Show Dog Information

Dog Show Rules And Regulations

Here is a typical rule pertaining to dog shows: Rules Applying to Registrations and Dog Shows states that dogs must be on their benches during the advertised hours of the show. The reason for this rule is that if the dogs were not benched, the spectator who pays admission to the show would not be able to see the dog he is most interested in. If each exhibitor copied the other and absented his dog from the bench, soon there would be no dogs on the benches at all.

This rule works the biggest hardship on handlers because of the great number of dogs they take to shows, but they, too, must obey this rule else it would not be fair to the one-dog exhibitor. His dog might be more tired from being benched than the handler's when the two dogs met in the show ring.

Warnings, of course, are given offenders, but occasionally you run into a person who will not heed a warning. If the offense is repeated, the individual is fined and the notice of such fine is printed in the Gazette. The fine is usually $25 for each offense (of the benching rule), with subsequent infractions dealt with in more severe manner. In fairness to all, the rule must be obeyed.

Here is another example of a rule: Section 9-B states that a dog's color or marking may not be changed by the use of any substance . Would you as a beginner consider it fair if one of your competitors, with great knowledge and ability, changed the markings on his dog from poor to good by the use of applied color and won over your dog whose markings were excellent without the artificial change? A busy judge in a poor light may not notice the artificial change, and his placement would not be fair.

In the past this rule was difficult to enforce, but there have been changes and now under this rule the judge shares the responsibility of altered color and since the penalties are high you will find practically no artificial changes being made today. Years ago it was not uncommon to see a dog's marking completely altered by the use of stove blackening or mascara. The experienced "painter" had an unfair advantage over the novice in those days, but by the application of proper rules, this practice has been eliminated.

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