Getting Ready For The Show

After you have purchased your first dog you will wish to register it. You should have received from the seller either a registration certificate needing only to be transferred to your name or a registration application, both forms requiring the seller's signature. If you received a registration certificate, the dog will have already been named and will have a registration number, and all you need do is to sign the transfer of ownership on the back and send it to the American Kennel Club with the proper transfer fee, $1.00 if done within thirty days or $2.00 if done later.

If you received an application for registration of dog of registered litter, you should check it to see that all the information needed is filled in, particularly the litter registration number and after filling in the first and second choice of name of dog sign it on the back and send it to the American Kennel Club with the registration fee. The fee at present is $2.00 if the dog is less than eighteen months of age; $4.00 if the dog is eighteen months of age or over. Bear in mind that once a dog has been registered, his name can never be changed. Of course you may give him any call name you wish, but the registered name remains the same.

Since this book is primarily on showing your dog, and since the American Kennel Club rules applying to registrations are given in full in the Appendix, we will not go any further into the how's and why's of registration except to say that you can show an unregistered dog three times by checking the box on the entry blank so marked and paying a listing fee of 25 cents. In very special cases, upon request to the American Kennel Club, you may continue to show a dog as listed an unlimited number of times.

We have been leading up to getting your dog entered at a dog show. Included here is a facsimile of an entry blank. Across the top of the blank will appear the name of the club holding the show, the date of the show, and the place where the show will be held. Also on top of the blank appears the entry fee, which is usually $5.00, the person to whom the check should be made payable, where to send the entry with fee, and the closing date and hour before which the entry must be in the hands of the person so noted on the blank.

All the information asked for on the entry blank must be given. You should have no difficulty filling it out if you read the instructions carefully.

Breed. Write in the name of the breed you are going to show.

Variety. If you are going to show a breed divided by varieties you would write the breed, such as Dachshund or Beagle, under Breed, and under Variety you would write smooth, wire, or long-haired for the Dachshund or under 13" or 13" to 15" for the Beagle. If your breed is not divided by varieties, you leave the space blank.

Official American Kennel Club Entry Form

Dog Show Class. Under Dog Show Class you write in the name of one of the five regular classes (or Specials Only if you own a Champion) in which you wish to show the dog.

Obedience Trial Class. If you are not entering your dog for Obedience, you leave the space blank. If you are entering your dog for Obedience only, you leave Dog Show Class blank and write in under Obedience Trial Class the class in which you wish your dog entered. If your dog is to be entered in both Obedience and the Dog Show, you write in the names of the classes in both spaces.

Additional Classes. This space is filled in only if you wish to show the dog in more than one class. If so, in this space write in the name of the Additional Class. You may enter in two or more of the regular classes or in one regular class and one non-regular class, provided your dog is eligible for entry in those classes.

Name of Owner. The Name of Owner must be written exactly as it appears on the registration certificate, and if there is more than one owner, both names or all names must appear.

Name of Dog. The Name of Dog must be written exactly as it is on the registration certificate. If there is an apostrophe in the dog's name, be sure it is in the right place.

A.K.C. Registered Number. Written as it appears on the registration certificate.

Date of Birth. Written as it appears on the registration certificate.

Check If Not Registered. Only check the box if your dog is not registered and then remember to include in your entry fee the 25 cents' extra charge for listing fee and also write in the figure 25 cents on the top of the blank after, "enclose $   for entry fees."

Breeder. The name of the breeder is written exactly as it appears on the registration certificate. If the certificate states the breeder was Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Jones, do not write Elmer and Mary Jones.

Sire. Dam. Write the names of sire and dam exactly as they appear on the registration certificate. The only change that may be made in filling out this information is if you are positive that the sire or dam of the dog has completed his or her championship and received official notice of it, you may write the letters "CH." before the name of the sire, if he is the new Champion, or the dam if she is the new Champion.

Information at Bottom of Blank. Print the Owner's Name and Owner's Address, making sure the Owner's Name is exactly as it appears on the registration certificate. Disregard entirely the line reading Licensed Handler's Name and Number, unless you are having an A.K.C. licensed handler show the dog for you. If so, write in his name and number. The person making out the entry blank signs his or her name on the very bottom line. This person need not be the owner but the owner is responsible for any mistakes made on the entry blank by his or her agent. Any fines imposed for wrong entry of a dog (usually $1.00) are payable by the owner regardless of who made out the entry.
There, now, the entry blank is made out. Just be sure it gets to its destination on or before the closing hour.

Perhaps you are wondering why all this information must be sent in and why it is so important that there be no mistakes. The most important reason is that the American Kennel Club will go by this information in compiling its show records and the show catalogue goes on file in its office for future use. At a show, if I want to know what dog you are showing, I need only look at the number you will be wearing, which corresponds to the number listed in the show catalogue for your dog, to find out all about him. If you are showing a good dog, everyone will want to know who bred him, who his sire is, his dam, and how old he is. Also all the exhibitors and breeders will use the show catalogue for their records. Years after you have stopped showing the dog fanciers will refer to the catalogue to find out all about him. They want correct information!

The most logical question now is, "Where do I get these entry blanks?" There are only three or four places where entry blanks may be secured: The American Kennel Club office; the show superintendent's office (or by mail from him when you are on his mailing list); the office of the show-giving club (if it has one); or from a member of the show-giving club who might be trying to get entries for the show. Occasionally a show superintendent will have entry blanks for a show other than one he is going to superintend, but this is unusual. Dog-show superintendents usually have a supply of entry blanks for future shows at their office on the dog-show grounds.

The entry blank is attached to what is called a premium list. The premium list tells you everything about the show: the name of the club giving the show; the officers of the club; the location of the show; the names and addresses of the judges who are officiating in each breed; the prizes offered; the classes; the entry fee; and it also includes the entry blank for that show. The premium list is actually what you would ask for when you want an entry blank for a particular show.

Now you will be asking, "How do you know when or where a show will be held ?" In each issue of Pure Bred DOGS—American Kennel Gazette, and in almost every other dog magazine, you will find a list of coming shows with the name of the show secretary and the show superintendent, and from them you may secure premium lists with entry blanks attached. At almost every dog show the superintendent can tell you about his future shows and supply you with the premium list. Another way to know when and where the shows are to be held is to be active in the dog game; join a dog club!

A lovely photograph of a lovely animal. She is "Champion Silvermine Swift," one of three champions in a litter, bred, owned and shown to their championships by the author.

I would advise everyone interested in dogs to join at least one club. There are the specialty clubs, interested in just your one breed, or the all-breed clubs, interested in all breeds of dogs. You will hear from the other members about the activities going on all about you. Many of these clubs hold sanctioned matches, the practice shows I mentioned earlier, and frequently at these matches announcements are made over a public-address system giving you the location and dates of other matches and shows coming up soon in the nearby area. At these matches you will find young stock from good kennels getting a little preliminary training, as well as novice dogs and owners trying out their "sea legs." You will enjoy these matches and get lots of help; the judge will take time to tell you just what to do, and other exhibitors will be glad to give you a few pointers.

Whether you join a specialty club or an all-breed club, (if possible, join both), if you have the time to spare offer your services on one of the committees. Ask to be placed on a committee where you think you will be of some help. Some of the committees are:

Publicity. This might involve typing some press releases for newspapers or magazines regarding the club's activities.

Advertising. This might mean that you would solicit advertisements from local merchants and kennels for the show catalogue.

Trophy Committee. Here you might write a few letters soliciting trophies either for your own particular breed or for the entire show.

Hospitality. If you are a good handshaker and like to meet people, any club would appreciate your help in this direction. Or because many clubs hold an informal buffet supper the night before their annual show, you might be asked to prepare and/or donate some food toward the event.

Grounds Committee. Most clubs must "borrow" a location for their show, and after the big event is over, someone must see that these grounds are left in good condition so that the club may "borrow" them again next year. A husky man with a rake is a welcome man the day after a show! Or on this committee you might be asked to help direct traffic on the grounds the day of the show.

Working on any committee will help you to get to know your fellow members and for them to get to know you, and it will also help to acquaint you with the problems of running a show. You will not be a novice in the dog game for long after working on any committee for any club.

Getting back to the premium lists. The best way for you to receive them regularly is to give your name and address to the dog-show superintendents in your section of the country. Tell them you would like your name put on their mailing list. Here is a list of the superintendents licensed in 1955 (licensed annually) :

Behrendt, Mrs. Bernice, 2328 Fillmore Street, San Francisco 15, California.

Bow Dog Show Organization, 4461 West Jefferson Avenue, Detroit 9, Michigan. (A. Wilson Bow and Helen Seder.) Bradshaw, Mrs. Jack, 1412 West Twelfth Street, Los Angeles 15, California. Bradshaw, Jack, Jr., 1412 West Twelfth Street, Los Angeles 15, California.

Foley Dog Show Organization, Inc., 2009 Ranstead Street, Philadelphia 3, Pennsylvania. (George F. Foley, Howard H. Foley, Melchior H. Horn, Jr., Joseph H. Spring, Fenwick Horn, and James E. Mulvey.)

Gugerli Dog Shows, 507 South Jackson Street, Auburn, Indiana. (Marion O. Webb.)

Kalloch, Hudson, Hyannis, Massachusetts.

Kalloch, Mrs. Alenia L., Hyannis, Massachusetts.

Loest, Albert, 2210 East Eighty-Fifth Street, Kansas City 5, Missouri.

Maring, Mrs. Helen D., 2650 South West Custer Street, Portland, Oregon.

Moss Dog Shows (Edgar A. Moss, P. O. Box 2972, Greensboro, North Carolina.)

Rosemont, 2nd, Miss Helen, 20 Sycamore Street, San Francisco 10, California.

Some superintendents have more than one mailing list: one list would send premium lists to you for shows in the state in which you live; another list for shows in the surrounding states; and still another list for shows held anywhere in the country that the superintendent had a show. Remember, the American Kennel Club does not mail out premium lists. To get one from them you would have to pick it up at their office in New York. The officers of a show-giving club have only premium lists for their own shows.

The Toy Poodle, "Champion Cartlane Once" shown to her championship before she was one year old by her amateur breeder-owner Mrs. Miriam Hall of Pound Ridge, N. Y.

When you get your premium list, read it through from beginning to end. The first page will tell you where the show will be held, the date, which superintendent. It may also tell you that there is another show being held the day before or the day after this one. You may want to go to both, as they are usually within comfortable driving distance of each other. The premium list tells you the closing date on which your entries must be in the hands of the superintendent or show secretary—this is usually thirteen days before the show. Through the pages of the premium list you will find the following information: the officers of the club, the names of people on committees, the judges' names and addresses and which breeds they are going to judge, the cash prizes and trophies offered in each breed, the name of the veterinarian in charge, the nearest available hotels and motels.

Under the title of "Notice to Exhibitors" you will find such interesting and necessary information as: the time the show starts, the time the judging begins, the time the dogs should arrive and the time they may leave, and any other information pertaining to this particular show.

Study the classes available in your breed. Aside from the division by height, color, or weight, there are many other changes that may occur. If you have a puppy, there may be more than one puppy class available. Instead of one class for puppies six months to twelve months old there may be two classes: one for puppies six to nine months old and one for puppies nine to twelve months old. Check the trophies offered. If your dog is eligible to compete in any one of the five regular classes, it may be that you would like to enter him in a class where there is a special trophy offered.

When you have checked the premium list thoroughly, make out the entry blank. If you have a poor handwriting, print the information, as you will want it to be correct when it appears in the show catalogue. Attach your check or money order in the proper amount to the entry blank. Follow the instructions on the top of the entry blank about where it should be mailed. Remember mail moves slower over a weekend—be sure to mail your entry in plenty of time to reach the superintendent or secretary before the closing time. Do I seem to be stressing this point ? Well, I have good reason. So many entries are returned because they do not get in on time, and the owners are always so disappointed, although it was no one's fault but their own.

Approximately one week after you mail the entry, or about one week before the show, you will receive an identification card and an admission ticket to the show. The identification card is for your dog, the admission ticket for you. Each dog entered will get an identification card, but the number of admission tickets you will receive varies, and depends on the number of dogs you enter. The number of tickets sent to you, the amount of cash prize money offered, the closing hour of a show are all decisions which are made by the show-giving club

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here….