>Other breeds seem always to be in the BIS ring — poodles, for example. I’ve seen shows where there are 2 poodles in BIS — a toy and a standard, both black!<
There was a recent story in Slate titled, “How To Win the Westminster Dog Show”
“Step 1: Find a poodle. Step 2: Get a big-money backer.”
I am not posting a link because if memory serves we can’t post their links(?) You can search for it though.
In order to become #1 in your breed, you have to defeat more dogs than your opponents. This takes being at shows every weekend. So, you need money, lots and lots of it.
Dog shows are unique in that there are many levels on which one can compete. It depends on how deep your pockets go and if you can either breed or purchase a dog that exceeds the others of its breed in quality. Sometimes, a dog is not for sale to anyone but those with the right connections and experience in the sport. The very top handlers have an enormous advantage over me, for example, because they have their pick of the dogs with top show potential.
I either have to breed a very good dog, or depend on my contacts in a few breeds (I was just offered a pup I’m having a blast with - she’ll get her championship easily. We’ll see about her ability to compete at breed level at a later date). I can’t go all over the country after breed points, so I am content to exhibit at relatively local shows.
I never cared about traveling everywhere to show, I stayed for the most part in TX/NM/OK. Occasionally other places, esp for something like the Golden National which is just a big fun party and a chance to see golden people and dogs from all over. But to me it was and is first and foremost a HOBBY. I mean I take the learning part seriously and take breeding and the dogs seriously, but the rest of it? Nope. I wouldn’t lose a friend (or a marriage!) over it. I used to joke tho (and it’s hardly a joke really) that if you get into showing dogs, it’s like someone puts a vacuum cleaner hose into your pocket and turns it on, be prepared. I never went into debt over it, but I knew LOTS of people who did. And lots marriages, etc. Very sad.
But it can be great fun and family fun too, if the kids are interested. Mine never were, altho they would come and help me at shows because they were good kids. I would have been in Heaven if someone had dragged me to dog shows when I was a kid.