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 dog A dog breed is a particular type of dog that was purposefully bred by humans to perform specific tasks, such as herding, hunting, and guarding. Dogs are the most variable mammal on Earth, with artificial selection producing upward of 360 global ...

s registered with the kennel club or

breed club Breed clubs are associations or 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 animal and the goals and needs of the members ...

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 trial An obedience trial is a dog sport in which a dog must perfectly execute a predefined set of tasks when directed to do so by his handler. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC) obedience regulations The basic objective of obedience trials ...

s, 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 of the working abilities of dogs of Herding dog, herding breeds. It is a type of List of dog sports, dog sport that emerged in the 1860s in ...

s. Some are entertaining spectator

dog sports Dog sports are competitive activities specifically designed for dogs. Dogs typically participate in sports with the help of owners, although some dog sports do not require human participation. A 2015 survey found that dog owners of all classes p ...

, such as

disc dog Disc or disk may refer to: * Disk (mathematics), a two dimensional shape, the interior of a circle * Disk storage * Optical disc * Floppy disk Music * Disc (band), an American experimental music band * ''Disk'' (album), a 1995 EP by Moby Other ...

and dock jumping, and others are of more interest to the dog than to spectators, as in earthdog trials and hunt tests. *

Conformation show A dog show is an animal show; it 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 ...

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 genetic distance, related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genet ...

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 A population bottleneck or genetic bottleneck is a sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events such as famines, earthquakes, floods, fires, disease, and droughts; or human activities such as genocide, speciocide, wid ...

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References

{{Dog sports Dog breeding Dog sports Dog shows and showing Dog roles

Dog shows

Criticism of dog showing

See also

References