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SHRINKABULLS STYLE ENGLISH & FRENCH BULLDOGS

SHOWING YOUR FRENCH BULLDOG

If you are seriously interested in showing your French Bulldog, the first thing you need to understand is your French Bulldog’s conformation and the breed standard so that you will know how good he/she is and what faults or strong points your dog has. After you have determined your French Bulldog’s strengths and weaknesses, you should start show training as young as possible!

Basic socialization plus training to gate & stack:

Start first by walking your French Bulldog on your left side consistently, as Frenchies are always shown on the left so as to be facing the judge. French Bulldogs should be gated at a slight “trot”, not run or a walk when in the ring. Stack your Frech Bulldog as often as possible as this is normally much harder for you and your Frenchie to master. Your French Bulldog needs to stand square. The chest is wider than the hips area, so the front legs will always be set wider than the rear legs.

Dog shows are held all over the world. Shows in America will are held by AKC. AKC is considered reputable, while most all other small registrations in America are not reputable enough to spend your time or money on showing your frenchie. International showing is very rewarding because you have the potential to achieve the most prestigious titles such as “World Champion” & “International Champion” French bulldog. International showing is much more challenging because of International travel, language barriers & steeper competition with top ranking dogs around the world.

AKC SHOWS: Go to Onofrio dog shows. Contact them by phone or email to request an entry form.INTERNATIONAL SHOWS: If you want to show your french bulldog on an International level, the first thing you will need to do is register your dog with FCI. FCM (Mexico) & FCPR (Puerto Rico) are the closest FCI partners to America FEDERATION CYNOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONAL (The World Canine Organization) To register your French dog with the FCI you will need to

will need to send them a certified original copy of your Frenchie’s AKC issued pedigree & copy of his or her AKC registration slip along with a check for the transfer fee (FYI: “AKC” & “FCI” both accept each others registrations). AKC is the only registration FCI accepts from the USA. Once your Frenchie is registered with the FCI, you can show your French Bulldog in International & World dog shows all around the world. FYI: if you live in the USA, the closest shows will probably be in Mexico or Puerto Rico. Click here for a list of upcoming international shows (select country from the list). World Dog Show 2014. It’s being held in Finland at the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Center 8th, 9th and 10th of August 2014 (bulldogs show on the 10th). The “CRUFTS”  in England is said to be the largest and most prestigious world-renowned dog show other than the WORLD SHOW!

 

To see AKC french bulldog breed stats see: http://www.akc.org/grand_championship/index.cfm?type=gc&section=gcp

 

The Crufts dog show 2015 takes place from 5 – 8 March 2015 at The NEC, Birmingham CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS or travel arrangments.

 

A few points to remember: In American AKC shows, frenchie puppies cannot be shown for Championship points until 6 months of age. Spayed females & dogs that do not have two apparently normal testicles also cannot be shown for Championship points. At International shows, puppies under 15 months of age can only win “Junior” titles, like “Junior World Champion”, “Junior National Champion” or “Junior International Champion”. Dogs cannot compete for adult titles on an International level until after 15 months of age. Also most rare colors in french bulldogs are a DQ in most kennel clubs AKC etc. The french bulldog breed standard has more DQ s than most breeds I have seen, hopefully that will change some day. Read the AKC breed standard here: https://www.akc.org/breeds/french_bulldog/index.cfm

 

Studying & learning is the best recommendation I can give you if you want to show your French bulldog. Understanding how the show works and what you must do with your French Bulldog to make the show work for you makes all the difference in the world. When you first start showing, it may be confusing and take a long time to understand the whole process. It will probably be best for you to get a couple of good books on handling and the whole the showing process, study them well, and then go out and try it for yourself.

 

It is best to use an appropriate show style dog lead in the ring. There are many varieties of show chokers and leads in leather, nylon, chroma, etc. Try to pick a show lead in a color that will enhance your French Bulldog’s appearance. If you are unsure you can try to pick one that matches your french bulldog, as you really want the judge’s eye to remain on your Frenchie, not his lead.

You should understand how classes work. Most books on showing will explain the showing classes in greater detail, but here is a brief overview:

AMERICAN AKC SHOW CLASSES

 

The regular AKC classes for Championship points: PUPPY 6-9 MOS, PUPPY 9-12 MOS, NOVICE, BRED-BY-EXHIBITOR, AMERICAN BRED, OPEN CLASS.

 

PUPPY 6-9 MOS CLASS: French Bulldog puppies six months of age and over, but still under twelve months and are not champions.

 

PUPPY 9-12 MOS CLASS: French Bulldog puppies 9 mos old or over but under 12 mos. and not yet Champions.

 

NOVICE CLASS: French Bulldogs over six mons that have not won three 1st in the Novice Class, 1st in Bred-by-Exhibitor, American-bred or Open Class.

 

BRED-BY-EXHIBITOR CLASS: French Bulldogs six mons of age and over, that are not champions and that are owned or co/owned by the person who is the breeder.

 

AMERICAN-BRED CLASS: Any French Bulldog, not a champion, six months of age or over.

 

OPEN CLASS: Any French Bulldog six months of age or over.

 

Remember to have fun, always smile at the judge, and never let winning feel more important than your love for your French Bulldog.