Dog lovers all over the world enjoy watching dog show competitions.  The dog shows are a great way to show off one’s prized pet.  Show dog training requires your dog to not only become very obedient but also to stay calm during the probing of a judge while his confirmation is being examined. During his examination by the judge, your dog must meet the standards of its particular breed, but also maintain a perfect posture wile remaining  relaxed throughout the examination.

The show dogs are divided into different competitive categories. The various categories are  based on the variety of breeds within them  and what kinds of activities those breeds are best skilled at. There is a total of 7 various categories and these include: sporting; non-sporting, hound, terrier, working, herding and toy. Besides have a terrific confirmations, the dog must  be able to impress the judges with their obedience skills. Depending on the category the dog may need to run an obstacle course, or for herding dogs-work some livestock. Other types of dogs, such as a Labrador retriever will be field tested. As you can see, there is a niche for every breed of dog to show off his physical beauty and his particular skill set.

Check out which of these dog show categories best fits your dog.

Sporting Dogs – Sporting dogs are breeds that were bred for hunting and retrieving game birds from land or water. The many breeds in this group include the Spaniels, Retrievers, Pointers and Setters.

Hound Dogs – Hound dogs were bred to hunt for prey through either sight or scent.  The various breeds of hounds includes beagles, dachshunds, greyhounds and bassets among others.

Working Dogs – These breeds of dogs were bred to help people out by guarding property, pulling a cart and even performing search and rescue services. The working group includes such breeds as Doberman Pinschers, Boxers, Akitas and St. Bernard dogs.

Terrier Dogs-Terriers were bred to be specialists in eliminating vermin from farms. There are many terrier breeds, including Scottish terriers, Airedales and the Jack Russell terrier, just to mention a few.

Toy Breeds – These little dogs were bred to serve as household companions. In addition to many other little breeds, the Toy group includes dogs like Poodles, Pomeranians, Maltese, and Pugs.

Non-Sporting Dogs – In the non-sporting group there is a pretty diverse group of breeds, that mainly have become companion dogs, and includes dogs like Standard Poodles, Chows, Dalmatians and Bulldogs.

Herding Dogs – This category is made up of breeds specializing in helping herdsmen control their livestock, and includes dogs such as the German shepherd dog, Collies, Australian Sheepdogs, Old English Sheepdogs, and more.

Depending on the breed of dog you have, after you have thoroughly trained your dog you can enter him in a dog show in the proper category. Check in with a local kennel club to learn more about upcoming dog show competitions, and see what you would need to do to prepare your pet for the show. A Kennel Club is a great place to meet other dog enthusiasts and also for enrolling in a dog obedience training class.

For example, if your dog is a working dog, you can talk with an owner who also has a dog in the same group as your dog, and find out what you’ll need to learn to prepare your dog for the competition. By watching and learning from a more experienced dog handler, familiar with dog show competitions, you will quickly learn the right way to perform the show dog training your dog needs to compete.

Unless you have already obedience trained your dog, you can’t get involved in a dog show. If your dog has not yet been very thoroughly obedience trained, you will need to take the time to do a great job of that first.

Learn how to obedience train your dog at home to be his best. Please click here to read my full review of the very best on-line dog training program.