What is a benched dog show?

Once upon a time, all dog shows were benched. Owners were required to have their dogs displayed on partitioned wooden stands, or benches, where the public could see and admire them. This wasn’t just an educational experience for spectators, but for dog-show folk as well.

What is an AKC bench show?

AKC Bench Shows function where the exhibiting of the dogs are done on the bench and they are judged according to how well they meet the breed standard as written by the particular parent club for that breed. Breed standards are written and maintained by the parent clubs not AKC.

What disqualifies a show dog?

Owners of show dogs can’t try to amend nature to meet breed standard specs. Dogs will be disqualified if any procedure is done to hide or eliminate congenital or hereditary deformities or undesirable characteristics. It’s not always a matter of looking better for the judges.

How do dog competitions work?

Most dogs in competition at conformation shows are competing for points toward their AKC championships. It takes fifteen points, including two majors (wins of three, four or five points), awarded by at least three different judges, to become an American Kennel Club “Champion of Record”.

What does show bench mean?

Definition of bench show : an exhibition of small animals in competition for prizes on the basis of points of physical conformation and condition — compare field trial.

What does AV stand for in dog show?

Glossary of dog showing terminology

Are dog shows cruel?

The most obvious problem with dog shows is that they encourage breeding, both directly and indirectly. As explained on the American Kennel Club’s website, “Spayed or neutered dogs are not eligible to compete in conformation classes at a dog show, because the purpose of a dog show is to evaluate breeding stock.”

How dog shows are judged?

The judges examine the dogs and place them according to how closely each dog compares with the judge’s mental image of the perfect dog as described in the breed’s official standard. The main consideration is the dog’s conformation or overall appearance, temperament and structure.

What is a major win in a dog show?

Learn more about conformation, here. The American Kennel Club requires a dog to obtain a total of 15 points with two major wins (a major win is worth three points or higher) to become a champion.

What does JW mean in dog shows?

Junior Warrant
Junior Warrant (JW) The Junior Warrant is an award which a dog can achieve through winning certain awards at open and championship shows, when the dog is between 6 and 18 months of age. A Junior Warrant enables your dog to gain a stud book number.

AKC Bench Shows function where the exhibiting of the dogs are done on the bench and they are judged according to how well they meet the breed standard as written by the particular parent club for that breed. Breed standards are written and maintained by the parent clubs not AKC.

What do you need to know about bench shows?

About Bench Shows. An Introduction. AKC Bench Shows function where the exhibiting of the dogs are done on the bench and they are judged according to how well they meet the breed standard as written by the particular parent club for that breed.

Do you have to win at dog shows?

Dog shows and the people in the world of conformation are competitive — that’s a fact of life. However, AKC rules make a point of emphasizing good sportsmanship, and you should strive to be gracious in victory as well as in defeat. Realistically, more people lose at a given show than they win, so don’t make winning your sole objective.

Should you train your dog to stand on a show table?

And if your dog’s breed is one that is regularly groomed or examined by the judge on a table, gradually train him to be very comfortable standing on one — always supervised, of course. Not all dogs are show-dog material, and there’s nothing wrong with that.