Conformation Shows

There are more than 200 dog breeds recognised by the Australian National Kennel Council which are eligible to be shown in Australia. Many of the breeds can be found in the Northern Territory, including many rare breeds.

Dog Shows can be fun for the entire family, shows in Darwin are held in the evening, whilst shows in Alice Springs are generally held during the day. Children can participate in Dog Shows and are encouraged to enter the Junior Handler competitions, but must become members to do so.

Dog Shows are known as Conformation Shows as dogs are assessed on their conformation to the Breed Standard. The Standard for each breed may be obtained from the ANKC website at ANKC List of Breeds per Group.

There are a number of DogsNT Affiliated Clubs in the Northern Territory that conduct Dog Shows throughout the year.

To be able to show your dog, you must be a member of DogsNT or an Interstate Canine Control and own a pedigreed dog registered on the ANKC main register. Lots of informative information for entering and participating in dog shows can be found HERE.

♦ A useful flow chart to assist with understanding the judging process can be found HERE.

♦ The Rules for ANKC Conformation Judging can be found HERE (see PART 5)