How to Get Into the Dog Show World (Volunteer, and Bring Snacks)
The overarching thing is: you kinda have to be a stalker. (Just kidding… kinda.)
At the very least, you’re about to become a really good internet searcher.
When I’m interested in a show, the first thing I do is start creeping. I find the event, then I look up everyone connected to it — the club officers, the chairpeople, and I look up the breeder-owners who are likely to be there, based on geography. I search names or breeds on Pure Dog Talk’s archive, just trying to gather as much information as possible. If it’s a smaller weekend show, I’ll try to arrange to tag along with a breeder/ handler, or someone I’ve met through dogs. If it’s a National Specialty (which I really recommend, by the way), I start studying last year’s schedule. I figure out what’s happening which day — maybe Tracking on Wednesday, then Conformation the following days — and I make a rough plan.
Then I start reaching out. I find the chairperson for whatever event catches my eye and I send an email introducing myself. Something like, “Hey, I’m really interested in the breed. I’ll be at the show and I don’t have any dogs with me, but I’d love to help out however I can. Please put me to work.”
That one line — please put me to work — will open more doors than anything else. Most of the people running these events have been doing it for decades. They’re tired. They’re thrilled to see someone new who’s willing to help and learn. If you don’t get a reply, don’t be shy — email the next person. And if you still don’t hear back, post in the Facebook group for that club or specialty. Eventually someone will say, “Sure, come on over.”
My personal goal at any show is to have a job for every day I’m there. Even if it’s just grunt work, that’s fine — it’s an in. Every bit of it teaches you something. And here’s the key: don’t get personally offended if people aren’t clamoring for your time. After all, who the heck am I? I’m applying to be the help here, and all they want to know is if I’m honest and hardworking. My resume is really of no consequence.
And then here’s the part a lot of people skip; you actually have to show up.
You wear comfortable shoes. You bring a sandwich. You’re on time. You work hard. That alone will put you miles ahead of most people. If you’re a younger person, especially, that reliability will make you unforgettable. Practice your quick introduction:
“Hi, I’m Emily, and I’m really interested in Lakelands. I’m here this week to learn.”
That’s it. That’s the pitch. Don’t oversell it.
For My Groomer Friends
If your whole world right now is pets and seminars, I highly recommend jumping into the purebred side of things. Every line you scissor, every pattern you set, every trim you copy — it all comes from the AKC standard. You might not see show dogs in your salon but understanding structure and coat care at that level changes how you groom everything.
Which brings me to what’s lovingly called being a “bucket bitch.”
That’s where I got (and continue to get) the best education of my entire career.
Here’s how it works: if the lady you’re helping says, “Be at the setup at 5 a.m.,” you show up at 4:30. You carry the heavy stuff. You stay alert and ready. If she says “stand in the corner and get out of my way,” then you stand in the corner. You don’t leave for a long lunch. You’re the one with snacks and water bottles. You stay humble. You sweep, scoop poop, wash crates, run messages. It doesn’t look glamorous, but it’s the best classroom there is.
And those breeders? Those “little old ladies”? They’ve spent a lifetime learning this stuff. Once they see that you’re not just playing tourist — that you care about their breed and you’re willing to work — they’ll teach you everything. But until then, they don’t care that you can groom fourteen dogs a day or that you own a $75 hairbrush.
My Favorite Lesson
One year I was doing all that — just showing up, helping wherever I could — when some emergency happened and suddenly, on day four, they needed another dog bathed and blown out. Someone looked around and must’ve thought, “Well, she’s not a total idiot, and she’s done everything we’ve asked so far. Let’s let her try.” At this point I’d been grooming pets for years, had various certifications and had my own salon, but I didn’t expect to groom a dog at their National, and that humility paid off.
Next thing I knew, I had an incredible breeder standing over my shoulder, coaching me through every step. I became a beginner again. To this day I still hear her voice every time I fluff-dry a poodle. That moment never would’ve happened if I’d left early because I was bored or because nobody had given me anything “fun” to do yet.
A few years later, those same women came to watch me compete. They sat ringside for three hours, smiling at me every time I looked their way. Afterwards they said, “What the hell were you doing in there?!” and we laughed, traded critiques, and went to dinner. Those relationships — built by showing up, volunteering, and being useful — mean more to me than any award in grooming.
So Why Volunteer?
Because you’ll learn more sweeping floors at a dog show than you ever will scrolling online.
Because hard work gets noticed.
Because you’ll find mentors who will quietly hand you everything they know — but only if you’ve proven you’ll treat it with respect.
So yeah. Go ahead and creep on that club website. Find your show. Send the email. Pack your sandwich. And when someone asks what you’re doing there, just smile and say: “I’m here to learn. Please put me to work.”
My favorite places to “creep:”
-
AKC Event Search https://webapps.akc.org/event-
search/#/search -
Pure Dog Talk Archives — search names, breeds, judges, events and sports
(I also get so much from being a member of the Patron’s Group — I’ve made connections from all over the country!)
