Dog Shows
Judging context – eligible adult dog
- JUDGING CONTEXT – Eligible Adult Dog
An adult dog may compete in:
- Intermediate Class (15–24 months)
- Open Class (≥ 18 months)
- Working Class (≥ 18 months + results in trials)
- Winner Class (with 4 CAC to its credit)
- Champion Class
- Foreign Champions Class
This pathway is identical, regardless of the adult class from which the dog starts.
1. ENTRY INTO THE RING – INITIAL CHECKS
The judge’s responsibilities:
✔ 1.1. Confirms the identity of the dogs
- checks the catalogue number
- confirms the microchip upon request
- confirms class membership (sex, age, documents)
✔ 1.2. Observes the general behaviour on entry
- the dog must be presented in a natural manner
- without excessive aggressiveness
- without extreme fear
- without visible signs of illness
🔸 If the behaviour → impossible to evaluate → The judge awards N.J. – Not Judgeable.
2. INDIVIDUAL JUDGING OF THE DOG
The judge evaluates the dog alone, in front of the competitors of the class.
✔ 2.1. Static evaluation (on the table / in the stack)
The judge checks:
- breed typicity
- proportions, conformation
- head, expression
- eyes, dentition (mandatory!)
- ears
- forelimbs and hindlimbs
- topline
- tail set and carriage
- coat quality
- musculature
- general condition
Any redhibitory fault → may lead to DSQ.
✔ 2.2. Evaluation in movement
The dog performs:
- movement in a triangle
- movement in a circle
- return to the stack
The judge evaluates:
- harmony
- balance
- gait
- rear drive
- front reach
- attitude
- ring presence
✔ 2.3. Official commentary
The judge dictates to the ring steward:
- strengths
- weaknesses
- conclusion
- the final grade
3. AWARDING THE GRADE
According to Art. 27, the judge may award:
- EXC – Excellent
- VG – Very Good
- G – Good
- DSQ – Disqualified
- NJ – Not Judgeable
Objective in this scenario:
➡ The grade “1 Excellent”
4. PLACEMENT WITHIN THE CLASS
The judge places the top 3 dogs, provided they have at least “Very Good”.
Our dog receives:
➡ 1. Excellent → becomes the winner of the class
5. PLAY-OFF FOR CAC
Only the adult classes compete for CAC:
- Intermediate
- Open
- Working
- Winner
- Champion
- Foreign Champions
The judge takes the winners of each class (males / females separately):
CAC play-off:
- the best Intermediate
- the best Open
- the best Working
- the best Winner
- the best Champion
- the best Foreign Champion
Winner → receives:
➡ WDF CAC
6. PLAY-OFF FOR CACIB (international show only)
The judge compares the dogs that have CAC (males separately, females separately):
- 1 CAC winner → receives CACIB
If our dog wins:
➡ Receives CACIB (if the show is international)
7. PLAY-OFF FOR BOB (Best of Breed)
BOB is chosen as follows:
Category A – Adults:
- Intermediate winner
- Open winner
- Working winner
Category B – Champions:
- Winner winner
- Champion winner
- Foreign Champion winner
The judge awards:
- BOB Male
- BOB Female
If our dog wins:
➡ Receives BOB Male/Female
8. ACCESS TO THE RING OF HONOUR (HONOUR RING)
The dog proceeds to:
🟦 BEST IN GROUP (if the show has BIG)
It competes with all the breeds in that WDF group.
The BIS or BIG judge is different from the breed judge.
If it wins → it advances to BIS.
9. BEST IN SHOW (BIS) PLAY-OFF – FINAL
The following reach BIS:
- the BOB winners of the groups (if BIG exists)
- or directly the BOBs of all breeds (if BIG does not exist)
The BIS judge selects:
1️⃣ FIRST PLACE – BEST IN SHOW 2️⃣ SECOND PLACE – RESERVE BIS 3️⃣ THIRD PLACE – 3rd BIS
If the judge decides:
➡ The dog becomes BEST IN SHOW
10. THE JUDGE – INTERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Throughout this entire process the judge:
- strictly applies the WDF standards
- remains objective, calm and courteous
- refuses interventions from the public
- reports irregularities to the WDF Delegate
- observes the ethics of judging (no favouritism)
- carefully records all grades
- checks the integrity of the documents (booklet, sheets)
- confirms the results at the secretariat
The judge cannot modify grades after the official closure of the sheets.
SUMMARY OF THE COMPLETE PROCESS (logical flow)
1. Entry into the ring
2. Static evaluation
3. Evaluation in movement
4. Commentary + grade
5. Placement → 1 Excellent
6. CAC play-off → wins CAC
7. CACIB play-off → wins CACIB
8. BOB play-off → wins BOB
9. BIG → wins the group
10. BIS → wins Best in Show