Dog show begins today at Exhibition

Hundreds of dogs will take over Exhibition Park today for the Lethbridge and District Kennel Club’s (LDKC) annual obedience and conformation dog show.

The club has been around since 1960 and a dog show has taken place almost every year since then.

It will be the last Canadian Kennel Club-sanctioned dog show for the year in Alberta, making it one of the last opportunities for competitors vying for top-dog points.

“As a result of that, our show attracts people specifically who are really wanting to accumulate some points towards that,” said event contact Evelyn Sera. Dogs competing in

conformation will be judged by their breed’s standard.

“A lot of people think a dog show is just the prettiest dog there, but there’s a lot of training that actually goes into preparing a dog to show,” Sera explained.

There’s a lot of distraction that comes with putting so many dogs under one roof.

“There’s a lot of noise, distractions, smells and all those kinds of things,” she said. “There is certainly lots of training that needs to be done in order to kind of prepare dogs to be able to handle that type of situation.”

The annual dog show also features a special class for puppies between three and six months old.

“It’s not for actual points, but it’s basically experience for our young puppies to kind of get into the show atmosphere and learn what to expect,” she said.

According to Sera, the obedience and rally trials tend to be a big spectator draw.

The obedience trials allow the handler to showcase the dog’s training; highlighting their usefulness and ability to follow specified routines as a companion. A rally, while similar, is a great introduction competition and is designed to provide a quick and motivational activity to showcase a dog’s basic obedience.

One of the unique aspects of dog shows, Sera said, is that professional and amateur handlers compete against each other. Professionals are hired to take a client’s dog to shows in order to achieve championships and awards.

“It’s harder for our owner handlers because they just aren’t out there as much as our professional handlers, so it’s kind of a unique sport in terms of that.”

The event takes place today and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $5 per person, accompanied children under 12 are free.