This is a conformation competition to find the dog that, in the opinion of the judge, most closely matches the breed standard of the dogs competing on that day.  Some people liken this to a “beauty contest”, but there is a lot of training and conditioning that goes into a successful show dog.  A show dog should be carefully bred for many generations to get a dog that closely resembles the written standard, or a description of what a dog of this breed should look and act like.  In order for a dog to compete at American Kennel Club (AKC) shows, it must be registered with the AKC.  If you are interested in showing, it is strongly recommended that you purchase a dog from a reputable show breeder.  These breeders know a lot about what Boston Terriers are supposed to be like and screen for diseases common to the breed.  You will probably pay more for a show puppy but just like with most things, you get what you pay for.  Take advantage of the breeder’s knowledge and learn as much as you can about the breed and the sport of showing dogs.  You might also want to join an all-breed club that has shows to learn more about showing and to get to know other people who show dogs. 

Some Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) area clubs are:

If you would like to contact an NTBTC show member, you can email:

Sandy Linsen
SandyLins@aol.com
or
Terry Russell
Txlochlan@Prodigy.net

Obedience competition tests the dog and handler’s ability to perform a prescribed set of tasks.  These include things like walking in the correct position beside the handler on and off lead, coming when called, jumping over obstacles, retrieving a dumbbell, and finding articles touched by the handler.  There are three levels of competition, each one building on the previous level.  This competition takes a great deal of training and preparation for handler and dog, but is a wonderful way to promote that special bond between a dog and its person as well as good behavior.  In order to compete in AKC events, a dog must be registered with the AKC.  If you have a purebred dog that is not registered, you can get an ILP (Indefinite Listing Privilege) registration through the AKC to compete in obedience, agility, and other performance events.  (Look at the AKC website for more information: www.akc.org)   Obedience classes and competition are great fun for dogs and people.  There are a number of DFW area clubs that offer classes and sponsor competitions:

In this event, the dog, directed by the handler, must negotiate a series of obstacles such as tunnels, climbing over an A-frame, weaving in and out of poles, and jumping.  This competition is a timed event that requires training and athletic ability on the part of the dog.  Agility is quite exciting and lots of fun.  As with obedience, in order to compete in AKC agility events, a dog must be registered with the AKC or have an ILP registration through the AKC.  There are several agility clubs in the DFW area:

This is a program sponsored by the AKC that promotes responsible pet ownership and good manners for dogs at home and in the community.  An approved CGC evaluator gives the CGC test and the dogs that pass are awarded a certificate from the AKC.  Most dogs that have completed a basic obedience class have the skills to pass this test.  Dogs do not have to be registered with the AKC in order to take the test and obtain the certificate.  Most obedience clubs and many all breed and specialty clubs offer the test.  You can contact any of the above clubs for further information about training and tests in the DFW area, and you can check out AKC’s website for more general information (www.akc.org).

Flyball is not an AKC sponsored event, but it is high-energy relay race for dogs.  The dogs compete in teams of 4 and must jump over a series of obstacles to get to a box that they jump on to trigger the release of a ball.  The dog catches the ball in its mouth and then runs back across the obstacles to its handler.  As soon as this dog crosses the starting line, the next dog goes.  Any dog can compete in flyball.  If you have a dog that loves to run, jump, and play with balls, this could be the event for you!  If you go to a tournament, bring your earplugs because there’s a lot of barking going on!  There are a number of clubs and training facilities that sponsor flyball teams. Here are a few of the  DFW area clubs:

North Texas Sharpshooters:  http://www.flyball.com/ntxs/

High Impact Flyball Club:  http://www.flyballdogs.com/highimpact/

Cutting Edge Flyball:  http://www.flyballdogs.com/cuttingedge/index.html

Top Dog Racers:  http://members.tripod.com/topdogracer/

And a national organization, The North American Flyball Association: http://www.flyball.org/ 

For more information about flyball in Texas and surrounding states go to the NAFA Region 5 website: http://www.flyball.com/region5/

Check out the Boston Terrier Club of America’s article about Boston Terriers in performance events:  http://bostonterrierclubofamerica.org/performance.html

For a complete listing of all AKC clubs in the United States, please go to AKC’s website at www.akc.org and click on “Clubs” to search for clubs in your state.  

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