AKC dog show at fairgrounds this weekend
Sep. 18—GREENSBURG — The Kennel Club of Columbus Indiana is hosting their all-breed dog show starting at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Livestock Building at the Decatur County Fairgrounds. Best in Show judging starts at 2:30 p.m.
More than 500 dogs representing 150 different breeds are registered to compete in this year's show.
Obedience completions begin at 8 a.m. in the Poultry Building with rally competitions after lunch at 1 p.m.
In the Headquarters Building, canine good citizen, tick dog testing and ATT (AKC temperament testing) begins at 9 a.m. Saturday.
The AKC Temperament Test was developed to bring focus and provide a meaningful evaluation to assess the temperament of canine companions. The ATT tests how a dog reacts to a variety of stimuli. Desirable traits are that the dog will be emotionally stable, inquisitive, cooperative, appropriately social for its breed, biddable and demonstrates the ability to recover from a startling situation in a reasonable amount of time.
Undesirable traits are fear, shyness, lack of cooperation and an inability to recover from unfamiliar or unexpected situations. Examples of undesirable behaviors include being afraid of friendly strangers or unfamiliar stimuli, obsessive barking, and aggression.
In the ATT, dogs are tested in six categories of stimuli that include social, auditory, visual, tactile, proprioceptive, and unexpected stimulus.
Also on Saturday in the HQ building, 4-H dog clubs will have a Responsible Dog Ownership booth with information about competing in AKC events for adults and junior handlers.
Also in the HQ building, the Bartholomew County 4-H Dog Club will have a presentation about the importance of proper pet identification from 8 to 11 a.m.
The Jennings County Club will have presentations about routine vet care and dog sporting opportunities from 1 to 5 p.m.
Sunday, the Decatur County 4-H Dog Club will have presentations on healthy lifestyles, exercise and diet.
Admission to the HQ presentations is free for spectators with free-will donations split between the three 4-H dog clubs involved.
Children are invited to compete in three age groups for small prizes by drawing or coloring a dog picture, writing an essay or putting together a photo exhibit about dogs. There will be awards and small prizes for 1st through 4th place in each group and honorable mentions, with a Grand Champion over all.
Entries for the children's contests must be submitted by 11 a.m. Saturday.
Contact Bill Rethlake at 812-651-0876 or email [email protected].