but there are bred dogs like the labradoodle that cannot compete in AKC sanctioned shows. For this reason non AKC dog shows are gaining popularity all over the country. This makes it easier for dogs that are not up to the AKC very rigid standards compete at a less significant level.
The American Kennel Club came into being in 1884 to encourage the study, breeding, exhibiting and advancement of purebred dogs. Today it is the biggest not-for-profit purebred dog registry in the nation.United Staes. It is quite prestigious for a breeder’s litter to be registered with the AKC. AKC registration means a dog, its parents, and its ancestors are all purebred. It does not indicate the health of the dog. Dogs that are AKC registered can have their offspring registered and participate in AKC events.
The best of the best of these AKC shows are qualified to participate in the largest of all dog shows- The Westminster Dog Show. This show is so well-liked it is shown on TV every year. Dog enthusiasts everywhere tune in for a week in February to enjoy the show. At the Westminster Dog Show AKC judges consider the best of many types of dogs. The animals are positioned into groups such as Sporting, Hound, Working, Toy, Terrier, Herding and Non-Sporting. Within each group there can be up to 24 varieties. At each level, the dog is judged compared to that breed’s standard. The standard is a written description of the ideal specimen of that breed. Generally relating form to function (i.e., the original task that the dog was bred to carry out), these standards usually describe general appearance, movement, temperament, and specific physical traits such as height and weight, coat, colors, eye color and shape, ear shape and placement, feet, tail, and more. Some standards can be very specific; some can be relatively general and leave much room for individual interpretation by judges. This results in the sport’s subjective basis: one judge, applying his interpretation of the standard, giving his opinion of the best dog on that particular day. The parent club of each breed owns the written and maintained standards. After much pomp and circumstance a Best of Show title is awarded.
When watching an AKC dog show you will no doubt observe many pampered pooches. But anyone, anywhere can pamper their own mutts at home the in the same fashion. Any dog owner can purchase a doggie outfit, doggie platform bed, or the varied accessories available in specialty and online stores. You certainly do not need to have a “Best in Show” to treat him like one.
Posted under Dogs General, Shopping for Dogs
This post was written by admin on March 8, 2009
