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DOG SHOW

The purpose of a dog show is to evaluate canine breeding stock for use in producing the next generation of dogs.

INFORMATION

Dog show competition is one of the oldest events held in New Jersey dating back to the 1700's. The Kennel Club of Northern New Jersey has been hosting AKC championship dog shows since 1907.

Dog breed judging begins at 8:30 AM with continuous judging of each of the dog breeds in 12 dog show rings. The seven dog groups judging begins about 3 P.M., until only seven Group Winning dogs remain in the competition from the thousands of dogs that entered the days dog show. Finally, the Best In Show Judge will walk into the dog show ring and select from the seven group winners, one outstanding dog to stand alone in the center of the ring as the Best Dog In Show at the Kennel Club of Northern New Jersey Championship dog show.

Championship dog shows have been held in northern New Jersey for one hundred years, dating back to August 15, 1907 at the Oritani Sporting Club grounds in Hackensack, New Jersey. Today the State of New Jersey has over 250 dog clubs that host over 500 dog show events each year which attract the top dogs throughout the United States and many foreign countries as exhibitors.

The Kennel Club of Northern New Jersey is a non-profit 501-C-3 volunteer organization dedicated to the best interest of our companion dogs and their owners.

DOG SHOW JUDGING AND STANDARDS

Each breed of dog has a national parent breed dog club (for example, the Labrador Retriever Club of America) which has the responsibility for creating a breed standard, which is a written description of the ideal specimen of that breed of dog. The breed standard is often relating form to function, that is the original function that the dog was bred to perform, most standards 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 dog breed standards can be very specific, some can be rather general and leave much room for individual interpretation by judges. This results in the sport' of pure-bred dogs subjective basis: one judge, applying her or his interpretation of the breed standard, giving his or her opinion of the best dog in the dog show ring on that particular day. Standards are written, maintained and owned by the parent breed dog clubs for each breed of dog.

DOG BREEDS BY GROUP

SPORTING GROUP: These are gun dogs that were developed to assist the hunter, and generally have high energy and stable temperaments. Pointers and Setters point and mark the game, Spaniels flush the bird, Retrievers recover the game from land or water.

HOUND GROUP: Hounds were originally classified as Sporting dogs, but were assigned their own group by the AKC in 1930. These dogs are hunters that bring down the game themselves, or hold it at bay until the hunter arrives, or locate the game by tracking it by scent. Sighthounds hunt by sight, Scenthounds by tracking with their superior nose senses.

WORKING GROUP: These dogs are generally intelligent and powerfully built, performing a variety of tasks, including guarding homes and livestock, serving as draft animals, and as police, military and service dogs.

TERRIER GROUP: "Terrier" comes from the Latin word terra meaning ground, as these determined and courageous dogs must be small enough and agile enough to "go to ground" to pursue their quarry (rats, foxes, and other vermin). All Terrier breeds except the Australian Terrier and the Miniature Schnauzer were developed in the United Kingdom.

TOY GROUP: Toy dogs were bred to be companions for people. They are full of life and spirit and often resemble their larger cousins (for example, the Papillon a little Spaniel, and the Toy Poodle the smallest variety of the Poodle).

NON-SPORTING GROUP: The AKC originally registered dogs as either Sporting or Non-Sporting. Hounds and Terriers split off the Sporting Group, Toys and Working from the Non-Sporting, and later on, the Herding from the Working Group. The remaining dogs, with a great diversity of traits not fitting any of the above, comprise the Non-Sporting Group.

HERDING GROUP: This group was created in 1983. Herding is a natural instinct in dogs, and their purpose is to serve ranchers and farmers by moving livestock from one place to another.

GLOSSARY

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB (AKC): The central registry of the sport of pure-bred dogs.

AWARD OF MERIT (AOM) : At the discretion of the dog show judge, an additional special award made to outstanding dogs that are not judged to be either BOB / BOV or BOS.

ALL ROUNDER: An individual licensed to judge every one of the AKC recognized breeds of dog.

BEST OF BREED (BOB): The dog selected by a judge to that dog chosen as the best representative of the Breed. Similarly, Best of Variety (BOV) is the same award given to the best representative of a Variety exhibited that day (see VARIETY). In either case, those dogs selected BOB and those selected BOV each advance to their groups.

BEST OF OPPOSITE SEX (BOS): The dog selected as the best in competition of the opposite sex of the BOB or BOV winner.

BEST IN SHOW (BIS): The dog selected from among the seven group winners as the best dog of all of the dogs entered in the dog show on that day.

BREEDER: The owner of the dam when she was bred to produce the dog.

BREEDER-OWNER-HANDLER: An individual who bred, owns and handles that dog. Similarly, an Owner-Handler is someone who handles a dog that they also own.

BREEDER-JUDGE: A individual licensed to judge dogs of their breed.

BREED TYPE: The appearance of those unique traits and characteristics of a dog that distinguish it as a particular breed of dog.

CATALOG: The details by breed of dog of all of the dogs entered in the dog show, including identification number, birthdate, sire and dam, breeders and owners.

CHAMPION (CH) : A title that the dog has earned or the dog itself that has earned a total of 15 championship points. Points are earned in competition, by defeating other members of the same breed of dog, at AKC championship licensed dog shows.

CONFORMATION: The structure and physical characteristics of a dog.

GAIT: The action of movement of the dog. In general, a sound and balanced gait usually indicates correct conformation and structure.

LIMITED ENTRY: Where the entry is governed by certain parameters set by the club, such as total number of dogs or champions only; or in Junior Showmanship, a certain number of qualifying wins for the handler.

PROFESSIONAL HANDLER: Someone who handles a dog for a fee. Like a lawyer.

STANDARD: The written description of the traits and movement of the ideal specimen of a breed, generally based on form and function. Each parent breed of dog club creates and maintains their breed standard. Judges are required to judge dogs by comparing them to the standard for their breed of dog.

STACK: The pose itself or the posing of the dog by a handler in its natural stance.

VARIETY: A division of a breed of dog based on coat, color, or size. For example, Poodles (by size: Standard, Miniature, Toy), Cocker Spaniels (by color: Black, Parti-color, ASCOB); Collies (by coat: Rough, Smooth).