Judging Steps at Championship Shows.

Several thousand dogs may be entered at one championship show to be judged on their conformity to breed standards in order to win prestigious titles. To winnow out one dog for 'Best in Show' requires a high degree of organization and a number of judging steps. The largest championship shows in English-speaking countries subscribe to the following order:

1. Take all the entries for a given breed and subdivide them by sex and class (generally age).

2. Choose a Best of Class, by sex.

3. Where the best dogs from each class, per breed, complete for the title Best of Sex.

4. Brings the best male and female of a breed together for Best of Breed. In some countries, this is where champions of record first compete directly with aspiring champions.

5. Sees the best of all breeds within a given group challenge each other for Best of Group.

6. Pits the best dogs of their groups against each other for the prestigious accolade, Best in Show.