An Insider’s Guide to the American Kennel Club Championship Dog Show

She was teeny-tiny. All four paws fit in the palm of my hand – and I was only nine years old.

I thought my dad was joking when he said we could take her home. She was a motley mix of Llhasa Apso and Pekinese…in our minds, the very best of both breeds – but what did we know about breeding? (spoiler alert – nothing) We named her Patch for the patches of bright white bubbles and dark black spots that tic-tac-toed across her back and ears.

She was my very first case of puppy love, but far from my last. I’ve talked before about the moment our family heart was stolen by sweet Shortstop….he’s still running the family today.

Despite my love of dogs (and my children’s), we are amateurs when it comes to the true sport of showing dogs.

Or at least I was until my recent trip to the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) National Championship Presented by Royal Canin in Mid-December. I was fascinated to learn the owner’s, breeder’s and handler’s commitment, to not only their animals, but to the presentation, understanding and dignity of each showcase, so I wanted to share a bit with you.

If you would like to see the highlights and the ultimate Best in Show from the AKC’s Championship Dog Show in Orlando, Florida – tune in to Animal Planet this New Year’s Day at 7 p.m. ET, with an encore airing at 11 p.m. ET.

The AKC Dog Championship Show is hosted by the ever-charming, ever-entertaining, ever-dog-loving Jerry O’Connell with commentary by favorites Sam Ryan and Megan Leavey (who you may know from this Summer’s movie named for her story: Megan Leavey).

As someone who could claim no prior knowledge of specialized breeds (nearly 200!), how the competition takes place, or the must-see moments, I wanted to happily share my thoughts and excitement.

Insider’s Guide to the American Kennel Dog Show

Best in Show competitions are one portion of the entire experience. (I explain in detail below).

Dock Diving is  pure happy, wet-dog joy. The agility, speed and precision is amazing to witness.

Agility Courses…trust me when I tell you, there is both a talent and an art form that comes with showing a dog (so says the girl who *almost* fell while attempting)…but DIDN’T.

Demonstrations showcasing the brilliance of these trained animals including one lead by Megan Leavey that highlighted the specialized scent training for dogs used to track in emergency situations and those who have a nose for bombs and drugs. It was truly extraordinary to watch. The brilliance of the tracker and the relationship that exists between dog and handler is fascinating.

Meet the Breed is MAGIC. Nearly 200 breeds are represented. You can walk booth to booth getting to know the four-legged furry bits of happy that could be the next addition to your home. From the big to the small, the soft and cuddly to the wiry, from the hard workers to the ones destined to curl up and cuddle. I was amazed at the number of breeds I did not previously know. I was, quite simply, in puppy heaven. (Go ahead – guess my favorite!)

Royal Canin, as the main sponsor of the show, shares their mission to unlock the magnificence of each dog through health and nutrition, as well as strengthening the bond between pet and owner. They offer education for owners and breeders, an opportunity to have a signature photo taken with your favorite animal, as well as an explanation of their specialized foods for individual breeds. Each and every Royal Canin employee is, not only, highly educated about their products and the specialized ways they can keep your dog healthy, but they love their work. It is a joy to witness.

I was so interested to learn about the individual formulas and how they work to keep your puppies (and mine!) in top shape. Each is made not only with that breed’s nutrition in mind, but their age (there are different formulas specifically for puppies versus adult dogs) and their ability to bite and process a shape and size of kibble. There are more than 200 formulas!

The AKC Dog Show is in its 17th year. There were nearly 200 breeds represented with more than five-thousand dogs competing in 7 overall categories.

There is only one winner. And that winner gets $50,000!

The Road to Best in Show

I had such an extraordinary time taking it all in and learning about this process. Here’s the breakdown: each breed competes against dogs within its specific breed based on age and gender. Imagine ALL Golden Retrievers being broken down into groups based on their age and whether or not they are male or female. They compete in categories until there is one Golden remaining.

In this case – meet Bree. She was this year’s Golden Retriever Champion. Bree, like the other dogs in her breed, is judged based on how well she fits the very best representation of what THAT breed has to offer.

Bree, like all other winners, goes on to compete in one of seven groups:

• Toy Group – these are dogs that fit in the lap of their owners like Pomeranians , Pugs, Maltese and Yorkshire Terriers.

• Herding Group – as their name suggests, these breeds work with humans frequently to herd: German Shepherd, Collie, and Old English Sheepdog.
• Working Dog Group – these four-legged friends are the working kind. They pull sleds, protect their humans and and do rescue work. The Bernese Mountain Dog, Samoyed, Rottweiler and Siberian Husky all fall in to this group.

• Hound – this tough group goes after warm-blooded animals like jackrabbits and raccoons. They are scent-hounds known for speed: Beagles, Greyhounds and the small, but mighty Dachshunds.

• Terrier – this short-legged group was bred to head ‘underground’ after prey. They were, for a time, used for fighting, but today are mainly companions: West Highland Terrier, Scottish Terrier and Miniature Schnauzer.

• Sporting – these are the dogs that ultimately hunt. If they would pick up a bird, they fit in this group: Irish Setters, Cocker Spaniels and Golden Retrievers (like Bree)

• Non-Sporting Dog Group – these dogs, while having four legs and a wet-nose, are those that fall outside of the previous categories: Dalmatians, Standard Poodles, Bulldogs, American Eskimo and (one of my favorites) the Bichon Frise.

The breed chosen to represent each group is the best-of-the-best of their breed. This means, judges (typically one for each competition) are not deciding if the Dalmatian is more pretty, spunky or obedient than the Bulldog or Poodle, but rather is THAT winning Dalmatian the best version of its breed? Would you give it a 8 of 10, while giving THAT Bulldog a 7 of 10? If so, the Dalmatian wins – even if you ‘like’ Bulldogs better.

So, the final night – the true Best in Show came down to these seven breeds – one representing each group.

And then a winner is crowned.

Dying to know who it is…easy….

Reminder: Tune in to Animal Planet this New Year’s Day at 7 p.m. ET, with an encore airing at 11 p.m. ET. 

To learn more about Royal Canin, you can connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Disclosure: A million thanks to Royal Canin for hosting me for the American Kennel Club Championship Dog Show. I will happily be cuddled up on New Year’s Day watching it all unfold with my family (and Shortstop!). As always, all thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.