Newbie Q&A

This idea occurred to me while working at the local kennel club's cluster a couple of weeks ago. I actually overheard these questions asked at the shows — and if newbies are asking them here, then newbies must need to know elsewhere. Not that I'm such an old hand at the conformation game that I know all and can tell all, but every little bit helps, right?

If you have a Dog Show Newbie question, or you overheard a good one asked at your local show, then please let me know. I don't think there are any advice columns out there dealing strictly with dog-show stuff, so it might be fun to feature some here.

Q: My dog just got Reserve. Am I done for the day?

A: Yes. You can take off your glad rags, pack up, and be home enjoying a cocktail long before the folks waiting around for Groups can get to their cars. You can even throw in a nice, long, hot shower or soak in the tub while you're at it.

A lot of people refer to Reserve as "Best of Losers," but think of it as "Second Best of Winners" instead. Chances are pretty good you'll never hear anything else about this particular show ever again, but on the far-outside chance that the Winners Dog (or Bitch) is disqualified later on, you'll be pretty glad that the judge liked your dog second best.