Puppy Performance: A guide to dog shows & competition

SHOW PUPPY

Dogs and humans are more alike than you think, especially when it comes to competition. Take the first Sunday in February for example. The country as a whole, it seems, gathers to watch a singular sporting event while those in the pet sphere gear up for a similar but slightly different event.

The four-legged version of the big game showcases a variety of puppies, kittens, and dogs “competing” to be your home’s next pet. In the 17 years of this tradition, 100% of the animals were adopted; everyone wins! The goal of this event each year is to spread awareness of local shelters and help find homes for these animals. This is a little different from your traditional dog show or competition but is a great taste of the world of competition for canines.


Hundreds of shows and competitions are held each year. Among the most well known are the American Kennel Club/Eukanuba National Championship, the Westminster Kennel Club Annual Dog Show, and the National Dog Show. Each of these focus on a variety of events, breeds, and categories of competition to help determine this year’s Best in Show.

Dogs can typically compete in one of the following categories:

GIRL TEACHING DOG TRICKS
  • Sporting Group
  • Hound Group
  • Working Group
  • Terrier Group
  • Toy Group
  • Non-Sporting Group
  • Herding Group

Judging of these categories falls into these three domains: appearance, movement, and temperament. The movement piece is the portion of the event spectators enjoy most. This is the segment that includes agility courses, speed competitions, mental tests, and more, depending on the show or competition.


Dogs and their handlers train endlessly leading up to each show and competition. To promote top performance and recovery, WINPRO Training is a competitor’s perfect product. It contains a blend of clinically proven animal blood proteins and other key ingredients to help your dog perform at their best and potentially Best in Show.

DOG CHEWING
WINPRO T

WINPRO TRAINING contains a blend of clinically proven animal blood proteins and other key ingredients to help your dog perform at their best. This product is specifically formulated to help your dog “bounce back” quickly from strenuous activity such as work, play or competition. Great for dogs of all ages.

  • Supports normal exercise and recovery
  • Helps dogs bounce back from hunts and events
  • Helps dogs recover normally 
  • Created specially for dogs
  • Produced in the USA

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