AKC Dog Shows Made Simple
How a Purebred Dog Becomes an American Kennel Club (AKC) Champion
A step-by-step primer on how an AKC-registered dog competes in conformation classes to earn the fifteen points needed to obtain an American Championship title.
How does a dog become a Champion? Dog shows provide a “yardstick” against which competitors can measure the quality of their breeding stock, so only sexually intact dogs at least six months of age may participate.
Certified judges are formally trained to choose the dog that best exemplifies or “conforms” to its AKC Breed Standard. This describes the breed's ideal appearance, structure, temperament, and suitability for the work for which it was developed.
To become Champion (Ch.), a dog must earn a total of at least fifteen points, including two “major” wins under two different judges. A major consists of 3, 4, or 5 (the maximum) points at an individual show. Wins of one or two points are considered “minors.” Any combination of at least two majors and minors totaling 15 points earns a dog its championship.
The number of dogs or bitches of a breed entered and present at each show and the region of the U.S. and Puerto Rico where the show takes place determines the number of points awarded.
For example in 2007, less popular breeds with small entries, such Bedlington Terriers, needed just 6 total entries in males for a five-point major win in New York, whereas for much more popular Labrador Retrievers in New York, a three-point win required an entry of 23 males as opposed to the mere 4 entries required for a Lab’s three-pointer in Hawaii.
Entry requirements for the same number of points often differ between the genders. The point formula recalibrates each year based on AKC’s previous year’s regional and breed statistics.
Dogs (males) and Bitches (females) compete separately. Dogs go first; bitches follow. There are six classes for non-champions:
- The Puppy class is for dogs aged six months to twelve months.
- Dogs Twelve-to-Eighteen-Months old have their own class.
- The Novice class is for dogs which have not won more than three first places in this class or any in the subsequent classes. Dogs in this class may not have earned any points.
- Breeder/Owners may show their dogs in the Bred-by-Exhibitor class.
- American-Bred is for dogs born in the U.S.
- Any eligible dog may compete in the Open class.
Each class of males enters the ring in order where the judge awards ribbons for first-through-fourth places. After the last class concludes, the first place winner from each class re-enters the ring to compete for the Winners Dog points. The judge selects the runner-up or Reserve Winners Dog from among the remaining dogs; sometimes this includes the second-place dog from the Winners Dog’s class.
The females undergo the same selection process until Winners Bitch (for the female points) and Reserve Winners Bitch take their places. With points awarded to one dog and one bitch, the class competition for the points toward their Ch. Title concludes.
Well, Maybe. . .
Winners Dog and Winners Bitch reenter the ring for consideration for Best of Breed. The dogs in this final class may or may not include ones already Champions in pursuit of post-Champion levels, such as breed or group prizes. The dog that, according to the judge, best matches the AKC Breed Standard receives the award and advances to one of the seven group competitions.
Best of Winners is the dog judged the better of the two class winners. If the dog beaten has earned more points in the classes, Best of Winners acquires extra points (to match the greater amount). Moreover, if he or she beats the Champions entered in this class for Best of Breed honors, those also count as “dogs defeated” and, if there are enough to increase the point level, the Best of Winners from the classes may receive additional points.
If a bitch wins Best of Breed, the “best” dog will take Best of Opposite—and vice versa.
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