Show Dog competitions are popular all over the world. Thousands of dog fanciers find enjoyment through show dog competitions. Obviously, these owners of show dogs are very proud of their dogs, and they just love showing them off and hopefully win the competition.  Show dog training requires  a combination of obedience training, and also presenting your dog to the judges-where it will be prodded and probed as it is examined by the judge. Your dog must meet the standards of its particular breed, which the judge’s are closely looking for, and also maintain a perfect posture while remaining  relaxed throughout the examination.

There are several different categories that the show dogs compete in. Each category is  based on the variety of breeds within them  and the types of activities those breeds are best skilled at. The seven different categories include: Sporting, Non-sporting, Hound, Terrier, Working, Herding and Toy. Besides have a terrific confirmation, each dog must impress the judges with its skills -whether it is working livestock in the case of the herding dogs, or performing an obstacle course for a working dog. Sporting dog, such as Labradors will be tested in field trials. As you can see, there is a niche for every breed of dog.

Here is a list of the various show dog categories. Check out which one best fits your dog.

Sporting Dogs – These types of dogs were bred for hunting  game birds-either on land or in the water. Breeds in this group include Retrievers, Spaniels, Pointers and Setters.

Hound Dogs – These types of dogs were bred for hunting  game by sight or scent.  Breeds of hound dogs  include:  Beagles, Bassets, Dachshunds and Greyhounds and many other hound varieties.

Working Dogs – These breeds of dogs were bred to guard property, pull a cart and even to  perform search and rescue services. Included in this group are such dogs as the Akita, Doberman, Boxers and St. Bernard breeds.

Terrier Dogs-Terriers are breeds that specialize in hunting and eliminating vermin from farms – Included in the Terrier group are dogs  such as the Airedale, Cairn Terrier and Scottish Terrier, Jack Russell terrier and many more.

Toy Breeds – These little dogs have been bred to be household companions. Included in the Toy group are Poodles, Pugs, Pomeranians, and Maltese.

Non-Sporting Dogs – This category is formed by a more diverse group of breeds, that come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and includes Bulldogs, Standard Poodles, Chows and Dalmatians. The dogs in this group are primarily companion dogs.

Herding Dogs – This category includes dogs such as the German shepherd dog, Collies, Australian Sheepdogs, Old English Sheepdogs, and more. These types of dogs were bred to help shepherds manage their flocks, Depending on the breed of dog you want to have, after you have thoroughly trained your dog you can enter him in a dog show in the category you would like him to compete in. Each dog breed falls within a certain category, so the dogs he competes against will have similar skill sets.

If you are interested in dog show competitions, get more familiar with what’s happening in your area. Check out your local Kennel Club to find out more about coming dog shows. You can meet and network with other show dog handlers to get some good advice getting started with show dog training for your dog.

For example, if your dog is a working dog, you will want to concentrate on that particular type of competition and what you will need to train your dog for his particular category’s competition. Watching and learning from an experienced dog handler will help  you will quickly learn the right way to go about the type of show dog training your dog needs.

Of course, you can’t really get involved with show dog training until you have already done a very thorough job of obedience training your dog. If you haven’t already fully obedience trained your dog, of course you will need to concentrate on that first of all.

If there’s a drawback to being a dog-agility enthusiast, it’s that there really isn’t much online information available on the subject. Surf the internet and you’ll find a few sales pitches, a couple magazines, some organizations, but few answers to specific questions.

One of the most important questions you should ask as a dog agility trainer is, “what type of flooring should I use to train my dogs?”

Before we answer that, let’s look at those flooring options that are NOT great for the sport.

1.) Rubber. Perhaps the biggest misconception out there is that rubber (rolled or interlocking tiles) provides some sort of spongy, super surface that provides great traction while also providing comfort for animals and trainers alike. This notion is false. Rubber, while a great surface for protecting floors from heavy equipment like treadmills or weight benches, does not provide much fatigue relief at all. In fact, a rolled rubber floor isn’t much softer than the concrete floor it covers. And while rubber may be easy to clean (usually a damp mop will do the trick) it is NOT waterproof. Also, because most rubber floor products come in black (they are made from recycled tires) they show dirt immediately. In short, rubber has it’s place but that place is generally not in a dog training facility.

2.) Vinyl/Plastic. Another seemingly great choice for flooring your training facility would be vinyl or plastic. It’s waterproof, easy to clean, it looks nice…However, like rubber it is generally an unforgiving surface. Products made of these materials are also often slippery making for a treacherous area for both trainer and dogs. Slippery = no good for training dogs.

3.) Carpet/hardwood. These products get destroyed quickly by animals and are a nightmare to keep clean. Enough said.

Believe it or not, the best flooring for dog agility training is foam. Not just any foam, of course. Kids mats from the local box store will be shredded in no time. However, dense EVA foam that is designed specifically for dog training provides everything you’re looking for for your facility. It is waterproof and easy to keep clean. A high-traction, commercial grade carpet top provides excellent traction and is resistant to dog claws. Superficial scratching and tears will happen, to be sure. But the quality and performance of the floor will remain unaffected for years. Dog Agility mats are simple to install. Puzzle tiles that simply piece together, they require no adhesives. For a wall-to-wall installation, you simply cut them to fit with a sharp utility knife. Also, if one tile gets damaged, you can simply replace it and carry on. Not so easy with a roll of rubber or hardwood floor.

Greatmats provides an easy-to-use online room designer that allows customers to create their room layout to scale and to determine the number of floor tiles they will need for their area by simply typing in the dimensions.

About Greatmats: Headquartered in Milltown, WI, Greatmats is a leading online dealer of residential and commercial specialty flooring options. Greatmats is 100% solar powered and has been named one of Inc magazines top 500 fastest growing sites three years in a row. They hold a Triple-A rating with the Better Business Bureau. For further information, contact Greatmats at 877-822-6622 or visit http://www.greatmats.com.