The 2014 National Dog Show
Presented by Purina on Thanksgiving Day 12 p.m. on NBC
Follow live coverage on Twitter @Purina
#NDS #BetterWithPets #TheDogShow
The Competition
Round 1 - All dogs from each breed compete for Best of Breed.
Examples: Irish Setter, Bulldog, Golden Retriever, Poodle, Great Dane
Round 2 - The Best of Breed winning dogs compete against all of the other breeds
within their group.
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Groups: Herding, Terrier, Toy, Hound, Sporting, Non-Sporting, Working
Round 3 - The 7 Group winning dogs compete for Best In Show.
History
Dog Shows:
The first dog shows were small events held in English
pubs in the 1800s. At the first official dog show, the
winners were given guns instead of trophies.
The American Kennel Club:
Founded in 1884, the AKC is the largest purebred dog
registry in the world, and is the only non-profit registry.
“In a sense, a dog is an
extension of you. I think
they’re character builders.
You can reach great
potential with a dog anybody can do it.”
Location:
Philadelphia has been at the forefront of the purebred
dog world since 1876.
The Seven Groups
For more information on the breeds,
visit: purina.com/dogbreeds
– Bob West,
Director, Breeder Enthusiast Group
Past Winners Include: American Fox Hound (2013), Wire Fox Terrier (2012),
Wire Fox Terrier (2011), Irish Setter (2010), Scottish Terrier (2009)
The Judging
As the judges evaluate each dog, they ask themselves:
Is this dog able to perform the job the breed was originally bred to do?
Does this dog have all of the physical characteristics typical of their breed?
How fit is the dog? Do they have the correct gait?
Lastly, the judges study the expression on the dog’s face and general demeanor.
Judges look for happy dogs that enjoy competing in the show.
Note: The best dog handlers should appear invisible, giving all attention to the dog.
Hound Group
Non-Sporting Group
Most of these breeds were developed
to hunt somewhat independently for
their humans, who usually followed
on foot or on horseback.
The Non-Sporting Group is literally
every breed that isn’t classified as part
of one of the other groups.
Examples: Greyhound (pictured),
Whippet, Bloodhound, Dachshund
Examples: French Bulldog (pictured),
Poodle, Dalmatian, Bichon Frise
purina.com/nonsporting
purina.com/hound
Toy Group
Herding Group
Working Group
Toy dogs are bred for one duty: to be
companions to their humans. Many
have been bred down from and still
resemble their larger cousins.
Herding is a natural instinct of dogs
in this group. Their traditional job
has been to gather and move
livestock from one place to another.
The Working group includes working
farm dogs, police and military dogs,
and guide & service dogs.
Examples: Pomeranian (pictured), Pug,
Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Maltese, Papillon
Examples: Border Collie (pictured),
Puli, German Shepherd
purina.com/toy
purina.com/herding
Terrier
Sporting Group
Terriers are feisty, energetic dogs.
Generally, all breeds of terriers are very
good at hunting for low-lying animals
like rats, badgers, and otters.
The invention of the gun led to the
development of the sporting or gun
dogs, to aid in hunting by performing
at the direction of the hunter.
Examples: Norfolk Terrier (pictured),
White Bull Terrier, Russell Terrier
Examples: Irish Setter (pictured),
Vizsla, Golden Retriever, Pointer
purina.com/terrier
purina.com/sporting
Examples: Alaskan Malamute (pictured),
Boxer, Rottweiler, Masti , Great Dane
purina.com/working
What do they eat?
Last year, 6 of the 7 group winners - including
Best In Show - were Purina® Pro Plan®-fed dogs.