Dog Show Categories (from UK Kennel Club)
| Class: | Classification: |
| Minor Puppy | For dogs of 6 and not exceeding 9 calendar months of age on the first day of the Show. |
| Puppy | For dogs of 6 and not exceeding 12 calendar months of age on the first day of the Show. |
| Junior | For dogs of 6 and not exceeding 18 calendar months of age on the first day of the Show. |
| Yearling | For dogs of twelve and not exceeding twenty-four calendar months of age on the first day of the Show. |
| Beginners | * For owner, handler or exhibit not having won a first prize at any Show. ** For owner, handler or exhibit not having won a first prize at any Show. |
| Maiden | * For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate/CACIB/CAC/Green Star or a First Prize at an Open or Championship show (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy classes excepted, whether restricted or not). ** For dogs which have not won a First Prize at any Show (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy Classes excepted whether restricted or not). |
| Novice | * For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate/CACIB/CAC/Green Star or three or more First Prizes at Open and Championship Shows (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy classes excepted, whether restricted or not). ** For dogs which have not won 3 or more First Prizes at any Show (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy Classes excepted, whether restricted or not). |
| Tyro | * For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate/CACIB/CAC/Green Star or five or more First Prizes at Open and Championship Shows (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy classes excepted, whether restricted or not). ** For dogs which have not won 5 or more First Prizes at any Show (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy Classes excepted, whether restricted or not). |
| Debutant | * For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate/CACIB/CAC/Green Star or a First Prize at a Championship Show where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy classes excepted, whether restricted or not). ** For dogs which have not won a First Prize at an Open or Championship Show (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy Classes excepted, whether restricted or not). |
| Under Graduate | * For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate/CACIB/CAC/Green Star or three or more First Prizes at Championship Shows where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy classes excepted, whether restricted or not). ** For dogs which have not won 3 or more First Prize at Open or Championship Shows (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy Classes excepted, whether restricted or not). |
| Graduate | * For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate/CACIB/CAC/Green Star or four or more First Prizes at Championship Shows in Graduate, Post Graduate, Minor Limit, Mid Limit, Limit and Open classes, whether restricted or not where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed. ** For dogs which have not won 4 or more First Prizes at Open or Championship Shows in Graduate, Post Graduate, Minor Limit, Mid Limit, Limit and Open Classes, whether restricted or not. |
| Post Graduate | * For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate/CACIB/CAC/Green Star or five or more First Prizes at Championship Shows in Post Graduate, Minor Limit, Mid Limit, Limit and Open classes, whether restricted or not where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed. ** For dogs which have not won 5 or more First Prizes at Championship and Open Shows in Post Graduate, Minor Limit, Mid Limit, Limit and Open Classes, whether restricted or not. |
| Minor Limit | *For dogs which have not won two Challenge Certificates/CACIB/CAC/Green Stars or three or more First Prizes in all at Championship Shows in Minor Limit, Mid Limit, Limit and Open classes, confined to the breed, whether restricted or not at Shows where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed. ** For dogs which have not won 3 or more First Prizes in all at Open and Championship Shows in Minor Limit, Mid Limit, Limit and Open Classes, confined to the breed, whether restricted or not. |
| Mid Limit | * For dogs which have not become show Champions under Kennel Club Regulations or under the rules of any governing body recognised by the Kennel Club or won 3 or more CACIB/CAC/Green Stars or won five or more First Prizes in all at Championship Shows in Mid Limit, Limit or Open Classes, confined to the breed, whether restricted or not, at shows where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed. ** For dogs which have not won 5 or more First Prizes in all at Open and Championship Shows in Mid Limit, Limit and Open Classes, confined to the breed, whether restricted or not. |
| Limit | * For dogs which have not become show Champions under Kennel Club Regulations or under the rules of any governing body recognised by the Kennel Club or won 3 or more CACIB/CAC/Green Stars or won 7 or more First Prizes in all, at Championship Shows in Limit or Open Classes, confined to the breed, whether restricted or not at shows where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed. ** For dogs which have not won 7 or more First Prizes in all at Open and Championship Shows in Limit and Open Classes, confined to the breed, whether restricted or not. |
| Open | * For all dogs of the breed for which the class is provided and eligible for entry at the Show. |
| Veteran | For dogs of not less than 7 years of age on the first day of the Show |
| Champion | For dogs which have been confirmed a Champion or Show Champion under Kennel Club Regulations or under the rules of any governing body recognised by the Kennel Club. |
| Rare Breeds | Confined to those breeds not granted Challenge Certificates in the current year, with the exception of those breeds whose registration is confined to the Imported Breed Register. |
| Field Trials | For dogs which have won an award, Diploma of Merit or Certificate of Merit in actual competition at a Field Trial held under Kennel Club or Irish Kennel Club Field Trial Regulations. |
| Working Trial | For dogs which have won an award in competition at a Bloodhound Working Trial and Kennel Club licensed Working Trials, held under Kennel Club Regulations. |
| Stud Dog | For stud dogs and at least two progeny of which only the progeny must be entered and exhibited in a breed class at the Show |
| Brood Bitch | For brood bitches and at least 2 progeny of which only the progeny must be entered and exhibited in a breed class at the Show. |
| Progeny | For a dog or bitch, accompanied by at least three of its registered progeny. The dog or bitch not necessarily entered in another class however, all progeny having been entered and exhibited in another class. The dog or bitch and the progeny need not be registered in the same ownership. |
| Brace | For 2 exhibits (either sex or mixed) of one breed belonging to the same exhibitor, each exhibit having been entered in some class other than Brace or Team. |
| Team | For 3 or more exhibits (either sex or mixed) of one breed belonging to the same exhibitor, each exhibit having been entered in some class other than Brace or Team. |
| Breeders | For dogs bred by the exhibitor |
| Imported Breed Register | For breeds confined to the Imported Breed Register and only when an Interim Breed Standard has been published by the Kennel Club. Such breeds may be exhibited in this class only with the winning dog being eligible to compete for Best in Group or Best in Show as relevant. |
| Any Variety Not Separately Classified | For breeds of dog for which no separate breed classes are scheduled. |
| Young Kennel Club (YKC) Stakes | For Any Variety dog or bitch exhibited and handled by a fully paid up member of the Young Kennel Club. The dog should be registered either: a. Solely or jointly in the member’s name, or 41 F(A) b. In the name of a member of the family and under these circumstances the dog must be resident at the YKC member’s address. |
| Good Citizen Dog | For dogs that have achieved their GCDS Bronze Award. |
| Scheme Class | Certificate or above. |
| Scheme Class Not For Competition | Societies may at their discretion, accept Not for Competition entries. Societies may accept such entries from Breeds of dog not included within the title of the Society and at Shows held over more than one day, such entries may be accepted on any day from any breed. |
| Any Variety Companion Dog Club Class | For Any Variety of purebred dog having been entered at a Companion Dog Show held in conjunction with the show at which this class is scheduled. |
| Imported Breed Register | For breeds confined to the Imported Breed Register and only when an Interim Breed Standard has been published by the Kennel Club. Such breeds may be exhibited in this class only with the winning dog being eligible to compete for Best in Group or Best in Show as relevant. |