The Show Bullie
What a lovely sight to behold, the smooth gait of a trotting Bull Terrier in the show ring
The Stunning and regal stance of an Alert Bull Terrier focused with full intent on a toy in the handlers hands.
A gorgeous set of prick ears atop a wide face.
If you have never seen any of these things I encourage you to sit down and watch a few of these show dogs in action, prancing around the show ring as to me their is nothing lovelier then that!
However, I would just like to bring up what a "Show Dog" truly is and what a show dog is not, because many people seem to believe that a show dog is a "Snob"
A dog who knows they are gorgeous and expect only the best.
A pampered pooch that some how lives the life most of us could only dream about- being waited on hand and foot, eating steak nightly on a silver platter.
And, while Yes many Bullies in the show ring DO know how gorgeous they are and are spoiled rotten, they truly are dogs who live a dogs life.
They get dirty, they get trained , they get into mischief.
The difference between a show dog and a pet?
The bone structure.
Yep, that is pretty much it!
A show dog is judged on its structure and its temperament (a poorly tempered Bull Terrier is disqualified from the ring)
Many Handlers and owners who show their dogs are people who just want to get together with other like minded people, have fun with their dogs!
It's like a family reunion, you get to talk to old friends, see dogs from other handlers grow and win ribbons while they see the same of your dogs, its an activity a sport so to speak.
The show ring is about having fun WITH your dog- if either of you are not having fun then don't bother because even the best looking dog will not go very far looking miserable because Bull Terrier's are judged on their charcter and expression, so a miserable Bullie is unlikely to win anything.
Don't believe those dogs are having a glorious time? just watch a few all breed shows and watch the Bull Terrier's- they can be one of the funnest breeds in the ring because thy are so obviously joyous!
Dog shows are how breeders seek out potential breeding stock, a Bull Terrier who does well in the show ring makes a good breeding candidate because they have already showed good structure and good nature potential.
Many people think it is "snobbish" to judge a dog based off of its "looks" to bred with, but before you go scoffing at the idea please listen and know that, good structure is very important to a dogs health and well being.
While NO dog has perfect structure, Breeders do their best to breed the best structure possible.
Bull Terrier's are judged based on the written "Breed Standard" which was written long ago.
When the standard was created, dogs were created to work, to move to the best and most efficient way possible because a dog who could not move efficiently would tire quickly and therefore work less.
How do you create a dog who moves efficiently? By breeding dogs with a structure that is smooth and allows them to do their jobs better.
A Bull Terrier was strong while still being agile , a mixture of strength and speed.
The written standard (which you can find in its entirety on "The Breed Standard" page) speaks of the head, the skin, the muscle, the feet, the shoulder, the top line (spine) and the knee and hocks.
All of these things fitting together correctly make for a dog who is able to move comfortably, feel comfortable and has over-all LESS skeletal problems thus making a healthier happier dog.
Have you ever been to a chiropractor for a bad back? what about knee or hip problems? If you have then you understand how a slight misalignment of the spine can cause things such as headaches, knee pain, hip pain, shoulder pain, foot pain, wrist pain, etc,etc
You know WHY those shoe inserts have different styles for different shaped feet? that is because poorly shaped feet can cause back pain!
it is the same for dogs, a weakness in the shoulder or the elbow can cause problems later on down the road when the dog is older.
This is why a GOOD breeder who understands Proper structure is making the breed better- because they are helping to fix a problem by carefully breeding the best dogs they can.
and why a breeder who says
"I only breed pets and not show dogs because I love my dogs and don't care about showing"
is not really doing anyone any favors other then their own wallet.
But, Don't think that a pet quality dog is not a good dog or is going to cost a fortune, Like I mentioned earlier No dog has perfect structure!
and many show breeders only get one or 2 pups from each litter that they feel are nice enough to compete in the show ring and they consider the rest to be "Pet Quality" and they want to go to good, loving homes where they will live happily with there owners never producing off-spring.
All dogs, no matter if they are mixes or pure bred, show quality or pet quality WILL have health problems because that is just life, but when you buy a puppy from a responsible breeder who gives a damn about the health of not only the dogs THEY own, but the dogs they produce and the breed as a whole, you are getting the best possible chances of getting a healthy happy puppy and adult dog.
Are you interested in showing your own Bull Terrier?
Well, you will need a few things to attend AKC and BTCA shows:
An AKC Pedigree.
Full rights on said pedigree/ paper work.
Full rights mean, when you bought your puppy, your breeder did not mark off a box thus giving you the owner, full breeding and showing rights allowing you to not only breed your dog and allow the litter to be registered with the AKC, but also the rights to show your dog in conformation shows.
If you are unsure, contact the breeder to talk to them.
If you do not have paper work OR full rights, you can still compete in other things such as obedience rally, agility and fun shows.
Contact your nearest Bull Terrier club
(You can find out more info at BTCA.com)
What a lovely sight to behold, the smooth gait of a trotting Bull Terrier in the show ring
The Stunning and regal stance of an Alert Bull Terrier focused with full intent on a toy in the handlers hands.
A gorgeous set of prick ears atop a wide face.
If you have never seen any of these things I encourage you to sit down and watch a few of these show dogs in action, prancing around the show ring as to me their is nothing lovelier then that!
However, I would just like to bring up what a "Show Dog" truly is and what a show dog is not, because many people seem to believe that a show dog is a "Snob"
A dog who knows they are gorgeous and expect only the best.
A pampered pooch that some how lives the life most of us could only dream about- being waited on hand and foot, eating steak nightly on a silver platter.
And, while Yes many Bullies in the show ring DO know how gorgeous they are and are spoiled rotten, they truly are dogs who live a dogs life.
They get dirty, they get trained , they get into mischief.
The difference between a show dog and a pet?
The bone structure.
Yep, that is pretty much it!
A show dog is judged on its structure and its temperament (a poorly tempered Bull Terrier is disqualified from the ring)
Many Handlers and owners who show their dogs are people who just want to get together with other like minded people, have fun with their dogs!
It's like a family reunion, you get to talk to old friends, see dogs from other handlers grow and win ribbons while they see the same of your dogs, its an activity a sport so to speak.
The show ring is about having fun WITH your dog- if either of you are not having fun then don't bother because even the best looking dog will not go very far looking miserable because Bull Terrier's are judged on their charcter and expression, so a miserable Bullie is unlikely to win anything.
Don't believe those dogs are having a glorious time? just watch a few all breed shows and watch the Bull Terrier's- they can be one of the funnest breeds in the ring because thy are so obviously joyous!
Dog shows are how breeders seek out potential breeding stock, a Bull Terrier who does well in the show ring makes a good breeding candidate because they have already showed good structure and good nature potential.
Many people think it is "snobbish" to judge a dog based off of its "looks" to bred with, but before you go scoffing at the idea please listen and know that, good structure is very important to a dogs health and well being.
While NO dog has perfect structure, Breeders do their best to breed the best structure possible.
Bull Terrier's are judged based on the written "Breed Standard" which was written long ago.
When the standard was created, dogs were created to work, to move to the best and most efficient way possible because a dog who could not move efficiently would tire quickly and therefore work less.
How do you create a dog who moves efficiently? By breeding dogs with a structure that is smooth and allows them to do their jobs better.
A Bull Terrier was strong while still being agile , a mixture of strength and speed.
The written standard (which you can find in its entirety on "The Breed Standard" page) speaks of the head, the skin, the muscle, the feet, the shoulder, the top line (spine) and the knee and hocks.
All of these things fitting together correctly make for a dog who is able to move comfortably, feel comfortable and has over-all LESS skeletal problems thus making a healthier happier dog.
Have you ever been to a chiropractor for a bad back? what about knee or hip problems? If you have then you understand how a slight misalignment of the spine can cause things such as headaches, knee pain, hip pain, shoulder pain, foot pain, wrist pain, etc,etc
You know WHY those shoe inserts have different styles for different shaped feet? that is because poorly shaped feet can cause back pain!
it is the same for dogs, a weakness in the shoulder or the elbow can cause problems later on down the road when the dog is older.
This is why a GOOD breeder who understands Proper structure is making the breed better- because they are helping to fix a problem by carefully breeding the best dogs they can.
and why a breeder who says
"I only breed pets and not show dogs because I love my dogs and don't care about showing"
is not really doing anyone any favors other then their own wallet.
But, Don't think that a pet quality dog is not a good dog or is going to cost a fortune, Like I mentioned earlier No dog has perfect structure!
and many show breeders only get one or 2 pups from each litter that they feel are nice enough to compete in the show ring and they consider the rest to be "Pet Quality" and they want to go to good, loving homes where they will live happily with there owners never producing off-spring.
All dogs, no matter if they are mixes or pure bred, show quality or pet quality WILL have health problems because that is just life, but when you buy a puppy from a responsible breeder who gives a damn about the health of not only the dogs THEY own, but the dogs they produce and the breed as a whole, you are getting the best possible chances of getting a healthy happy puppy and adult dog.
Are you interested in showing your own Bull Terrier?
Well, you will need a few things to attend AKC and BTCA shows:
An AKC Pedigree.
Full rights on said pedigree/ paper work.
Full rights mean, when you bought your puppy, your breeder did not mark off a box thus giving you the owner, full breeding and showing rights allowing you to not only breed your dog and allow the litter to be registered with the AKC, but also the rights to show your dog in conformation shows.
If you are unsure, contact the breeder to talk to them.
If you do not have paper work OR full rights, you can still compete in other things such as obedience rally, agility and fun shows.
Contact your nearest Bull Terrier club
(You can find out more info at BTCA.com)