National Dog Show - Facts

1. Type of Competition:

   This is an annual dog show that is organized by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia and is presented by Purina, a brand of dog food.

2. Location:

   From the beginning, the show was being held at the Philadelphia Civic Center. In 1995, the venue was changed to Philadelphia convention center and it was the venue for the show until 2000. In 2001, the venue was changed to Fort Washington Expo Center and the show is being held there since then.

3. History:

   The Kennel Club of Philadelphia is one of the oldest clubs that has been conducting dog shows. It has been presenting dog shows for more than 125 years since 1879 and is older than American Kennel Club that was formed in 1884. The first bench show hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia was in 1912. After a brief break during the depression, the club has been organizing continuous shows since 1933.

4. Sanctioned:

   The National Dog Show is sanctioned by the American Kennel Club (AKC).

5. Entrance Procedure:

   AKC has specified an eligibility criteria and the dogs should be eligible according to the following conditions: The dog should be at least 6 months or older, should belong to one of the seven groups that are considered in the competition, the dogs should not be spayed or neutered, the dog should also be eligible according to the eligibility criteria specified by the dog show.

6. Classes:

   Dogs belonging to the seven groups of AKC are allowed to participate in the dog show. The groups are sporting group (Cocker Spaniel, English Setter, Labrador Retriever etc.), Hound group (Basset Hound, English Foxhound, Coonhound, Beagle etc.), Working group (Alaskan Malamute, Doberman Pinscher, Great Pyrenees, Giant Schnauzer etc.), Terrier group (American Staffordshire Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier etc.), Toy group (English Toy Spaniel, Miniature Pinscher, Chinese Crested, Yorkshire Terrier etc.), Non-Sporting group (Boston Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel, Bichon Frise, Bulldog etc.), Herding group (Bearded Collie, Border Collie, German Shepherd Dog etc.)

7. Judging:

   The judges evaluate dogs belonging to the seven groups (Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and herding) for their appearance, gait and temperament. Apart from conformation, the judges will also evaluate the dogs for obedience and agility in different events.

8. Awards:

   The Best in Show award is the top prize that is given to the best dog in the show. The dogs are judged breed wise and some dogs are selected as best in breed. They then compete for the first in group award. The seven first in group winners will compete for the Best in Show award.