Showing Your Dog in the UK
Getting Here
Now that Passports for Pets is nearly upon us, folk from abroad may be able to attend the UK shows with their dogs, I thought it might be helpful to list a few thinks I know are different over here!
First you will need a microchip then a passport for the dog,
a rabies injection and a test certificate dated six months before landing. Easy you say? yes it is, but you also must get
test done for tape worm and treatment must be given not less than 24 hours but not more than 48 hours before travel. That will not be easy if you travel at a weekend!
Odd Things
In the UK you will find the show regulations very different to the FCI rules!
However - Ireland are under FCI rules and the St Patricks day show award CACIB!
NOTE - British dogs must be registered with the Irish Kennel Club before competeing, this can be
sent with entries to a show, in 1999 this was £10 from
Irish Kennel Club, Fottrell House, Harold's Cross Bridge, Dublin 6W.
There are some breeds that are not permitted in Britain -
Ministry of Agriculture, Farm and Fisheries (MAFF) rules,
other breeds that ARE in the country, are not permitted to be Regestered -
the Kennel Club rules-Click here
No dog will be permitted to be entered in any show with cropped ears!
Breeds that were normally docked are still permitted to be shown in GB.
'Docked ' breeds that do have tails may be shown.
( you may find there is still prejudiced against this change.)
Showing
To compete in any competition, be it Breed, Agility, Flyball, Obedience, Working or Field trial, your dog must be registered in Britain. To do this these days, you must fill in the AUTHORITY TO COMPETE (ATC) form, this is available for downloading, from the Kennel Club - Crufts Site, under Exhibitor Information, or send to.
The Kennel Club, 1-5 Clarges Street, Piccadilly, London W1Y 8AB. Phone 0870 6066750, Fax 0207 518 1058.
An ATC number must be issued for entry to any British Show.
- At Championship Shows -
you may not take dogs that are not 'Officially' entered. You may enter breeds as Not for Competition if entered before the Close of entries date.
- Dogs will NOT be permitted in cars in the car park unless full ventilation is available
- Windows open is NOT considered adequate
-
On arrival, there is NO vetting in of exhibits.
- Paper and vaccination certificates are NOT required.
(of course to get in the country, you will have to have the necessary documentation!)
- You may arrive any time up to about ten o'clock GMT. or as stated in the catalogue.
NOTE - Some classes do start early 8.30 or 9.00 gmt.
- Classes are usually run in shedule order, but ring changes can be made on the day by the Show Officials.
Benching
- Benching is only required at 'Championship' Shows,
This however is NOT the cage type found on the continent, our benching is open at the front, as a result you must restrain the dog in some way. Also leaving valuables at the bench, is difficult.
At all other types of show - Open, Exemption, Obedience, Agility, Trials - Working or Field - these are NOT benched, you must have some means of restraining your dogs - cars, cages or ground hooks. These are very much like small shows under the FCI.
- At Championship Shows you must remain at you 'benches' or have someone stay with your dogs.
The raised Benches are 'open' (no cages) and you should have a benching chain to secure your dog.
- You may used your own cage, but it must fit the bench area
- You will often find your 'ring number' on the bench allocated to you, there should be two, one for the bench one for your dog. If there is only one number there you will be given your ring number by the steward as you enter the ring. In this case it is 'normal' for the exhibitor to remember the bench number and ask for it.
Catalogues
- Not all Championship shows have championship awards for every breed, even if this breed CAN have championships awarded. - remember to read the small print!
- Catalogues usually mark breeds without Challenge Certificates - CC with *
These breeds May have reduced entry fee's.
- If you cannot find your breed in the catalogue, check with the K.C. as it may not be recognised in the UK!
- If your breed is recognised - but not in the catalogue - you will have to enter the Any Variety Not Separately Classified classes, be they Utility, Toy, Pastoral, Working, Terrier, Gundog or a combination of any three.
- Your breed could be recognised, but still on the Import Register
This is for breeds that the K.C. has decided that there are not enough of the breed in the country to warrant recognition! These poor unfortunates can only show in 'Import Registered' classes. They are NOT eligible for the group, or Best in Show.
- The classification is NOT the same as the FCI. So, find out which group you are in! For instance the Toy Poodle is NOT in the Toy group! The Australian Silky Terrier on the other hand is in the Toy Group, not the Terrier! Other oddities are the Spitz - you will find them in every group.
Grooming
- Grooming tables and boxes MUST be kept in the specified area,
NO dies or colour shampoos are permitted, loose chalk likewise!
At the Show
- No person, other than Judges, stewards and exhibitors are permitted inside the judging rings, this means before or after the judging. You may not therefor practice before your class.
- No outside assistance is permitted 'double handling' is against the rules here. This includes the GSD breed.
- NO photographers are permitted in the ring until ALL judging is finished and then only with permission of the Judge.
- Some clubs and societies insist that you have permission from the Show management before you take photographs of any breed other than your own.
Always ask the owner before you photograph any dog. Videoing of classes can also be a problem as it is difficult to get every ones permission.
- When your class is ready to go into the ring, you should have your ring number with you if it was on the bench. If it was not, the steward will hand it to you. Note - you do not have to go in the order of the number, all dogs are usually in the ring at the same time.
Rejected Breeds
| M.A.F.F. | Kennel Club |
| Pit Bull Terrier | Lurcher |
| Tosa | Short Legged Jack Russell |
| Sarloos Wolfhound | Wolf Hybrids |
| Dago Dogs | Peterdale Terrier |
| Fell Terrier |
| American Bulldog |
| Working Sheepdog |
| |
If you wish to enter your breed here - goto the UK DOGS contact form
Countries that may soon be visited and be able to send dogs to the UK are
AndoraAustriaBelgiumDenmarkFinlandFranceGermanyGibraltarGreeseIcelandItalyLiechtensteinLuxembourgMonacoNetherlandsNorwayPortugalSan MarinoSpainSwedenSwitzerlandVatican
If your country is not listed here - I'm sorry you still cannot visit us. Though there are plans to include possably USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. There are also some talk of assistance dogs - guide dogs etc being able to go to these countries too. Check at MAFF Pet Travel Scheme 0044 (0) 181 330 6835, or fax 0044 (0) 181 330 8304, email pets@ahvg.maff.gov.uk
If you wish to enter your breed here - goto the UK DOGS contact form
For pictures of the top dogs in Scotland by Michael Trafford
UK DOGS was created by
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and is maintained by Min Inches ©1999
