Conformation



Conformation Events, or Dog Shows, are competitive events for purebreds where a judge evaluates a dog’s structure as it compares to a written description of the perfect specimen of that breed, called a standard. While it may appear that dogs are being judged against one another, each dog is actually being compared to the judge’s mental image of the perfect dog of that breed.



The judges must be familiar with not only the standards of the breeds they judge, but with the Conformation rules and regulations as well. Each dog is examined by the judge in a posed position and must also gait in a pattern to allow the judge to evaluate its efficiency of movement. Dog shows may be held for one breed, several breeds or all breeds, depending on the experience of the club in managing such events.



Additional Links

• How do I find a UKC Event?
• How do I enter a UKC Dog Show?
• Learn more about the UKC Dog Events Department.
• How to get started in showing dogs
  
  
• Where do I find the latest standings and rules for Conformation?
• Conformation Rules
• Conformation Judges
• Conformation Clubs

Recent News At UKC 08/26/2008: Don McVay Sr. Memorial Event Beaglers from all parts of the country were in attendance in support of the McVay Family and the Annual Don McVay Sr. Memorial Hunt and Show held last weekend at Shumacker Farms in Coshocton, Ohio . The area had not seen rain in quite some time which made for...   Read more here. 08/25/2008: Wayne Cavanaugh: Improving Ring Procedure 08/21/2008: 2008 Coonhound Rule Change Proposals 08/18/2008: National Toy Fox Terrier Association Candids 08/12/2008: 4th Annual NC State Water Race Championship Event Results 08/05/2008: Dog Events Judge Updates 08/03/2008: 2008 UKC Plott Days - Saturday Results 08/02/2008: 2008 UKC Plott Days Saturday Events 08/02/2008: 2008 UKC Plott Days - Friday Nite Hunt   News Archive.

This Weekend At UKC The 49th Autumn Oaks event takes place this weekend, Thursday, August 28 to Sunday, August 30! Coonhounds from near and far will gather in Richmond, Indiana to compete in one of the year's largest hunts and shows. The Autumn Oaks nite hunt is the second leg in the prestigious UKC Triple Crown presented by Black Gold. This year marks the grand debut of the two-ring, two-day bench show - the largest coonhund bench show in the world! With camping, great food, and live entertainment on Friday and Saturday, this is truly "The Event Where History Is Made". Find an event in your area.

Parson Russell Terrier The Parson Russell Terrier was named for the Reverend John Russell, a 19th century parson with a passion for hunting who developed a well-known strain of Fox Terriers. By the end of the 19th century, the show Fox Terriers, had diverged so far from their ancestral type that Reverend Russell's old-style Fox Terriers were referred to as a separate breed-the Parson Russell Terrier. Because the proponents of this breed were so determined to maintain the breed's hunting capability, they opposed recognition by all-breed kennel clubs for many years, on the theory that such recognition would lead to degradation of the breed. The Parson Russell Terrier today is virtually unchanged from its origins, and breeders are striving to keep it that way.

Read more about UKC's many dog breeds here.