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Success in the conformation ring doesn’t begin when the judge points to your dog—it begins long before you step through the gate. The most polished exhibitors understand that the few minutes before entering the ring can make the difference between a dog that performs with confidence and one that appears

Every weekend, dog shows across the country come to life because of one thing that often goes unnoticed: volunteers. While exhibitors, judges, and spectators enjoy the event, countless club members have spent months planning, organizing, and solving problems behind the scenes. Without them, there simply wouldn’t be a dog show.

The First-Time Exhibitor Experience: Are We Welcoming or Intimidating? By Kathy Musto Every experienced exhibitor remembers that first dog show.  The excitement. The nerves. The uncertainty of where to park, where to groom, when to go to the ring, and whether they were about to embarrass themselves in front of

Where Did All the People Go? By Kathy Musto  Walk into a dog show today and one thing is immediately noticeable—there are fewer spectators than there once were. Years ago, families wandered the aisles, children stopped to pet dogs, and curious visitors asked breeders endless questions. Today, many shows are

Preserving Our Legacy: Why Breeders Must Invest in the Next Generation By Kathy Musto Every successful breeding program represents years—often decades—of thoughtful planning, careful selection, and unwavering dedication. The quality, consistency, and reputation of a kennel are not built overnight. Yet without the next generation of breeders, even the finest

By Karen Osper The Posh Paw/The Perfect Paw One of the most common things professional groomers hear today is:“My dog has anxiety.”“He hates grooming.”“She just can’t handle being groomed.”And while true anxiety absolutely exists in some dogs, there’s also a growing misconceptionhappening within pet ownership and the grooming industry:Many dogs

by Andy Vance for American Dog Fancier My coworker Jon carries a coffee mug that says, “Nobody cares. Work harder.” That call tostop making excuses reminds me of some advice I offer to my fellow conformationcompetitors… especially my fellow owner-handlers.Dog shows are about evaluating breeding stock, period, end of story.

by Andy Vance for American Dog Fancier A few years after our family got heavily involved in conformation shows, we realized that weneeded to join our local specialty and all-breed clubs… and more importantly, we needed tovolunteer and contribute to what my mentor calls, “The Good of the Order.”No members,

By Kathy Musto I was thinking to myself, how hard is it to be nice? What are some nice things we can do for each other? Well, I think it can be simple! So here is my challenge to all of us at dog shows… Find someone you don’t know

By Kathy Musto YES! With my whole heart, yes! We’ve been hearing all too much lately that it’s not… let me remind you why it is. I love that I had the opportunity as a young girl growing up with my family showing our family pets. I could not imagine