Hi all! It's come up in conversation a couple of times... "why bother showing in conformation? I just want my dog for (insert one or all) dock diving, nosework, police work, guarding, etc etc"

Conformation is not just about running around the ring. The judge is comparing your dog to his/her idea of the "perfect" standard for your breed. But, more importantly, especially for young dogs, where else can you get all the distraction, the different dog breeds, the chance to get the opinion of someone else about your ideas of your breeding program and it's direction? I LOVE conformation shows for my young dogs. All they have to be able to do is walk nicely (and trot) on leash, have a perfect stranger come up and pet, stroke and look at them, Have their teeth and testicles touched, and stand quietly while other dogs are going through the same thing. Doesn't really matter to me if we win, it's the doing.... Basically all of our dogs are shown in conformation, because of that. It's not about the ribbons, or the title, it's the experiences! So, next time you think about training your dog, consider stepping into the ring at a local U.K.C. show. It will be good for both of you, and hey, you may get a ribbon!!!