SEQUIM — Posturing pooches of all shapes and sizes will strut their stuff this weekend during the Hurricane Ridge Kennel Club’s annual dog show.
The show, sanctioned by the American Kennel Club (AKC), is free and open to spectators, organizers said, with concessions available for purchase. Parking fees are $5 per day or $8 for two days.
The show — taking place at the Sequim High School football fields, 601 N. Sequim Ave. — will begin at 10 a.m. today and end at about 2 p.m.
It will continue at 9 a.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday, with events stretching until about 5 p.m. each day.
A complete schedule of events will be posted online at www.hrkc.org.
700 entries
About 700 entries, representing some 130 breeds, are in the competition this year, said Jo Chinn, Hurricane Ridge Kennel Club treasurer.
“We have entries from all over,” Chinn said.
“There are people coming from the Southwest and the Midwest.”
The breeds range from tiny Pomeranians to enormous Great Danes, she said.
The meticulously groomed and well-trained purebred dogs and their masters will compete in all breed dog shows, also known as conformation, in conjunction with rally and obedience trials, Chinn said.
While they might seem glamorous, the true purpose of conformation showing is to evaluate breeding stock, according to the AKC at www.akc.org.
The dog’s conformation — its overall appearance and structure — is an indication of the dog’s ability to produce quality purebred puppies, and that is what is being judged in the ring.
During the first round of conformation, dogs will compete against other members of their own breed.
The best dog from each breed — as chosen by AKC-certified judges — will then move on to a group competition to square up against other breeds in a specific category.
There are seven categories at this stage, Chinn said — working, terrier, sporting, toy, hound, non-sporting and herding.
“The winner of each group then competes for the best in show,” she said.
Rally, obedience trials
Rally is a sport in which each dog and its handler complete a course designed by the rally judge, according to the AKC.
The judge tells the handler to begin, and the dog and handler proceed at their own pace through a course of up to 20 designated stations.
Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed, Chinn said.
“The signs say something like, ‘Do a 360-degree circle to the right,’ or the sign will say, ‘Call the dog to the front position and then finish the dog to the left,’ ” she said.
“When done correctly, it is really neat to watch. It is timed and really precise.”
The team of dog and handler moves continuously at a brisk but normal pace with the dog under control at the handler’s left side, according to the AKC.
Obedience trials showcase dogs that have been trained and conditioned to behave well at home, in public places and in the presence of other dogs, the AKC said.
At 4:40 p.m. Saturday, about 40 puppies ages 4 to 6 months will compete in a beginner puppy competition, Chinn said.
“This is the cutest thing ever because they can’t even walk on the leash,” she said.
“It is just fun to watch. It is really good for them because it is their first experience in the breed rings learning how to do it.”
Junior handlers
About 19 youths ages 9 to 18 at 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday will participate in a special event designed to teach them how to participate in dog shows, Chinn said.
“They are judged on their ability to groom, present and handle their dogs,” she said.
“The quality of their presentation, not the dogs, is judged.”
Founded in 1988 as the Kennel Club of the Olympic Mountains, the Hurricane Ridge Kennel Club is an AKC-licensed all-breed club and nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the interests of dog owners and breeders of pure-bred dogs.
For more information, visit www.hrkc.org.
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Features Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
