A show dog might refer to any dog entered into a
dog show. More specifically, a ''show dog'' is a dog which has been specially bred, trained, and/or groomed to conform to the specifications of dog shows, so as to have a chance of winning. Often used as a single word (''showdog''), the term is also used within the sport of
conformation to refer to a dog that displays a particularly energetic or outgoing character.
Dog shows
Entry into many sports of dog shows is restricted to
purebred dogs registered with the
kennel club or
breed club Breed clubs are Voluntary association, associations or Club (organization), clubs with activities centered on a single, specific breed of a particular species of domesticated animal. The purpose of the association will vary with the species of anima ...
sponsoring the show, and dogs are selected by breeding to excel at the particular sport for which they are being shown.
.,
Dog shows may be held indoors, in horse arenas or other suitably large spaces, or outdoors on groomed fields. Events at which dogs may be shown vary in the requirements for entry and the amount of preparation required. Types of dog shows include:
* Fun shows: Usually put on by charities for fund raising, these dog shows may offer prizes for costumes or for the largest and smallest dogs entered.
* Tests and Trials: Dog shows that display a dog's training or natural instincts. They may require a great deal of formal training of the dog, as in
obedience trials, or none at all, as in
herding test
A sheepdog trial (also herding event, stock dog trial or simply dog trial) — is a competition or test for working abilities of Herding dog, herding breeds dogs. It is a type of List of dog sports, dog sport that emerged in the 1860s in New Zeala ...
s. Some are entertaining spectator
dog sports, such as
disc dog and
dock jumping
Dock jumping also known as dock diving is a dog sport in which dogs compete in jumping for distance or height from a dock into a body of water.
There are dock jumping events in the United States and other countries such as United Kingdom,
A ...
, and others are of more interest to the dog than to spectators, as in
earthdog trial
An earthdog test or earthdog trial tests the working ability and instinct of the small, often short-legged terriers or Dachshunds. These dogs were bred to hunt vermin and other quarry which lived in underground dens. Earthdog den tests involve man ...
s and
hunt tests.
*
Conformation show
A dog show is an event where dogs are exhibited. A conformation show, also referred to as a ''breed show'', is a kind of dog show in which a judge, familiar with a specific dog breed, evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs ''c ...
s: Originally devised for the selection of breeding stock, conformation showing has evolved into a sport requiring specific training for both the dog and handler, as well as precise
grooming requirements (depending on the breed being shown.)
Criticism of dog showing
One argument is that the kennel clubs' requirements that breeding be conducted within a breed is tantamount to mandatory, continuous
inbreeding
Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders and o ...
as all members of the same breed are related. Another is that whether breeding primarily for appearance or for a particularly desirable working style, too much emphasis is placed on breeding from the few winning stud dogs,
[''Coppinger'', pg 251 "Contestants are eager to succeed, and therefore seek to breed their dogs with the trial winners"] causing an already limited gene pool to encounter a
genetic bottleneck.<
>
See also
* Coefficient of relationship
References
{{Dog sports
Dog breeding
Dog sports
Dog shows and showing