Many of our club members are active in showing their dogs in numerous disciplines.
Conformation
The purpose of a conformation show is to judge a dog against the breed standard. The dog that most closely conforms to the breed standard should be selected as the winner at these shows. To show in conformation, a dog or bitch must be intact.
For more information:
Find conformation shows near you by using the AKC Event Search
Superintendents of most local shows:
- Jack Onofrio Dog Shows; www.onofrio.com
- Roy Jones Dog Shows; www.royjonesdogshows.com
Want to show in Canada? Check out the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC); www.ckc.ca/en
Interested in European Style shows without travelling too far? Look no further than the International All Breed Canine Association (IABCA); www.iabca.com
Rally/Obedience
Take “sit” and “stay” to a whole new level! These shows are for demonstrating a handler’s ability to work with their dog to perform a number of predefined tasks judged by accuracy. If you haven’t tried these types of shows before, Rally may be the easiest to start with.
For more information:
Find rally or obedience shows near you by using the AKC Event Search (select the “Obedience” or “AKC Rally” checkboxes)
Superintendents of most local shows:
- Cindy O’Hare – Dog Shows by Design; www.dogshowsbydesign.com
- Jack Onofrio Dog Shows; www.onofrio.com
- Roy Jones Dog Shows; www.royjonesdogshows.com
Agility
In these shows, handlers direct their dogs through an obstacle course where they are judged on speed and accuracy. Get ready to run!
For more information:
- AKC Agility
- Agility Magazine: Clean Run; www.cleanrun.com
Find agility shows near you by visiting these sites:
- AKC Event Search (select the “Agility” checkbox)
- United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA); www.usdaa.com
- North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC); www.nadac.com
- Canine Performance Events (CPE); www.k9cpe.com
- UK Agility International (UKI); www.ukagilityinternational.com
Herding
Many Standard Schnauzers have the herding instinct since they were originally bred to be general purpose farm dogs whose duties often included herding among other things. Herding is essentially moving livestock around under direction of a person.
- American Herding Breed Association (AHBA); www.ahba-herding.org
- AKC Event Search (Select “Herding Tests and Trials” in the “Competition Type” drop down)
- Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA); www.asca.org/events
Nose Work
The nose knows. In this growing sport, dogs use their noses to locate certain scents.
- National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW); www.nacsw.net
Barn Hunt
This is another growing sport where dogs use their nose to find rats that are enclosed in PVC tubes with holes drilled in them so the rats don’t get hurt.
- Barn Hunt Association; www.barnhunt.com