Training Show Dogs

Dog show competitions are increasingly popular and are enjoyed by lots of dog owners around the world. The dog shows are a great way to show off one's prized pet. Show dog training requires your dog to not only become very obedient but also to stay calm during the probing of a judge while his confirmation is being examined. While the judge examines your dog he must remain relaxed and keep the correct pose throughout the examination.

There are several different categories that the show dogs will fall into, so they can compete with dogs having similar characteristics. The categories are divided up based on the types of activities each breed is most skilled at. The seven different categories include sporting, non-sporting, hound, terrier, working, herding and toy. Besides have a terrific confirmations, the dog must be able to impress the judges with their obedience skills. Dogs will have to show off their stuff, whether it is a working dog running an obstacle course, or a herding dog working some livestock. For sporting dogs, the test will check out their abilities as field dogs. You can find dog show competitions for many different types of dogs and their associated skills. Dog agility competitions are another fun thing to train your dog for-if he is really athletic, that is.

Check this list out to see where your dog fits in.

Sporting Dogs - These types of dogs were originally bred for hunting and retrieving game birds-either on land or in the water. Included in the sporting group are retrievers, Spaniels, Pointer and Setters.

Hound Dogs - The hound class specializes in hunting through either sight or scent. Among the various hound breeds are beagles, dachshunds, greyhounds and bassets, to name a few.

Working Dogs - Working dogs are the breeds of dogs originally bred for guarding property, search and rescue or even pulling a cart. The working group includes such breeds as Doberman Pinschers, Boxers, Akitas and St. Bernard dogs.

Terrier Dogs-Terriers were bred to be specialists in eliminating vermin from farms. The Terrier group includes dogs such as the Airedale, Cairn Terrier and Scottish Terrier, Jack Russell Terriers and many more.

Toy Breeds - Toy breeds are miniature dogs-the result of breeding down the size to make little household companion dogs. In addition to many other little breeds, the Toy group includes dogs like Poodles, Pomeranians, Maltese, and Pugs.

Non-Sporting Dogs - In the non-sporting group there is a pretty diverse group of breeds, that mainly have become companion dogs, and includes dogs like Standard Poodles, Chows, Dalmatians and Bulldogs.

Herding Dogs - Herding dogs were bred to help control livestock, and include breeds like German shepherd dogs, Collies, and various kinds of Sheepdogs.

You can train your dog to enter the dog show in his group if you are interested, and he is well trained enough. For those interested in entering their dogs in a dog show competition, you should check in with a local Kennel Club to learn more. By joining a kennel club near you, you can meet and network with other show dog handlers to get some good advice getting started with show dog training for your dog.

For example, if your dog is a working dog, you can talk with an owner who also has a dog in the same group as your dog, and find out what you'll need to learn to prepare your dog for the competition. By watching and learning from a more experienced dog handler, familiar with dog show competitions, you will quickly learn the right way to perform the show dog training your dog needs to compete.

Before you consider show dog competitions, be sure you have already given your dog his obedience training. If you haven't already fully obedience trained your dog, of course you will need to concentrate on that before even thinking about entering a contest.