BEST WORLD NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DOG SHOWS
A dog show is not only an event of canine organisations aimed to rescue stray animals or promote their products, it’s a sports competition for participants and a festive holiday for spectators. For many people across the globe it’s even more – an anticipated dream. The largest national and international dog shows help to improve dog breeding, to save many animals and to find new like-minded friends.
This article covers the most prestigious and far-famed dog shows held in America, United Kingdom and other parts of the world.
The National Dog Show
The National Dog Show it is a large nationally televised American fashion show arranged since 2002 by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia. Normally it takes place each year in November which makes the show an unusual Thanksgiving tradition. The list of sanctioned breeds allowed to participate consists of over 150 breeds. The National Dog Show includes seven categories of canines: the Terrier Group, the Toy Group, the Working Group, the Hound Group, the Sporting Group, the Non-Sporting Group and the Herding Group. Four-legged participants are invited not only to demonstrate their stylish outfits but also their sense of discipline and character.
Full list of breeds at the 2019 National Dog Show
AKC (Eukanuba) National Championship
One of the most prestigious dog’s shows in North America, AKC National Championship presented by the brand of Royal Canine unites purebred participants from around the globe competing for the biggest monetary prize in the world of dog sports. The show has a number of categories to compete in such as dock diving, agility, Best In Show and others. The event is always pretty much anticipated by dog lovers in America. Onlookers may see amazing details that make purebreds extraordinary. The show takes place in Orlando, Florida, but it is also streamed online.
Check next AKC events here.
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Another big American show that involves all breeds of canines. Hosted since 1877, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show featured 204 breeds with 2,630 entries this year – old favorites and new breeds joined the event. Siba the Standard show Poodle became the winner in February 2020.
The most successful group to win Westminster is a Smooth Fox Terrier while the least successful (being comparatively young, created in 1983) is the Herding Group widely represented by Shepherd Dogs.
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is always held in New York, the city with a rich history that makes everything bigger. It’s truly one of the oldest and most prestigious dog’s shows in the world. However, it’s more about glory, not money, as the monetary award is not high.
Check 2020 Best in Show winner of Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
The Euro Dog Show
The European dog show changes countries every year. In 2020 it’s going to be held in Slovenia in October. The chosen organizer is Slovene Kennel Club. Many spectators plan to visit the show. Last year it was organized in Wels, Austria.
The Euro Dog Show accepts only purebred canines for participation and includes three types of shows: all-breed ones, specialty shows and group shows. Winners of the Euro Dog Show are awarded with prestigious certificates.
The first country that accepted the show was Belgium. It happened in far 1847. Strangely enough, but only one breed was participating – the pointer. And only three judges were invited to choose the best doggie. Back then, the event had many hunters among participants. Today the format of the show is pretty much different.
More info on official site ourdogsinternational.com
The Crufts Dog Show
The Crufts Dog Show always takes place in Birmingham (UK) and unites about 27 thousand of differently shaped and sized dogs. Crufts was originally founded for terriers by a dog biscuit trader Charles Cruft. For the first time, the event was held in 1891 under the name “First Great Terrier Show”. It was renamed after its creator five years later. On the same year it allowed all other breeds to join the competition.
Many famous figures did participate in the Crufts Dog Show. For example, Queen Victoria’s collie Darnley the Second and two of her Pomeranians managed to become the winners in 1891. The monetary prize of the show is conditional. The best doggies are awarded with the solid silver Keddall Memorial Trophy and 100 pounds in cash. However, winners get other promising opportunities offered by sponsors.
More info on official site.
World Dog Show
The largest annual dog show held each time in a new member country included into the World Canine Organization (FCI). The competition reveals “the Best Dog of the World”! The program of the show normally takes 4-6 days.
The event was irregularly held in various European countries – in the 30s, 50s, 70s of the XX century. It was cancelled or postponed due to political, quarantine or transport restrictions. Usually the World Dog Show is arranged in summer. Each country accepting the show adds some national attributes. The number of participants may be limited to a four-digit number or be as high as dozens of thousands. This way or another, it’s bright spectacular show that involves doggies from different corners of the world. In diversity of breeds even Crufts and Westminster cannot compare to the World Dog Show. Every participant that wins in its category gets the title of “the World Champion”.
Check the results of World Dog Show 2019.
This year the show will take place in Madrid in December.
The National Dog Show of the UK
Organized by the Birmingham Dog Show Society in 1859, this show is trying to keep abreast with the times and become more than just a sports show featuring dogs. Popularity of the event made the organizing committee give it an annual status. Today it still maintains very high standards – big rings, great layout and good facilities. Due to Covid-19 the UK National Dog Show scheduled for May 2020 was cancelled, but the society hopes to rearrange it till the end of the year.
More info at www.thenationaldogshow.org.uk
Puppy Bowl
Oh, this one is the most adorable of all. It lasts only a couple of hours and involves up to a hundred of puppies from animal shelters and rescue organizations from 25 American states. This cute cultural event aired on Animal Planet unites many Americans and proves the greatness of the USA.
You may even dislike to watch football in general, but when played but puppies it is always heart-melting. Since it was held for the first time, the Puppy Bowl has grown significantly both in the number of participants and viewership. It has many sponsors and scores huge for Animal Planet’s ratings. It started like “what if”, but today it’s a solid TV franchise that keeps growing only bigger.
See it Animal Planet.
