Books on dog showing

Click to Win: Clicker Training for the Show Ring (Collected Articles from the AKC Gazette)
by Karen Pryor Paperback: 97 ps. Publisher: Sunshine Books (2002)

New Secrets of Successful Show Dog Handling
by Peter Green, Mario Migliorini
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Alpine Publications, Inc.; (March 1, 2002)

The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Showing Your Dog
by Cheryl S. Smith
Paperback: 368 pages. Publisher: Prima Lifestyles; (June 7, 2001)

This easy-to-read guide will help you discover whether the show ring is the right place for you and your dog, learn the basics of training, and develop the skills for successful showing. Includes tips from professional handlers and trainers; in-depth descriptions of the AKC, UKC, CKC, and FCI; How to discover the right event for you and your dog; teaching techniques and ring preparation secrets, and much more. more information:

Intended for the budding exhibitor to grasp the essentials of the dog show sport. Opens with a candid overview of what to expect and how to get started in showing and hands-on learning. With simple explanations of how dog shows are structured and how dogs become champions. Offers excellent guidance on getting the equipment needed, entering shows and how to deal with the up and the down sides of the game. more information:

Offers easy-to-follow tips and advice both for the novice exhibitors, and the experienced owner-handlers. How to find, choose, raise and train a show dog, how to train yourself to be a good handler. Covers both the fundamentals and the fine points in detail, from grooming tips and obedience training to the psychology of dealing with competition loss. Extremely well-illustrated. more information:

From early training to ring strategy and promoting a special dog, this illustrated guide reveals the actual practices, procedures and etiquiette involved in showing. You will learn what dog shows are all about; early show training; settting up your dog; stacking and gaiting, ring procedures; conditioning; presentation and ring strategy; tricks of the trade; the secret formula for success and publicizing your dog. more information:

The first book to present the techniques and benefits of clicker training for the show ring in full-color photographs and lively readable chapters, combining Karen Pryor's popular articles from the AKC Gazette from the AKC Gazette with never-before-published articles for experienced and beginning handlers alike. The author shows how with clicker training, you can train your dog to extend its gait in the ring, stand with confidence on the table, gait on a loose lead, gaze warmly at the judge, self-stack perfectly, look alert and calm while the judge reviews the rest of the class, and teach puppies just weeks old basic manners and skills, all without punishment or force. more information

Solving the Mysteries of Breed Type
by Richard G. Beauchamp
Hardcover: 356 pages
Publisher: Doral Publishing; (October 2002)
more information

Dogs in Review (Magazine)
Magazine subscription: 12 issues/12 months
Magazine for the show oriented owner, Dogs in Review is unique among American dog show publications in placing as much emphasis on editorial content as on advertising. Each issue has in-depth articles by the greatest specialists and the best writers in the whole dog world. more information

Also see our recommended books:
- on judging dogs
"Must read"s for exhibitors and breeders who want to better evaluate their own dogs and understand a judge's perspective and discover how to best show your dog from the judge's point of view.
- on dog photography
Tips and books to make photographs that will show your pedrigreed dog to his/her advantage.
- on dog breeding

The first book to apply sports psychology to dog showing. Offers the serious exhibitors, including the seasoned veteran, tips on showing in either conformation or obedience rings. Covers every ingredient in the recipe for show ring success: the perfect handler, the making of a show dog, psychocybernetics, where and how to focus when in the ring, learning from the competition and etiquette and sportmanship. Shows how to gain consistent success in the only sport in which amateurs compete directly with the professionals. Underscores the necessity for the mental preparation and psychology that are essential to every exhibitor's success. more information:

Conquering Ring Nerves :
A Step-by-Step Program for All Dog Sports (Hardcover)by Diane Peters Mayer
Hardcover: 240 pages. Publisher: Howell Book House (March 8, 2004)

Whether you�re new to dog sports or an experienced dog handler, it�s quite common to experience mild to severe performance anxiety during competition. Now, with Conquering Ring Nerves, you can face and overcome your anxiety through an easy-to-follow, successful program.
No matter what�s going on inside or outside the ring, Diane Peters Mayer shows you how to calm yourself, stay focused, boost your self-esteem, and give a blue-ribbon performance.
More information:

See also our article about:
- dog showing: preparation, training for the show ring, what to wear, behavior in the ring.
The article was originally written for bulldog owners, but most of the tips and information will also be very useful for other breeds.