In the world of dog shows, there are many different kinds of events as well as many different levels of competition. The conformation ring, otherwise known as the ‘breed’ ring, has several different levels of competition. For dogs that are not Champions of record but are working toward their Champion title, there is the ‘class’ level. These dogs may enter the American Bred, Bred by Exhibitor, Novice, Open class, or Puppy class. At this level, males and females compete separately.

In each class, four placements are awarded, though it is only those dogs placed first who move on to what is known as the ‘Winners’ class. In the Winners class, males and females still compete separately for the title of Winners Dog (male) and Winners Bitch (female). A Reserve Winners Dog and Bitch are also selected, but it is only the Winners Dog and Bitch who receive points toward a Championship.

Points range from one to five, with the exact number of point given for a particular win dependent upon the number of dogs entered in all of the classes. 3, 4, and 5 point wins are known as a ‘major’ win. A dog with 2 major wins and a total of 15 points earns a Champion title.

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