# Reliant Dog Show in Houston, TX July 20-24



## nortknee (May 5, 2011)

I have never been to a dog show. But I'm so going to this one!!!

I think I want to go to some of the Meet the Breeds and watch the rally obedience stuff. Also, the market seems pretty neat.

Has anyone ever been? What should I expect?

I'm super excited about this!


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

Is it conformation and obedience?

From the ones I have been to, expect to go bak and forth between two different buildings if you want to watch conformation and other events because they are usually in two different buildings if two are available. 

The obedience area is usually much more laid back because there are fewer people in there but expect there to be LOTS of activity and people/dogs in the conformation building. There are multiple rings going at once so there will be the currently judged breeds as well as the breed next on the list hanging around each ring. It clears out towards the end of the day during Best In Show but it stays full and busy right up until the end. I LOVE the vendors. If you feed kibble or have any reason to bring any home (we always keep some on hand in case we were to bring home a wandering dog), there are usually several booths that have the sample bags of kibble as well as treats. Many of the ones being promoted now are not foods DFCers would cringe at.

It's a ton of fun but expect to move out of the way a lot as you don't want to get in the way of those who are there to compete. And take a camera to take lots of pictures!


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## nortknee (May 5, 2011)

I'm really not sure... here's a link to the flyer.
http://reliantdogshows.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Dog-Show-Guide-2011-Low-Res.pdf

It looks as though everything is going to be in one building, as the map designates certain areas for different activities.

I'm stoked to see the agility and flyball, too. Actually, I'm just excited for the whole thing...we'll leave it at that! 

What's the difference between Rally and Obedience? It looks like there are two different judgings for that.

I'd like to see the Best In Show, but how the heck do you tell what's going to be judged on what day? I know we'll be going for Saturday...not sure about Sunday yet or not. 
I'd love to go all week, but we're 2 hours away from Houston, and the traffic there sucks on a good day, much less a day where who knows how many people will be attending.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

I don't know a whole lot about Rally. Well, I think it's safe to say I know next to nothing about Rally. Hahaha. From what I've gathered Obedience is more serious than Rally but honestly, I don't know. 

That show sounds like it's going to be a blast. You're going to have a ton of vendors! Way more than at ours.

It looks like Wed and Thurs are Terrier shows and something for working dogs. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, however are all individual shows. Depending on how many days the dogs are entered the breeds could be seen all three days, just two days, or just one day. A lot of the breeds will only have one or two dogs competing. For example, if I were to enter Buck, my bluetick, on just Saturday and not Sunday and he was the only bluetick entered all weekend, the blueticks would only be listed on Saturday. So, while most of the breeds will be consistent all weekend you might have some only on some days. At the last one I went to there were only xolos on Saturday. None on Sunday. Does that make sense?

Pages 11-14 are going to tell you what breed is being judged in what ring at what time. However, they often run late. Sometimes by an hour or two. I keep track of it all by finding what breeds I want to watch and keeping an eye out for the breed listed before them so I know that, when I see that breed in the ring, the one I want to watch is coming up next so I can either watch a bit more of the breed I am currently watching or I can mosey on over towards that ring while looking at the vendors, talking to exhibitors (if they aren't busy), etc.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

Dude and Bucks Mamma said:


> I don't know a whole lot about Rally. Well, I think it's safe to say I know next to nothing about Rally. Hahaha. From what I've gathered Obedience is more serious than Rally but honestly, I don't know.
> 
> That show sounds like it's going to be a blast. You're going to have a ton of vendors! Way more than at ours.
> 
> ...


By individual shows I meant that there will be a Best In Show every day.


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## nortknee (May 5, 2011)

Dude and Bucks Mamma said:


> By individual shows I meant that there will be a Best In Show every day.


For groups, or breeds?

Now I'm really confused. 

My main reason is definitely going to the Meet the Breed (Cardigan Welsh Corgi and the English Cocker Spaniels mainly) and the agility competition. I don't particularly know anything about showing or conformation, but I definitely want to see the Collies, Goldens, and Poodles. I wish they'd say if they're doing it by group...that would make things so much easier for newbies like me.

Really, I'd love to see them all, but since it spans over 4 days I just don't think it's possible to get there for all of it.
Sporting and Herding are the ones I want to see most, so it'd be great if they just lumped those 2 groups together on Saturday for me.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

Every breed will be shown all three days. There will be breed judging every day. When a BOB (Best Of Breed) has been picked for every breed they will move onto the group judging (Hound Group, Sporting Group, Non-Sporting Group, Terrier Group, Herding Group, Working Group, and Toy Group). Then the group winners will compete for Best In Show. Just like you see on tv. The breed judging is the chaos that goes on all day.

They are three individual shows. Those dog shows you see on tv? That will happen every day but the majority of the day is the breed judging which happens "behind the scenes". It's where all of the ibizan hounds are shown against each other and the judge picks the one you will see in the group judging. The goldens are all shown against each other and the judge picks the one you see in group. And so on and so forth.

Meet the Breed:

Golden Retriever- 3:00 on Friday
Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Rough Collie, Smooth Collie- 1:00 on Saturday
English Cocker Spaniel- 3:00 on Saturday

Conformation:

Cardigan Welsh Corgi- Fri: Ring 3 at 2:00pm
Sat: Ring 3 at 10:30 am
Sun: Ring 3 at 8: am

Collie (Rough)- Fri:Ring 1 at 11:10 am
Sat:Ring 12 at 10:10 am
Sun:Ring 8 at 11:35 am

Collie (Smooth)- Fri:Ring 1 at 9:30
Sat:Ring 12 at 8:00 am
Sun:Ring 8 at 12:50 pm

English Cocker Spaniel- Fri:Ring 6 at 1:45 pm
Sat:Ring 11 at 1:20 pm
Sun:Ring 6 at 1:00 pm

Golden Retriever- Fri:Ring 11 at 10:40 am
Sat:Ring 7 at 11:10 am
Sun:Ring 3 at 12:40 pm

You'll likely be able to grab a program inside that will have the times there for you. The breed judging is always either RIGHT on time or really late. Hahaha. It seems to be a trend with the ones I have been to. Like I said, find the breeds you want to watch in the program, find the ring they will be shown in, figure out what breed will be shown right before that breed and keep an eye out for that breed so you don't suddenly see your breed IN the ring from across the building and risk the judging being over by the time you get over there.


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## beauceron.akita (Jul 18, 2012)

Just browsed through the replies, so sorry if I repeat, but I've gone to this show every year for as long as I can remember, most years showing something, and will be competing with one of my dogs this weekend at the show in Rally excellent. The show is a blast to go to! You will see everything from individual breed judging, rally, obedience, flyball, agility, freestyle disc and dancing, and even weight pull. Fri, sat, and sun are all breed shows, so you should see all breeds those days, and can stay til the end to watch groups and BiS each day. Plan to spend money! There are all kinds of things to shop for, and that's one of the best parts!


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