XV. Rules applying to exhibitors and spectators.

Change to 2009 Conformation Rules effective immediately (June 2, 2009)

Rules applying to exhibitors and spectators; UKC exhibitors and spectators are expected to display good behavior and good sportsmanship in and out of the ring. Judges may excuse exhibitors from their ring for violations of these rules or conduct that interferes with the event and event participants. Event Committee members and host club officers may excuse exhibitors or spectators from the show grounds for violations of these rules or conduct that interferes with the event and event participants.

A. Complaints about the Judge’s placements. By entering in a UKC event, the exhibitor is inviting the opinion of the Judge and must accept the Judge’s decision as final. Exhibitors are encouraged to discuss placements with Judges but may not argue about the Judge’s final placements. Complaints about the Judge may only be lodged with the host club if the exhibitor believes the Judge has violated a specific UKC rule. Complaints about a Judge’s knowledge of the breed may be filed with UKC but must address specific deficiencies. Electronic audio or video recordings will not be considered by UKC when reviewing a Judge’s competency to judge a breed.

B. Interfering with the Judge. No person may interfere with the Judge in any way while he/she is judging a class.

C. Double handling. Persons outside the ring are prohibited from any intentional actions designed to affect the performance of a dog being judged in the ring. This prohibition shall apply equally to persons attempting to improve or to impair a performance. The Event Committee may expel from the show grounds any person they reasonably believe is double handling. Judges may excuse exhibitors whose dogs they reasonably believe are benefiting from “double handling.”

D. Control of the dog. Exhibitors are expected to keep their dogs under control at all times. The Event Committee may expel from the show grounds any person whose failure to control a dog interferes with judging or with the ability of other exhibitors to present their dogs.

E. Baiting in the ring. The United Kennel Club believes that dogs should be exhibited in a natural state. We believe that a dog’s temperament, tractability and conformation are best evaluated when a dog is exhibited without any aids used to change the dog’s natural behavior. Accordingly, baiting with squeakers or food is strongly discouraged. However, if a Judge determines a breed (or breeds) would be better evaluated with bait, the Judge may allow baiting for all exhibits in that breed (or breeds) at their discretion (in Conformation events ONLY). If such a determination is made by the Judge, food bait and squeakers must both be allowed; Judges may not allow one type of bait and not another. Bait of ANY kind must NEVER be tossed or thrown and must NEVER litter the ring surface. Any exhibitor found to be throwing bait or littering the ring surface with bait shall be subject to disciplinary action. The Judge will make the determination if an exhibitor is throwing bait or littering the ring surface with bait and, if it is the decision of the Judge that the exhibitor did throw bait or litter the ring surface with bait, the Judge must excuse the exhibitor and dog from the ring. The Judge shall mark the Judge’s book “Excused. Threw bait in the ring” or “Excused. Littered ring with bait.” The Judge’s decision on this matter is final.

F. Grooming. UKC encourages exhibitors to emphasize the conditioning and training of their dogs and to avoid extreme grooming practices. A dog should be sufficiently clean and well groomed to enable a Judge to properly evaluate the dog. Breeds with traditional trimming patterns may be presented in those patterns. Except as allowed by a dog’s UKC breed standard,

1. Grooming in the ring. Exhibitors are prohibited from grooming in the ring and from possession of grooming tools in the ring. Judges must excuse any exhibitor that violates this rule. The Judge’s book must be marked accordingly. The Judge’s decision on this matter is final. Exhibitors who violate this rule may also be subject to disciplinary action by the host club and UKC.

*2. Prohibited grooming practices. Prohibited grooming practices are defined in Section XXIV, paragraph F, subparagraph 3. Exhibitors found in violation of this rule may be subject to disciplinary action by the host club and UKC.

1. Construction of this rule. The prohibition against professional handlers is one of the cornerstones of UKC philosophy. Therefore, this rule is to be construed as broadly as necessary to achieve that goal. Each UKC Official Entry Form includes the following statement that must be signed by the owner/handler of each dog entered at a UKC event: “I swear that this dog is not being handled by a professional handler in conformation.” Dog owners and professional handlers who look for technical ways to circumvent this rule run a grave risk of losing their UKC privileges if caught.

2. Persons allowed to handle dogs in UKC conformation events. The following categories of handlers are allowed:


*a. Owner or co-owner. The owner or coowner of a UKC Registered dog may enter and exhibit his/her own dog in UKC events. In addition, the following immediate family members of an owner or co-owner may enter and exhibit the dog: spouse, parent, step-parent, child, stepchild, brother or sister, provided that they are not a professional handler as defined in paragraph 3 below.

b. Breeder. The breeder of a UKC Registered dog may enter and exhibit that dog in UKC events, even if the breeder is not an owner or coowner of that dog, provided that the breederhandler is not a professional handler as defined in paragraph 3 below. The following immediate family members of a breeder may also enter and exhibit that dog: spouse, parent, step-parent, child, step-child, brother or sister.

c. Designated handler. Any individual who has been given permission to do so by a registered owner or co-owner of a UKC Registered dog may enter and exhibit that dog in UKC events, provided that the designated handler is not a professional handler as defined in paragraph 3 below.

3. Professional Handler. A professional handler is a person who exhibits dogs for compensation. This category includes any person who accepts any pay, gift, or remuneration of any sort in return for exhibiting a dog.


a. Remuneration. Remuneration includes, but is not limited to:


i. Payment for exhibiting a dog in a UKC licensed event;

ii. Reimbursement for lodging, mileage, travel, meals, other travel expenses, or any other expenses incurred at or traveling to or from a UKC licensed event.

iii. Payment of entry fees by another exhibitor for dogs owned by the professional handler in return for handling services.

b. Factors that may be considered in determining whether a handler is a professional. An individual may be a professional handler regardless of whether or not handling dogs is his/her primary source of income. Among the factors that may be considered in determining whether a handler is a professional handler are:


i. Business cards indicating that the person in question is a professional handler;

ii. Advertising professional handling services on a vehicle, in a publication, or in any other dog-related venue;

iii. Offering professional handling services through a training facility;

iv. Acting as a professional handler at events offered by other organizations;

v. Exhibiting multiple dogs, particularly those that the handler neither owns nor co-owns;

vi. Exhibiting multiple breeds of dogs, particularly those that the handler neither owns nor co-owns.