Get Ready For A Weekend Of Dog Shows In St. Paul

Dog lovers, you have an assignment this weekend!

The Land O’Lakes Kennel Club Dog Show happens Friday through Sunday at the St. Paul RiverCentre.

I had the opportunity to sit and talk with Gary Griffin of Millcreek Samoyeds. He and his wife have bred and shown Samoyeds for more than 40 years. He’ll be at the show this weekend with Khori, currently the all-time top specialty female in the breed.

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What type of dog show is this weekend’s event?

This show is primarily a confirmation show, where the dogs are judged against the standard of their breed. The judge is judging the dog, not so much against each other, but against that standard.

There are a lot of other events happening at the show. I see there’s a “Puppy Party” each day as well?

You can’t start showing a dog toward their championship points until they’re at least six months old. They have these four to six month old puppy classes – they’re set up to get these youngsters in and get them exposed to the noise and all the people before they start their career.

This is right up my alley. “Meet The Breeds”?

There are 151 different breeds at this show. If your family is thinking of adding a member this year, this is a great time! You can come down and see the dogs in the ring, but also go through the grooming areas and talk to the breeders. People tend to buy dogs based on their looks and not their characteristics. It gives you a chance to talk to the breeders and find out all the wonderful things about the breed you’re interested in, and also some of the not-so-wonderful things.

Another thing about “Meet The Breeds”, there will be an area with several breeds and their breeders where you can come up and the kids can cuddle up, talk and sit on the floor with the dog and really get to meet the breeds up close.

When are the finals?

Every day is a different show. So, there will be a best in show on Friday, another best in show on Saturday, and one on Sunday. It’s not a three-day show where we crown the winners at the end.

Is it the same dogs every day, or do people bring different dogs on different days?

Friday is the lowest turnout and then it picks up on Saturday and Sunday. The dogs will change every day. Different judges have different opinions of dogs.

Are there events for people looking to show dogs in the future?

On Saturday, we do dog show tours. We walk you through and give you a brief overview of what the judges are looking for, why the dogs are being moved, and the grooming. It gives you an idea of what the dog show world is.

Tickets will be available at the door: $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, and children 5-12 are $9.00. A family four-pack of tickets is $39.00.

For a list of times and more information, find the Land O’Lakes Kennel Club’s site here.