Conformation Showing
Dinah at the Garden State Bearded Collie Clan Regional Specialty, 2008.
Geez, I never would have believed that I'd be getting active in conformation showing, but Dinah and I have certainly been discovering a great deal together since we embarked on her show career! Badger was a show dog back in the Old Country, and he still gets a chance to show his stuff in the breed ring from time to time.
Here's the B-Man at the 2010 BCCC National Specialty. He placed 4th in his Veterans class.
You can follow our exploits and get a little information about the local show scene from our Dog Show Newbie blog. The blog also features the odd Public Service Announcement about local handling classes, matches, seminars, and other events.
Here's some useful information about dog showing:
- Beginner's Guide to Dog Shows
- AKC Conformation Information
- York County Kennel Club of Maine, Inc.
- Northeast K9 Events -- a useful list of upcoming shows in New England
- DOG -- Dog Owner's Guide to Conformation Showing (thanks to Gail Brookhart)
- Wikipedia's article about dog showing in the USA and the UK
- The Canadian Kennel Club: The only legitimate CKC registry
- Articles on dog showing and conditioning by Ed & Pat Gilbert Training Seminars. All the Gilberts' works are copyrighted. Please contact them before reusing their content.
- Show Dog Handling for the Absolute Beginner
Handling Classes Around Southern Maine
A number of training facilities and obedience clubs are beginning to offer conformation handling classes, taught by experienced owner-handlers and professional handlers. The Dog Show Newbie blog features "Public Service Announcements" when new handling class sessions are underway.
- Telling Tails Training Center, Fryeburg, ME: (207) 642-3693. Telling Tails offers multiple levels of handling classes for Dog Show Newbies as well as for experienced handlers. Beth Collins is the instructor.
- Finish Forward Dogs Training Studio, Saco, ME: (207) 251-2296. Penny Cary of Petiquette Canine Training offers multiple sessions of handling classes at Finish Forward.
- Carroll County Kennel Club, North Conway and Shelburne, NH and Fryeburg, ME: CCKC offers obedience and CGC classes, rally classes, and conformation handling classes at three locations in NH and ME.
- Paw-zn-Around, Saco, ME: (207) 283-6642. Penny Cary of Petiquette Canine Training teaches handling classes at Paw-zn-Around.
- It's a Dog's World, York, ME: (207) 363-0099. It's a Dog's World offers Monday-night drop-in classes with Sue Burrell. Dinah and I dropped in there while we were taking private handling classes, and having two venues to work in really helped.
- Casco Bay Dog Training Club, ME: (207) 615-WOOF. CBDTC holds classes in Bath at the Donald Small/Bath Recreation Department. They offer handling classes to all dogs, purebred or mixed-breed and all ages.
