Petrie's Web - Showing

Dog Shows

Taking your dog to a show can be a lot of fun. To enter a show your dog needs to have papers and you need to be the registered owner. Every month a list of shows is sent out than it's up to you which you decide to enter and where. You will need to do some training with your dog, for it to be properly judged it needs to walk properly and stand still on command. You need to get your dog used to having a hands on examination by the judge. You will also need something to put your dog into while waiting to enter the ring. Depending on how long you stay and whether it's inside or out, you also need to think about your food and drinks as well as for your dog. For more detailed info scroll down to the vca link.

There are three types of shows. A champion show, open show and a parade.

The champion show is where the dogs are awarded challenge certificates which means they get points, a dog needs a 100 points to become a champion, which means in front of it's name on the papers it will have CH. You get 5 points for winning and then 1 point per dog you beat. To become a Grand Champion you need to get a 1000 points.

An open show is the same as above but no points are given. The open show is basically the training show for the new dogs, puppies and judges.

A parade is the same as an open but champions cannot compete.

Classes

Baby puppy - 3-6 months

Minor puppy - 6 months and under 9 months

Puppy - 6 months and under 12 months

Junior - 9 months and under 18 months

Intermediate - 18 months and under 36 months

Novice - 6 months or over which have not won a first prize at any open show or champion show

Graduate - 6 months or over which have not won a challenge certificate

Limit - 12 months which are not champions or have not enough points to qualify as a champion

State bred - 6 mths or over whelped in the state in which it is exhibited

Australian bred - 6 months or over whelped in Australia

Open - for all dogs 6 months or over

Champion - for all champions entering an open show

For more information on dog shows, you can download a Booklet from the VCA site

Cat showing on the other hand is very different to the dog shows. For starters there is more than one club, and there isn't as many shows. You also don't need to do any training with your cat, all it has to do is be nice when the judge takes them out of the crate. But you do need to have curtains for the crate and anything else the cat might need while being judged or waiting, like water and the litter tray. Depending on which club you join, you might not be able to watch the judging. Also some shows you have to wait till it's all over before you can go home.

Getting your cat titled is a lot easier than with dogs. In Vic, they don't use a point system, instead it's a number of wins. For example, to get a dog to champ status you need 100 pts, which could take 10 shows or more depending on how many dogs are at the show. For a cat you need 4 challenges. Much easier and quicker to get a cat titled and there are a lot more titles than with dogs.

To learn more visit a club. I'm a member of the GCCF (Governing Council of Cat Fancy). The other big cat club is FCCV (Feline Control Council of Vic). These are for Victoria.

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