Dog Show competitors strut their stuff for the judges
Posted: 09.02.2012 at 8:21 PM

The Marquette Kennel Club Dog Show wrapped up Sunday as hundreds of dogs move on to other competitions

MARQUETTE -- The 37th Annual Marquette Kennel Club Dog Show wrapped up Sunday at Lakeview Arena in Marquette.

The show has hundreds of dogs from across the country that compete in three events:  obedience, rally, and confirmation. Obedience has the dog and handler work as a team, following whatever directions the judge issues. They display commands like come, heel, and also to jump over objects and retrieve other objects. Rally is a more relaxed version of obedience where the team must go through a course, following written directions on signs. Confirmation judges the dog's physical appearance compared to the standards for their breed set by the American Kennel Club. Judges look for things like hair length, the proportions of the body, and how they walk or run, to name a few.

Training a dog to be a top competitor is no small task.

"Training a successful dog is you put a lot of love into it. Train the dog, feed the dog properly. Make sure you get the medical care he needs. Work with the dog every day. Keep him brushed and his teeth taken care of. Just make sure you love the dog," said Mary Lee Kirkum, Treasurer for the Marquette Kennel Club and a dog handler of 40 years.

The dog show will return again next year.