The first known dog show was held in 1859, when a group of hunters assembled in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, to judge 60 dogs from the pointer and setter classes. The judges had no complex standards by which to judge the assembled hounds, but simply evaluated how well the dogs did their jobs.
The shows rapidly gained popularity in the UK, and expanded to include more breeds and classes. As kennel clubs formed, standards were codified for each breed, with lists of ideal characteristics.
A prize-winning purebred dog was considered valuable breeding stock (not to mention a status symbol) and could be sold for huge sums.
The rich, the nobility and even royalty flocked to these competitions. J.P Morgan once tried to purchase a Pekingese for £32,000 and was refused. Deerhounds bred by Queen Victoria herself were said to be worth $50,000 apiece.
In the United States, dog shows were popularized by P.H. Bryson, whose doctor had recommended hunting with a dog as good exercise to recover from his Civil War wounds. Bryson later competed against that same doctor in a 1874 show, where he won the world’s first Best in Show award.
The famed Westminster Kennel Club show was first held at the Westminster Hotel in 1877 and is today the second oldest annual sporting event in the U.S., after the Kentucky Derby.
Everybody was fashionably dressed and wore an air of good breeding.NEW YORK TIMES, C.1905
1913
Mrs. Langton Dennis with her prize dog at the Pomeranian Dog Show.
IMAGE: HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES
1930
A party of prize winning Sealyham Terriers at the Cruft’s Dog Show in London.
IMAGE: VEALE/TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
1925
Rambling Gold makes a world record high jump of 12 feet and 2 inches.
IMAGE: TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
The most desirable purebred dogs routinely started at $1,000 and ran to $5,000.MARK DERR, A DOG’S HISTORY OF AMERICA
1924
Ivy Lord with her second prize winning Pekingese at Cruft’s Dog Show.
IMAGE: TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
1925
An exhibitor sprays her dog before going into the ring at the Championship Dog Show in London.
IMAGE: E. BACON/TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
1927
Winning Dalmatians sit proudly on their chairs at a dog show in Hyde Park, London.
IMAGE: FOX PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES
1926
George Spinney with his Bulldog at the Middlesex Hospital Open Championship Dog Show.
IMAGE: KIRBY/TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
1928
Jean Hopwood with her dog Blewburton Birinis at the Ladies Kennel Club Show in London.
1928
42-time first prize winner Beauty the Bulldog arrives at the London Bulldog Society Championship Show with its owner.
IMAGE: LONDON EXPRESS/GETTY IMAGES
1928
Three Pekingese dogs — Szechuan, Humming Bee and Hsusa — winners of the first prize at the Sleeve Dog Association Ribbon Show are exhibited at the Prince’s Hotel inc London.
IMAGE: HAROLD CLEMENTS/LONDON EXPRESS/GETTY IMAGES
1929
Three Dalmatians and their happy owner after they won the first prize at the London Dog Show.
IMAGE: GAMMA-KEYSTONE/GETTY IMAGES
1929
Mrs R.A. Hopwood with her dogs at the French Open Bulldog Show in London.
IMAGE: PLANET NEWS ARCHIVE/SSPL/GETTY IMAGES
1929
Mrs. V. McCall-Smith’s litter at the Pekin Palace Dog Show.
IMAGE: PLANET NEWS ARCHIVE/SSPL/GETTY IMAGES
1929
The parade for the fancy dress competition at the Comic Dog Show, held at the Kennels Purley to benefit Purley Church.
IMAGE: TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
1929
Miss M. Tucker on her way to a dog show in Tunbridge-Wells, Kent, with her two Old English Sheepdogs Watcher’s Jim and Tenet Peter.
IMAGE: HENRY MILLER NEWS PICTURE SERVICE/ARCHIVE PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES
1930
Pierrot of St. Margaret’s examines his reflection at the Griffon Bruxellois Dog Show in London.
IMAGE: PLANET NEWS ARCHIVE/SSPL/GETTY IMAGES
1933
Terriers are primped for a dog show in New York City.
IMAGE: ULLSTEIN BILD/GETTY IMAGES
1938
H.S. Lloyd receives a trophy for his Springer Spaniel, Exquisite Model Of Ware, who was named “Champion of Champions” at the Cruft’s Dog Show.
1928
A Standard Poodle celebrates after winning first prize at a dog show in Berlin.
IMAGE: HENRY MILLER NEWS PICTURE SERVICE/ARCHIVE PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES